LaFave started his illustration career in media before his first children's drawings appeared in the 1981 book The Mare's Egg.
[3][4] After finishing his college studies in 1976, LaFave went to Tarrytown, New York that year to receive additional illustrative training.
[8][9] Leading up to the early 2000s, LaFave worked as a digital painter and had his artwork appear in The New York Times.
[16] With paint, LaFave focuses on all of the back and front parts of the images first before moving on to the literary characters.
[17] In 2001, LaFave expanded his children's illustrations methods with digital painting when he used Fractal Painter for We'll All Go Sailing.
[2] For Shin-chi's Canoe, LaFave conducted research on the Canadian Indian residential school system to make his illustrations.
[20] He was re-nominated for this Canadian Library Association award the following year with Duck Cakes for Sale.
[22][23] During this time period, LaFave shared the 1989 Ruth Schwartz Children's Book Award for Amo's Sweater with Janet Lunn.
[24] With Nicola I. Campbell, LaFave received Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award nominations for Shi-shi-etko in 2006 and Shin-chi's Canoe during 2009.
[25] For the TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, they were nominated with Shi-shi-etko and won with Shin-chi's Canoe.