I'm an illustrator and designer with 20 years of working in the creative industry and developing creativity in myself and others, and I adore children's books - for their humour, colour, energy and escapism. Yes, at 40 years old my treat is to buy them for myself.
Despite evidence to the contrary (a regularly rolled-out photo of me as a toddler, having ripped my sister's fave book into tiny pieces) I have always adored books. I read Watership Down independently before I even started primary school (that may also explain the rabbit obsession) and have barely stopped since.
For a long time, I’ve been harbouring a not-so-secret desire to see my illustrations on the bookshelf amongst my illus-idols (yes, I made that up) Jon Klassen, Oliver Jeffers, Rachel Ignotofsky, Sandra Dieckmann, Chris Haughton and my fave inspirations: ‘Bunnies on the Bus’ Philip Ardagh & Ben Mantel, and Dick the Delightful Duck by Kaye Umansky and Ben Mantle (a GENIUS book, buy it now).
I have a very dry sense of humour that I inherited from my dad, and enjoy finding ways to add wit and humour to illustrations in the characters and background narratives. I have taught in education at all levels from primary to adult and prison education, and so I also bring learning theory knowledge into books where required, especially into resource and activity development. I also have a wealth of experience in infographic and UX design principles which help tremendously with non-fiction.
