Interview with Rob Biddulph

Rob Biddulph is a bestselling and award-winning author/illustrator whose first picture book, Blown Away (HarperCollins), won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in 2015. His second, GRRRRR! (HarperCollins), was nominated for the CILIP Kate Greenaway medal and his third, Odd Dog Out (HarperCollins), was published in August 2016. His fourth picture book, Sunk!, will be published in March 2017. As well as working on his own books he also illustrates for other authors including Piers Torday, David Solomons and Christian O'Connell.  Before he became a full-time author/illustrator he was the art director of the Observer Magazine, NME, Uncut, SKY and Just Seventeen. He lives in London with his wife and three daughters.

BWB: GRRRRR! is your second picturebook. Why did you choose to focus this story on a bear?

RB: Well, I knew that I wanted the set the book in a woodland environment (because I really love drawing trees) and so I did some research on Yellowstone National Park. As soon as I saw that bears lived there my mind was made up. They're great fun to draw and everybody loves them, not least my own children. 

BWB: What's the best award/trophy you've ever won? 

RB: Hmmm, tricky. It's either a) the first ever prize that I won for drawing which was, wait for it, a BIC biro, b) the1991 Player of the Year for Brookmans Park Football Club or c) the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. I think I'll go for... c) the Waterstones prize. It was such a shock when I won. In fact, I still can't quite believe that it happened!

BWB: If you were to compete against another illustrator who would that be?

RB: Ooh, great question. Well, I guess it depends what we were competing in. If we're talking about an illustration competition then I think I'd like to test myself against the very best. So how about... Quentin Blake, although he would absolutely thrash me obviously. If we were competing in a running race, however, I might stand a better chance...

BWB: Your favourite fictional bear and why?

RB: Now this is tough. I love Paddington and Pooh, but I think I might have to plump for Baloo from the Jungle Book. I would love to have a friend like him. We could hang out all day eating prickly pears, floating along the river and basically forgetting about our worries and our strife. It would be so cool. 

BWB: Can you tell us more about your next picture book?

RB: Well, my brand new book is called Odd Dog Out and it's set in a world entirely populated by dachshunds (that's the posh name for sausage dogs). Everybody loves a sausage dog and they're SUCH fun to draw. Anyway, in this world every single dog dresses and acts in exactly that same way as all the others, except for one – the Odd Dog Out. She gets pretty fed up cos everyone is different to her so she leaves town in search of kindred spirits. But, in doing so, she discovers something much more important - that being yourself is actually the best thing of all. It's basically a sweet story about blazing your own trail and not just following the crowd. Plus there's lots of pictures of dogs dressed up in funny outfits. What's not to like?

Huge thanks to Rob and Simon for taking the time to make this interview happen. You can find out more about Rob and his wonderful work on his website here. He also draws on a lot of post it notes to live in his daughters lunchbox from time to time...

Interview with Ingela P Arrhenius

Art and design have always played a big part in Ingela P Arrhenius' life. Before her career as an illustrator took off, Ingela worked as an art director in Stockholm. She's since been commissioned for creating print patterns for fabrics, wallpaper, stationary as well as posters, product design, home accessories and toys. She's passionate about retro style, typography and colour. She lives in Stockholm with her husband and two boys.

BWB: You are renown for illustrating a huge number of different animals. Are there any you struggle to illustrate in your signature style?

IPA: Any animals? No. I love to draw them all. The only struggle is when new clients want me to draw animals and I don´t want them to clash with earlier work. Then it feels I have to re-invent myself over and over. 

BWB: Animals is your first animal alphabet book, is this something you've always wanted to get published?

IPA: I have, for some strange reason :) , never thought of that. Maybe because there are so many all ready. 

BWB: Do you have a favourite picture book?

IPA: My favourite picture books are old ones. I love the work of Hungarian Károly Reich, Swedish Olle Eksell, the American coupe Alice and Martin Provensen to mention some. When I was a child I loved the books by Richard Scarry, especially What Do People Do All Day. I could look in it for hours and if I see it today I remember all the feelings and thoughts I had back then.

BWB: What inspires your beautiful colour palettes?

IPA: Old children´s books, patterns, fabrics, etc. I can do hundreds of versions of colour combinations before I am done. I love it.

BWB: There are illustrators the world over that are inspired by your work. Who in the illustration/design world inspires you?

IPA: I would say the people I mentioned above. I like to get inspired by work from the past. And it has always been like that. When I look at my work from art school in the early 90´s it pretty much looks the same.

BWB: Your work can be found on anything from wooden toys to colourful plates. Which do you prefer designing for?

IPA: Everything! If I like the product and think my design would fit for it I get inspired and want to get started. Right now I get a lot of request and have to look close at the companies so I really like what they stand for. But wooden toys are something special :)

BWB: What picture books can we expect from you in the future?

IPA: More work for French Marcel & Joachim. Board books for Nosy Crow that I am working on right now. And books for the American market but they are the contract-stage so I can´t say anything yet.

BWB: Can we expect to see you in London/UK anytime soon for any exhibitions or publicising your work?

IPA: I hope so! But nothing planned right now.

Thanks to Ingela for taking the time to answer my questions. Check out more of Ingela's fab work on her website here. Animals is her latest book with Walker Books which is available to buy now!

Interview with Joe Todd-Stanton

Joe is a south London based illustrator who graduated from Bristol University in 2012, since then he has worked with a large range of clients including Anorak, Nobrow and Cricket Magazine. He has a bold colourful style, but still tries to keep his work grounded in his strong line work, due to the heavy childhood influence of illustrators such as Tove Janssen and Maurice Sendak.

BWB: Arthur and the Golden Rope is your debut book for children. Are you happy with the end result?

JTS: I'm very happy with how it turned out. After spending so much time developing it it's an amazing feeling just to be able hold it and see other people enjoying it. I also can't wait to use everything I have learned from this experience on my next project. 

BWB: How did the idea for Arthur and the Golden Rope come about?

JTS: The idea came from loving illustrators like Tom Gauld & Mike Magnolia who can take huge ideas from mythology or literature and make them there own. Really the first idea I had was something along the lines of Hellboy for kids although this changed a lot as the story grew. 

BWB: Who and what inspires your work?

JTS: The boring answer is anything and everything but I especially love going to museums. I don't think I ever walk away from a trip to the Natural History Museum without an idea for an illustration or two.  This also goes for the Hunterian although those ideas are normally a lot stranger! 

BWB: I adore your illustration style. Is it mostly digital or do you have a technique you prefer to use over software?

JTS: Thank you! I draw everything in pencil and then colour using Photoshop. One thing I focus on is still trying keep my work looking loose and hand drawn so I limit myself to only a few brushes in Photoshop. 

BWB: How long did Arthur and the Golden Rope take to produce from the first idea to the finished book in your hands?

JTS: The whole process took nearly four years! This was because we made a version which was never released as we weren't happy with some of the elements. Obviously I am really happy with how it turned out so I have no regrets. 

BWB: Any plans for a follow up?

JTS: We have a basic outline for the second story now which I am really happy with. It still needs a few tweaks but I will hopefully get started on it later this year for a 2017 release.

Huge thanks to Joe and Emma at Flying Eye Books for making this interview happen. Arthur and the Golden Rope is available to buy at all good booksellers and on the Flying Eye Books website. Check out my review right here. 

Interview with Clive McFarland

Clive grew up in Northern Ireland before taking a ship to England to study at Liverpool School of Art and Design.  Discovering his love for children’s picture books he combined it with his love of nature. His art is inspired by the shapes and emotion he finds in landscape and natural imagery. His debut picture book A Bed for Bear and follow up The Fox and the Wild are available now. His third book Caterpillar Dreams will be released in early 2017.

BWB: A Bed For Bear was your debut picture book for HarperCollins. Can you tell us what inspired the story?

CM: I wanted to make a book about finding a place to belong. Originally the story was set in an urban town where bears lived. Even though town seemed the perfect place to live for many different types of bear (like brown bears, polar bears and pandas), it was a place where Bernard the Bear felt he didn’t belong. HarperCollins liked the main character but envisaged a bedtime story. That set Bernard on a different path and I started over with something simpler. I felt a book to be read at bedtime should be quiet. I wanted things to be understated and for the art not to be too cluttered or busy. Setting the story in a wood seemed a better fit. Bernard still feels that he isn’t in the right place and goes looking for the perfect place to sleep.

I owe a lot to my editor David Linker. We worked on A Bed for Bear for a long time. He helped me find the right voice and establish the kind of stories I want to tell.

BWB: Bears focus in a lot of your illustrations, is there a reason for this?

CM: Maybe I was drawing a lot of bears because I had a story in mind. I haven’t created any since I completed A Bed for Bear and decided not to work on a couple of bear books from other publishers after that. I had created a bear character I was fond of and wanted to do something different. I’d love to visit Bernard’s world again though.

BWB: Who is your favourite fictional bear?

CM: I grew up with and love the original Winnie-the-Pooh stories by AA Milne, illustrated by EH Shepard. Paddington Bear is a close second. Bernard’s yellow scarf is a little nod to Rupert Bear.

BWB: Your illustration process of collage is seen throughout your work. Has this process changed in any way to meet picture book deadlines?

CM: My process hasn’t changed much but I am working digitally more which means it’s easier to make changes to the art. I am able to make more polished work this way and it can be a bit faster. I allow myself to use only hand-painted textures and try to keep true to the limitations of traditional cut-out illustration.

BWB: Can you tell us what are you working on right now?

CM: My latest book Caterpillar Dreams is publishing with HarperCollins early next year. It’s a story about a caterpillar called Henri who dreams of exploring the world and sets off on a journey beyond the safety of his garden. I haven’t seen the final book yet but it's finished and I’m very excited for the book to be released. 

Right now I’m in the process of illustrating a counting book to be published by Nancy Paulsen Books, which is an honour. I’m also writing new stories and hoping they might be on a bookshelf in the not too distant future.

Interview with David Litchfield

David Litchfield is an illustrator from Bedfordshire in the U.K. He is represented by The Bright Agency. David first started to draw when he was very young, creating Star Wars and Indiana Jones ‘mash up’ comics for his older brother and sister. Since then David’s work has appeared in magazines, newspapers, books and on T-shirts. He has also exhibited his illustrations in both solo and group shows in the U.K, Europe and America.

BWB: What inspired The Bear and the Piano?

DL: Lots of things really. The idea initially came from a very quick sketch I drew in my sketchbook of a tuxedo wearing bear playing piano. I really liked the idea of these two different worlds colliding. The big scary grizzly bear playing soft tender piano music. But the story line reflects a lot of the decisions we have to make when we are following our dreams and have to step out of our comfort zones.

BWB: Will there be another book featuring the musical bear?

DL: Yes indeed there will be. I don't think I can say too much about it as Its very, very earl days. I'm very excited by it though as its not a traditional sequel and t takes the story in a very cool and interesting direction. 

BWB: Are you musical at all?

DL: A bit. I used to play guitar in bands a few years ago. But the only person who hears me play now is my 4 year old son. He thinks I rock :)

BWB: You’ve created quite a few book covers over your career so far. Which one is your favourite to date?

DL: I loved the one I did recently for the re-issue of 'The Jungle Book' by Faber Classics. It was such a big honour to have been asked and I think I did a pretty ok job.

BWB: Can you tell us what you’re currently working on?

DL: Well, I'm getting ready for the release of two book I illustrated which are coming out this September, 'The Building Boy' by Ross Montgomery and 'Miss Muffet, Or What Came After' by Marilyn Singer. Thats all hugely exciting.

But, I have just finished my second author/illustrator book 'Grandad's Secret Giant'  which is not out until April 2017. Its an idea I have had in my mind for quite some time so I'm really happy that I was given the opportunity to create it. I can't wait to hear what people think to it.

This summer is a busy one as I'm working on a few other books that will all be published over the next couple of years. Today I'm making a start on the final artwork for Teresa Heapy's  book 'The Marvellous Moon Map'. Its published next year by Penguin Random House and its going to be bloomin brilliant.

Massive bear hugs to David and Ellen for making this interview a superb one! If you want to see more David's beautiful work visit his website here. David’s award winning first picture book ‘The Bear & The Piano’ (published by Frances Lincoln) is out now. 

Interview with Michelle Robinson

Michelle grew up in Gloucestershire. Before she started writing funny stories for children, Michelle wrote copy and devised websites for some of the world's biggest brands. She always dreamed of becoming an author like her hero, Roald Dahl. She shares his birthday and his love of chocolate, but she is much, much shorter. Michelle lives in Frome with her husband and young son and daughter. 

BWB: What gave you the idea to write A Beginners Guide to Bear Spotting?

MR: Walking in the woods in Canada. Various family members gave us conflicting advice on what to do if we encountered a bear. For example, "Don't use soap or perfume, bears are attracted to it" versus "Do wear perfume, they'll realise you're human and stay away". Or "Wear something bright so you don't get shot by a hunter" versus "If you wear something bright the bears will spot you and attack." There were so many of these crazy tips that by the time we went to the woods we were convinced of our own doom. Thankfully we didn't have to put our muddled knowledge to the test. 

BWB: David Roberts is renowned for illustrating fantastic bears. Was he your personal choice to illustrate A Beginners Guide to Bear Spotting? 

MR: David Roberts is renowned for illustrating fantastic *everything*. I've been a fan since forever and I couldn't believe it when I heard he would be illustrating my story. I still can't quite believe it, actually. 

BWB: Who is your favourite fictional bear?

MR: Winnie the Pooh. I love the pairing of A.A. Milne's voice and E.H. Shepard's drawings. The humour and tenderness that runs through their books is exquisite. 

BWB: Why do you think bears are such a popular animal in the picture book world?

MR: I really don't know why it should be that bears have such timeless appeal. It's not as though bear is a man's best friend, after all. And as you'll find out in 'A Beginner's Guide to Bear Spotting', real bears certainly aren't as cuddly as the stuffed variety. I wonder why bears are the go-to stuffed animal? If someone had thought to create a different soft toy all those years ago, might this blog post be about the enduring appeal of the gnu? The mind boggles.

BWB: Any plans to work with David again?

MR: Happily, yes! A follow up to Bear Spotting is on the way - and I still can't quite believe my luck.

Huge bear cuddles to the fantastic, Michelle, for taking part in my Q&A and being super generous for offering a personally signed copy of A Beginners Guide to Bear Spotting to one lucky tweeter! If you want to enter visit twitter here and RT and follow. To find out loads more about Michelle and her amazing work, visit her website here. A Beginners Guide to Bear Spotting to available to buy now in all good bookshops and on the Bloomsbury website.

Interview with Sophy Henn

Sophy Henn lives and works in Sussex, England. She writes and illustrates children's books in her studio, with a large cup of tea by her side, and can't quite believe her luck. Where Bear?, her first book, was nominated for both the Kate Greenaway Medal and shortlisted for the Waterstones Children's Book Prize in 2015. Pom Pom Gets the Grumps won Junior Design Awards Best Book of the Year 2015, and Sophy won Best Emerging Talent (Children's Author). She was also the World Book Day Illustrator for 2015 and 2016.

BWB: This is your third Pom Pom picture book. Out of the three which one is your favourite?

SH: Oh heavens, that's like asking someone to chose between their children! Hmmm. I have a huge soft spot for Grumps as it was the original Pom Pom. I didn't know he would have a series at that point and it was written as a stand alone book. The story is based on the real life events that inspired Pom Pom. A lovely little girl having a bit of a moment and telling everyone to "GO AWAY" over and over until everyone did. Then she got a bit worried and we heard her calling out for everyone in a very little, worried voice. Being a toddler is so tricky, all these new situations, emotions and hormones, you are constantly having to work out the 'right' response to things and trying to remember to keep things in check. The idea behind Grumps was to reassure the reader that everyone has bad days, but it's not the end of the world, you just have to own your mistakes and say sorry. Oh, and to make the reader laugh, obviously! But getting to create Champion and Super as well was amazing. Showing the different aspects of Pom Pom has been lovely, I think Super in particular shows another side of Pom Pom, a little more introspective and unsure of himself. So basically I love them all equally (but maybe one a little bit more for sentimental reasons)! 

BWB: I think Pom Pom would make a great preschool tv show. Would you ever consider going that direction with him?

SH: Thank you! It's funny, but a few people have said that since Pom Pom is Super has come out and having thought about it I could imagine Pom Pom tearing it up on the TV! I love a lot of Pre School TV and I have done my fair share of viewing ( I was in the original Balamory and Bob the Builder era!), I might even be known to watch the occasional episode of Hey Duggee!, which is amazing. The spirit of the Pom Pom books is a positive one, celebrating different characters and the joy, excitement and occasional upset that comes with being so little and discovering new things all the time.  I think so long as the programme stayed true to that, the illustration style and characters, then I would definitely consider a Pom Pom TV show. I am now imagining the theme tune!

BWB: Are pandas your favourite type of bear? If so, why?

SH: I love all bears! But Pom Pom had to be a panda, even before he got his name! As I mentioned before the inspiration came from a momentarily furious little girl but I knew I didn't want the character to be a little girl or boy as that seemed too gender specific so I started thinking about animals. I love the You Tube clip Pandas on a Slide, the Pandas are just so happy and laid back, rolling into on another and lolling about at the bottom of the slide, in no hurry to move on or get out of the way of the next sliding Panda. There are no sudden movements, they all just seem very happy. The idea of combining a furious little person with a chilled out, cute and cuddly Panda made me laugh and Pom Pom was born!

BWB: Can we expect more adventures with Pom Pom soon?

SH: Oh I hope so! Pom Pom is always in my mind, I am always jotting down things I have seen or overheard that seem Pom Pom-ish to me! My next book is about a human girl though...

BWB: Who is your favourite fictional bear and why?

SH: Oh heavens, that's like the first question...almost impossible to answer, there are lots of excellent bears about, Balloo, Paddington, Mr.Panda (I'm a stickler for manners!), Jon Klasson's bear with the missing hat, Fred the Bear and of course David Litchfield's piano playing bear. But if I am only allowed one then I think I am going to have to go for the classic....Winnie the Pooh. AA Milne's stories and the themes within them are timeless, endearing, joyous and occasionally heartbreaking, I have learnt many a life lesson from Winnie the Pooh. And EH Shepard's beautiful and seemingly effortless illustrations give such heart to the characters. Winnie's top spot was cemented by my daughter loving him too, though she called him Winnie-a-pooh. Bless!

Thank you to Sophy for once again letting me pick her brains! If you would like to see more of her wonderful work check out her website here. Pom Pom is Super is available to buy now at all good bookshops.

Interview with Simona Ciraolo

Simona Ciraolo is a children’s book author. She grew up in Italy and got a degree in animation at the National Film School. Simona moved to England shortly afterwards and worked in advertising and feature films. She's currently based in London and has just completed an MA in Children’s Book Illustration in Cambridge. She currently has three amazing titles with Flying Eye Books; Hug Me, Whatever Happened To My Sister? and The Lines on Nana's Face.

BWB: You have produced three titles for Flying Eye Books now, which one is your favourite?

SC: One usually loves all of his darlings in the same way, and I do. But if I had to pick the one I am always going to have a soft spot for, that has to be Whatever Happened to my Sister.

BWB: Do you feel your work has evolved in any way over these books?

SC: I suppose it has, although it is often the case that the artist is the last one to notice such an evolution, as it is difficult to see the work clearly whilst it is still quite fresh in your eyes.

BWB: What aspect of picture book making do you find the most difficult?

SC: Settling on particular way to draw the illustrations. Before I start working on a book I experiment with different approaches to image making, but eventually there has to come a time when I have to say: "Ok, this is it". But I often find myself to be too involved with the images I've been working on to see them clearly and be objective as to whether I am making the right decision. It isn't always easy to trust your instincts in those moments!

BWB: Who inspires you?

SC: Those authors and illustrators who dedicated their lives to the profession they love and, after decades of writing and drawing pictureboks, are still in love with this medium and still wonder how they could make their own work even better.

BWB: Your last two books were about family members. Were these based on your experiences? 

SC: I'd actually say that all three of them are! No, they are not directly based on my experience, but I love to observe family dynamics: I find them terribly inspiring!

Thank you to Simona and Emma for this interview. If you'd like to see more of Simona's work visit her website here. Her books are available to buy from Flying Eye Books here.

Interview with Owen Davey

Owen Davey is an award-winning Illustrator, living & working in Leicester, UK. He has First Class BA(Hons) Degree in Illustration from Falmouth University. His work has been published in every continent except Antarctica, including picture books in UK, America, Australia, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Portugal, China, Sweden, Russia & South Korea. In his spare time, he writes and plays in a band called LOM, bakes cakes & quickly consumes them, practices yoga, plays nerdy computer games, reads books intended for teenagers or children, and watches a variety of films and HBO programmes.

BWB: Your books for Flying Eye have focussed on Monkeys and Sharks. Which did you enjoy researching more?

OD: I probably enjoyed researching monkeys more. Just. Only because there is a lot more information about them in the world. A lot of information on sharks isn't definite or is estimates or very new. We're only just starting to understand sharks because they basically live in an alien world to us. Both were equally fascinating though

BWB: Have you always been interested in animals?

OD: Oh yeah. I love animals. They're endlessly fascinating, from the smallest bug to the blue whale, they're ace. And all so different. And I love domestic animals too. Not sure why specifically. I think it's just that they're cool

BWB: Are there any animals you struggle to illustrate?

OD: Not struggle to illustrate necessarily, but some are definitely harder than others. Birds are always super easy for some reason. Mammals tend to be a bit harder. Fur can be a bit tricky and if there's no markings on an animal that can make it difficult to make the animal look cool and do its real-life counterpart justice. Cow's faces can be tough too. But yeah it's more about the simplification of things. I like to simplify the stuff I illustrate into simpler shapes, breaking down things into circles and squares and stuff. Doing this means that theoretically I could draw any animal.

BWB: What inspires your colour palettes?

OD: Research. I spend a lot of time playing with colour palettes and looking at other people's colour palettes to see what I like about them. I take old pieces I've done and change each of the colours used until I get a new colour palette. Then I play with that. It's a lot easier to see how the colours play off one another when you have a context for them rather than just a few blobs on a page or something. And it's amazing how changing one or two colours in a palette can completely alter the whole feel of a piece. It can take a long time to get a palette just right.

BWB: Can we expect another animal title from you in the near future?

OD: Oh yes. I'm working on one as we speak. I'm not sure I'm allowed to tell you what animal it is, but rest assured that they're super interesting. I'm neck deep in books about the subject at the moment. Next I'll need to figure out how best to draw them

A huge thank you to Owen for taking the time to answer my questions. Mad About Monkeys is available in glorious hardback from Flying Eye Books here. Owen's second book with Flying Eye, Smart About Sharks is also available and can be purchased here. To see more Owen's fantastic work go and visit his website here.

Interview with Luke Pearson

We have reached the end of our Hilda week and what better way to sign off than to have a quick fire interview with the creator, Luke Pearson!

Luke Pearson, author of widely celebrated Hildafolk series, has fast become one of the leading talents of the UK comics scene, garnering rave reviews from the prestigious Times Literary Supplement and The Forbidden Planet International Blog amongst others. He was the winner of Young People’s Comic category at the British Comic Award in 2012 and been nominated for the Eisner Award’s Best Publication for Kids and Best Writer/Artist in 2013. He has recently worked as a storyboard artist on the cult classic show Adventure Time. Luke is a frequent contributor to a number of comic anthologies in the UK as well as self-publishing a number of small-run homemade comics.

BWB: How did Hilda pop into your head?

LP: She evolved from a character I'd done a few drawings of in my sketchbook. She wasn't the exact character she is now until I was about to draw the first story.

BWB: What are your main influences?

LP: For this series, I draw from Scandinavian folk tales and illustrations for those stories (for instance Theodor Kittelsen's artwork.) Tove Jansson and Ghibli are obviously touchstones. In terms of other comics, I think about certain European comics, manga and indie comics, the importance of each varying. The look and tone of each book is notably different I think and it reflects what I've been into and where I'm at as an artist.

BWB: Why the blue hair?

LP: Why is your hair the colour it is?

BWB: What's been your favourite Hilda story to write & illustrate?

LP: The Bird Parade was maybe the biggest breakthrough for me in terms of drawing and was probably the most fun to do once I got into it. The story was the most straightforward I've done plot-wise (the first story aside) so it wasn't as much of a headache to figure out as the others.

BWB: There are rumours of a animated series. If you could get anyone to voice Hilda who would it be?

LP: It would be someone unknown

And so we have left the best until last... to finish off this momentous week long celebration of Hilda, Flying Eye have kindly let me show a sneak peek of a whole spread from Hilda and the Stone Forest! Let your eyes feast on the eye candy below (have a click if you want to see it bigger!).

Thank you to Luke and Emma at Flying Eye Books. I hope you all have enjoyed this week long insight into a very special character and her world. All of Hilda's adventures can be purchased from the Flying Eye Books website.

Steve Smallman Q&A

It's Poo in the Zoo week and today we have a Q&A with author Steve Smallman, writer of Hippobottymus, Big, Bad Owl, Bear's Big Bottom as well as countless others.

Steve Smallman has taken up writing his own stories after illustrating children's books for over 30 years. He also teaches illustration and mural-painting workshops in schools. When he's not working, Steve enjoys films, television, gardening and walking in the countryside.

BWB: How did you come up with the idea for Poo in the Zoo?

SS: Actually, It wasn't my initial idea, the publishers, Little Tiger Press came up with the title and asked me to write it. It took me three goes; the first was too predictable, the second unprintable and the third was just right!

BWB: Do you have a favourite animal in the zoo?

SS: I really like giraffes, maybe because I was tall and skinny (and spotty) when I was young!

BWB: Do you have a favourite animal poo?

SS: Well, I haven't really given it too much thought but, I suppose elephant poo; impressive  but not too stinky.

BWB: Do you prefer to write or illustrate?

SS: I like to do both. I need to draw, it's part of who I am but I really enjoy writing too. I like to illustrate my books every now and then just to keep my hand in but I'm mostly happy to let someone else draw the pictures  (especially when it's someone talented like Ada Grey!)

BWB: Where's your favourite place to write?

SS: I actually type up my stories in the hall at my house but for planning new stories, coffee shops are great and dog walking is good for mulling over ideas! ( I did get strange from other dog walkers, talking through Poo in the Zoo out loud!)

Thank you Steve for a wonderfully stinky Q&A! If you would like the chance of winning a signed copy of Poo in the Zoo, simply leave a comment below or RT this tweet and follow me! More Poo in the Zoo fun tomorrow!

Interview with Emma Yarlett

To celebrate the release of Poppy Pickle, I had the chance to explore the HUGE imagination of author & illustrator, Emma Yarlett. 

BWB: Were you a child with a vivid imagination?

EY: I was indeed, and this imaginative streak was always most evident in my creativity. I’ve always been a bit of a ‘maker’, whether it be making up a game to play with friends on the spot, making things with my hands or sketching out made-up worlds… I was always imagining. I also always had a bit of a vivid imagination at less useful times though, namely when imagining scarecrows lurking at the bottom of the stairs at nighttime… Not quite such a fun experience. And these days I still can’t look at a scarecrow without shivering!

BWB: Any imaginary friends?

 EY: Disappointingly I never did! I remember deciding multiple times that I would have an imaginary friend, but found I got far too involved in the creative process of imagining them into being, drawing them, thinking of their likes and dislikes etcetera etcetera! So much so that when it came to actually doing whatever you do with imaginary friends, I was already bored of them and ready for the next thing!

BWB: Did you run into any problems whilst creating the book?

 EY: A big fat resounding YES! Pinning down the storyline was a bit of a headache as the story is both imaginative and based on imagination, so there were absolutely NO parameters. And that meant that there were so many possibilities to where young Poppy Pickle could go on her adventures. With much patience from my publisher and numerous drafts, we finally made it after having to put in some necessary boundaries for the storyline so as to keep it under some mild illusion of constraint!

BWB: What was the main fuel behind the idea?

EY: Chocolate. And lot’s of it. Aside from that, the fuel was a need to tell Poppy Pickle’s story. Once Poppy and her dilemma/special power (of having such a huge imagination that it begins to overflow) had arrived in my brain that was it. I felt it was a story that was jumping up and down shouting “tell me!” in my head, so much so that I couldn’t resist getting it down on paper.

BWB: This is your third title with Templar, can we expect more great titles in the future?

 EY: Indeed! Ideas are already scurrying in my sketchbook and nesting into little pockets of stories.

BWB: If you could imagine yourself anywhere in the world where would that be?

EY: Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. Aside from the high risk of falling into chocolate rivers/swelling into a blue berry, I couldn’t think of anywhere more brilliant! But if you’re after a real place (although who says imaginary places aren’t real?) probably New York. I’ve only been once, but it captured my heart and soul.

BWB: Will we see Poppy again?

 EY: When she’s calmed down from her over excitement of having a story about her published… I think there is definite potential for her to go on another adventure….

BWB: You mentioned in a recent interview that you tested out an early draft of Poppy Pickle on a class of school children. Would you use this method again?

 EY: I did indeed! And how frightening it was. But never before have I seen a group of kids laughing so hard at me, without having done something rather silly. After having such a good experience of doing this the first time around, I think I would definitely try it out again. However, some books really lend themselves to being a bit of a crowd pleaser, Poppy Pickle being one of them. Others of my books go down better when they are read on their own, or one-to-one… so I would have to bear that in mind when deciding whether to take the plunge!

BWB: Poppy Pickle is a very colourful book. Did you use any techniques to capture the vividness of Poppy’s imagination or was it just experimenting to see what worked?

EY: There was lots of thinking and lots of experimenting. However the ‘look’ of her imagination, with all it’s stars and swirls came together far quicker in comparison to the ‘look’ of her imagined friends. Many conversations were had between my art director and I. I think we slightly lost the plot somewhere along the way, but we finally decided on having her imagined creatures having a two dimensional look made from collaging brightly coloured textured papers. This means that they sort of sit brightly and flatly within Poppy Pickle’s three dimensional room- almost as if cartoons have flung themselves of the television screen into real life; slightly akin to when in Disney’s Mary Poppins, Mary and Burt find themselves surrounded by cartoon penguins.

Q10. If you could imagine anything real right now what would it be?

EY: You’ve caught me when I’m feeling rather hungry- hence many of my references to chocolate in this interview! So I would have to say that I would imagine a wonderful steak and sweet potato chips into existence. Perhaps it could sit on a magical Harry Potter-esque refilling plate? Yum.

Thanks to Emma and Stephanie at Templar for this superb interview. Poppy Pickle is available to buy next month.

Charlotte Voake interview

I got the chance to interview the splendid Charlotte Voake, an illustrator that you will find on most children's bookshelves. She has illustrated over 50 books, many of which have become household favourites.

Born and raised in Wales, Charlotte says that book illustration is “the only thing I ever wanted to do” and she certainly has made a brilliant career of it. Skipping formal training in art, she studied art history at London University and worked at an art gallery before embarking on a freelance career in illustration. Charlotte lives in Surrey, England, with her husband and two children.

BWB: You worked on The Owl and the Pussy-cat not so long ago. What was it like working with Julia Donaldson?

CV: Julia is lovely to work with - I think she is very interested in how her texts are illustrated - and from an illustrator's point of view she is a visual writer, by which I mean she gives lots of visual clues  to get your teeth into!


BWB: The Owl and the Pussy-cat has seen many illustrators produce their versions of the famous characters. What attracted you to the project and what did you set out to do differently?

CV: Actually I illustrated  Julia's first, then Puffin asked me to illustrate the original version as a pair to The Further Adventures.I might have approached the original quite differently if it has been stand-alone - perhaps!


BWB: You both returned to the Owl and the Pussy-Cat with 'The Further Adventures of the Owl and the Pussy-cat'.As this was new text, did you feel more comfortable making your mark on such a well known tale? 

CV: There is quite a bit more text in Julia's sequel, and she has woven in many more characters from Lear's Nonsense Rhymes, including Aunt Jobiska and her cat with crimson whiskers. It was fun developing them. Edward Lear's original is a shorter poem with very little text on each page. I used a number of characters from Julia's story to make a sub-text in pictures. So it was a bit topsy -turvy  doing the second one first and the first one second, but I particularly enjoyed the jigsaw aspect of working that way.


BWB: Has the way you work changed from when you first started in the book industry?

CV: Not the way I work, which is still on  paper using a pen and watercolour, but computers make a huge difference to the way a book is designed once I deliver the illustrations. It's still a very labour intensive process but so much easier to manipulate images on a screen. And if I make a  bad mistake on a drawing it can be photoshopped out.Wonderful!


BWB: Do you use computer software for any stage in your illustration process?

CV: No, I don't use a computer at all except to do research. It makes a huge difference to be able to look things up easily - for example the candelabra on the Pobble's table!


BWB: Which book are you most proud of?

CV: I think I like Aesop's Fables the best.


BWB: Your career pans over 35 years. What stands out as the biggest highlight for you?

CV: One of the biggest highlights has been meeting Julia!


BWB: Can you tell us what your working day is like?  

CV: I work at home in a nice white room which is often horribly untidy.
I go for a 2 mile walk most mornings with a friend and have breakfast when I get home. We have some hens so I quite often have a boiled egg.
I have recently found out how to make proper frothy milk for a cappucino so I  am going through a phase of having one or two of those at 11am.
Sometimes I work really hard, and late, which is fine unless I am having a real tussle with a drawing. Sometimes I make soup and practise my violin for a change!


BWB: Any plans for another Ginger book? 

CV: I would really like to do a Ginger counting book.


Many thanks to Charlotte for taking the time to answer my questions and huge thanks to Laura for putting me in touch with her.

Beatrice Alemagna interview

Beatrice Alemagna is one of my favourite illustrators, so it was an absolute honour to get the chance to ask her some questions about her work, life and latest book Little Big Boubo.

Beatrice was born in Bologna, Italy, in 1973. When she was a child her biggest heroes were Pippi Longstocking, Marcovaldo, Karlsson on the roof, Silvester and Meffi. At eight she decided that, whatever the cost, once grown up she would become a "painter and writer of novels". Beatrice has had 29 books published so far and these have been translated into over 14 languages. She currently lives in Paris.

BWB: What inspired you to write Little Big Boubo?

BA: Since I became a mother (almost four years ago) the child took a central position in my work.
I feel like exploring his issues and the phases he is going through. Obviously my daughter has inspired the book. During this delicate period between two and three years, in which children don't know whether they should define themselves as "little" (like a baby) or already claim to be "big" (like a grown up person). During this time, what it's surprising is that they, by themselves, change their perception respect to their interest. One is "big" or "little" respect to what he desires, at a certain time.


BWB: I love the size of the book for Little Big Boubo. Was this purposely designed for little hands?

BA: Absolutely. As you can see in the little movie I made to present the book, it's easy and pleasant to manipulate the book with tiny hands.


Little big Boubo from Beatrice Alemagna on Vimeo.


BWB: What has been the highlight of your career so far?

BA: I have lived a lot of beautiful moments. One of them was to receive a letter from Tomi Ungerer telling me that he would love to meet me because he loved my work.


BWB: A Lion in Paris is one of my favourite books of yours. Which title are you most proud of?

BA: Besides the Lion in Paris (which is not only the story of a stranger in the unknown town, but also my own autobiography), currently my favorite books (and for different purpose) are : Jo singe garçon, The five Misfits (to be released in 2015 by wide eyed Editions) and the Marvelous Fluffy squishy itty bitty (provisional title, 2015 Thames & Hudson).


BWB: You use collage a lot in your work, what inspired this love?  

BA: Collage allows to get out of your own stereotype, to draw with the obstacle of scissors, and this is very inspiring, for me.


BWB: You're originally from Italy but now live in Paris. Would you say that Paris is now your home forever?

BA: I really cannot answer to this question! Only life will tell.


BWB: A lot of your books feature animals, do you prefer to draw these over people?

BA: I don't have any preferences, in fact I have always loved to tell stories of children, directly related to reality, it's been only a few years since I started to use the animal as a way to talk about the child. And it is a very new and pleasant thing.


BWB: What usually fuels your next book or illustration? 

BA: The love of discovery and change.


Thank you to Beatrice for taking the time to answer my questions - a lovely insight to what inspires you and your wonderful work. Also thank you to Hester for making it possible. If you'd like to see more of Beatrice's work visit her website at beatricealemagna.com

Sophy Henn interview

I absolutely loved Where Bear? and was dying to know more about the making of the book and the author/illustrator Sophy Henn. So what better way to get answers to all these questions by asking Sophy heself!

Sophy Henn lives and works in Sussex, England. She studied Fashion at Central Saint Martins, accidentally had a London based career as an Art Director in advertising, then completed an MA in Illustration at University of Brighton.

Now she writes and illustrates children’s books in her studio, with a large cup of tea by her side, and can’t quite believe her luck. Sophy is also this year's World Book Day illustrator. Check out her beautiful illustrations on the website here.


BWB: Who's your favourite fictional bear?

SH: Until trying to answer this question I had no idea there were so many bears I love! There's Baloo for 'Bare Necessities', Paddington for his utter adorableness, Fozzi for his fart shoes and Super Ted for pure nostalgia. But if I had to pick one above all the others it would be Pooh. He's satisfyingly cuddly without be too cute, he gets things wrong as well as occasionally right, which is always reassuring, he occasionally stumbles upon a heartbreakingly beautiful insight and there's a contentment about him which makes it a very cosy read. In all honestly it's the whole gang I love, my daughter did too, and it's always good to share!

BWB: How long did Where Bear? take to produce from the initial idea to the finished artwork?

SH: Where Bear? started as a scribble, then a while later a painting popped up, and so it continued for about 3-4 years, with varying intensity. When I was working on Where Bear? it was alongside freelance illustrating, running my greetings card business and for two years, my MA in Illustration. At the time I had no agent, no book deal and no idea what would happen, so there was no pressure to get it finished. Now I am lucky enough to be under contract with Puffin, my timescales have shrunk somewhat!


BWB: In Where Bear? the bear wants to find his real home - find out who he really is. Was this inspired by anything in your life?

SH: Everyone wants to find their spot, I suppose, that place where we 'fit' and feel happy. So maybe subconsciously there is a little of my own experience in there. But Bear's search for home was also partly inspired by people's desire to reorganise nature. Exotic pets and wild animals in captivity break my heart and the solution could be really straight forward, as the Boy's practical, innocent approach demonstrates. He just wants to find the place where Bear can be Bear. Home!


BWB: You were published for the first time this year. Was it a long and hard journey to get a publishing deal?

SH: I was hugely fortunate to land Paul at Bell Lomax Morton as my agent and he made the publishing deal side of things very painless. But when your work is out there, for the first time, in a field you are passionate about, it still felt like forever!


BWB: What has been the highlight of your career so far?

SH: I was going to say doing a presentation at a Puffin Showcase last year. I was on after Allan Allbergh (one of my childhood favourites) and before Lauren Child ( my daughter's favourite and huge inspiration), which was petrifying and awesome all at the same time! Then the bookshop and school visits are really fun too. But I think the highest highlight was when a Mum who had recieived an advance copy of Where Bear? tweeted that her daughter had asked for a re-read "Again, Again!", it was my first feedback and I burst into tears! Of joy, obviously!


BWB: What artists tool could you not live without?

SH: A 2B pencil. Boring but true! Can I have one with an eraser on the end please?


BWB: If you weren't a writer/illustrator what would you like to be?

SH: A tap dancer! Completely unrealistic, but I would absolutely love to don a sparkly bowler, catch a cane and tip tap around the place.


BWB: What picture books would you like to find in your Christmas stocking this year?

SH: That is an almost impossible question. I try not to look too closely at what's around in the picture book world as there are so many amazing books out there I tend to want to run and hide. So I've picked a Christmas theme to limit my choices...

Tim Burton's A Nightmare Before Christmas. I love Tim Burton.

How The Grinch Stole Christmas! by Dr. Seuss. Dr Seuss was a genius.

Olive the Other Reindeer by J.otto Seibold and Vivien Walsh, because it looks beautiful.

Snow Day by Richard Curtis and Rebecca Cobb. 

Rebecca's illustrations are beautiful and Richard Curtis is a bit good a holiday sentiment!

Snow by Sam Usher looks wonderful!

Oh and I'd love a signed, 1st edition of The Tailor of Gloucester by Beatrix Potter please.

I know I've forgotten some, but I'd best stop there, I don't want to appear greedy!!!


BWB: Favourite picture book of all time?

SH: I have to pick just one?!!! Double hard, but it has to be Oh the Places You'll Go! by Dr Seuss. How he simplifies the complexities of the journey of life into a rhyming picture book is beyond me. It's sentimental and so insightful, but in no way cheesy or preachy. Brilliant!

BWB: You clearly love to draw bears. Is there anything you dread drawing?

SH: Hands! I'm getting better but if I can put them in a pocket I will! Just don't tell anyone!


Thank you, Sophy, for being the perfect guest! Where Bear! is available to buy now in all good bookshops.