'Over the Hills and Far Away' Book Launch

On Monday 13th October, we had the launch of the 'Over the Hills and Far Away' book that was held at the Free Word Centre in London.

It was an absolute honour to be asked to be apart of the illustration panel including illustration legends Jane Ray and Michael Foreman, and 'illustrator of the moment,' Yasmin Ismail.

'Over the Hills and Far Away' Special Edition Cover by Jane Ray

Michael Rosen headed the evening and encouraged lively discussions about the power of nursery rhyme and verse, the importance of diversity in children's books, how each illustrator responded to the invitation to contribute to the book, creative working method (traditional vs contemporary) and how an artist approaches colour.

The Panel: Me, Yasmeen Ismail, Michael Foreman, Michael Rosen, Jane Ray, 
Elizabeth Hammill and Joseph Coelho

Performance poet Joesph Coelho, who was also on the panel, entertained us with beautiful and humorous readings of verses such as 'In the Blue Night' and 'You thumb there, wake up'.

Pre-event book signing (Jane, Michael Foreman, Elizabeth Hammill and me!)

After a wonderful evening at the Free Word Centre, I made a quick dash to Kings Cross with the rest of the Seven Stories team for our train back to Newcastle. Now we look forward to the second celebration event on Wednesday at Seven Stories itself.

You can order your copy from the Seven Stories website. All proceeds from the sale of the book will be donated to Seven Stories, to help save and celebrate the wonderful world of children's books.

Over the Hills and Far Away Competition

I am very happy to announce that I have just WON the Seven Stories and Frances Lincoln national illustration competition, 'Over the Hills and Far Away.' My artwork will be included in a new nursery rhyme collection to be published by Frances Lincoln Children's Books in the Autumn of 2014.

This anthology is a fresh and inclusive collection of nursery rhymes that has be gathered together from cultures across the English speaking world. Children and families will be introduced to the many diverse voices that speak to the very young in verse - offering readers new sounds, new sights and new ways with words.

The double page spread that I chose to illustrate was an African American and a Maori lullaby. Elizabeth Hammill (Co-founder of Seven Stories) stated that my artwork 'subtly and distinctively wove the two verses together by capturing a night that, like the father's embrace, is immersive and comforting and a place for imaginings of the possibilities that the galloping horses offer. There is a tenderness too in the father/baby relationship that is true and moving. The father/child are both specific to these rhymes but absolutely universal too.'

The collection will also include some 70 illustrators from across the English speaking world including: Michael Foreman, Robert Ingpen, Shirley Hughes, Jane Ray, Bob Graham,
Nick Sharett, Eric Carle, Axel Scheffler, Shaun Tan, Emily Gravett, Catherine Rayner,
Polly Dunbar, Sara Ogilvie, Jessica Ahlberg, Mini Grey, Yasmeen Ismail, Joel Stewart,
John Lawrence and Kevin Waldron.