Frances McKay Illustration

RINGO THE RAVEN

A new Year and a new book illustrated by Henning Lohlein.

Henning's handsome Mr Fox

Julia Donaldson, children's laureate and author of the Gruffalo, chose "My name is Mr Fox" written by Shen Roddie and illustrated by Henning Löhlein, amongst her top ten favourite recent picture books, as published in The Guardian Saturday 22 October 2011. 

The People's Book Prize 2011/12

Bee Willey's The Mouse who saved Egypt written by Karim Alrawi and published by Tradewind Books has been entered into the children's books section of  The People's Book Prize.

 

Images 35

It's that time of the year again when the great and good in British Illustration pop up in the A.O.I's 'IMAGES' annual. Judgement on number 36 is out soon, while IMAGES 35 recently had it's private view in London, where the various awards in different categories were dished out. Work to appear in the annual is jury selected, so not every Tom Dick and Harry can get in, and subsequently the standard is always high.

Well we are happy here at team FMI to say that we have had not just one, nor two, but three people manage to get into the hefty tome. And if that wasn't enough, some of them even got a number of illustrations into it.

Carey Morning - Mysterious Births

 
What a mystery! We give birth to our stories - conceived in what impenetrable realms? - and they fly off into the world, a few hundred words, flapping black and white. If we are very very lucky some may return to us as full-grown books, in full-colour, to perch on many strangers' shelves! What a miracle! What gorgeous plumage!

Going to Mecca

Going to Mecca, my first full-size picture book written by Na’ima B Roberts with publisher Frances Lincoln, is nearly ready to go to print!

Through poetry and pictures the book takes us on a pilgrimage to Mecca, as seen through the eyes of two children.

As a friend suggested, illustrating this book has represented for me a metaphorical pilgrimage on a creative and professional level.

The Big Draw 2011

As part of the Big Draw 2011, a number of Illustrators in Bristol U.K. will be holding an event this Saturday 8th October.

Jack and Jill

 
Having completed my first book while pregnant, eight weeks after Alfie was born it was time to tackle book number two, 'Jack and Jill'. I'm not sure how I managed to do this. My candle was thoroughly burnt at both ends, but somehow a little waxy blob of sanity survived to pull everything together; nappies were changed and spreads were painted. I connect the imagery in this book with my late (and lovely) mother in law, Pat, who must have spent hundreds of hours walking her dog on Clapham Common; she had recently died and was often in my thoughts as I worked. It's dedicated to her memory; hope she'd have liked it.

 

Kate Willis-Crowley

 

Jack and Jill is published by Hodder Children's Books.