Children's Books
Mr Nobody
Longlisted in The Times/Chicken House Competition 2014
It was Saturday. Saturday was The Day. I was moving out and Gran was moving in.
When nine-year-old Katie’s gran comes to live with the family, Katie is forced to share a room with her moody big sister, Lou. They soon discover that Gran has an imaginary, mischievous friend, Mr Nobody. Before long, stockings are found cooking in the oven and Gran is found wandering the streets in her nightie, singing along to Elvis.
Then, one day, Gran does something that changes everything …
Mr Nobody is inspired by my grandma who moved in with us when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. I wanted to give a voice to a child and to the grandma, as these voices are often lost in the discourse about this cruel condition. I wanted to convey both heartache and humour, because life is never just one or the other.
King Worm Jack
Meet Jack, an ordinary boy with an extraordinary cat, Max. And a best friend called Sally who’s really clever. And another best friend called Rodney, who’s a worm.
Join Jack as he sets out to cure his teacher of grumpiness, discovering along the way how to do somersaults and grow the perfect chocolate flavoured sprout. And command an army of worms.
My youngest child used to love me making up stories to feed her vast imagination. This was where King Worm Jack was born. I started thinking, ‘what if a worm pulls a bird down into its wormhole when it starts to peck…’
The book explores themes of friendship, self-belief, kindness, and sibling rivalry with humour throughout and space to add your own drawings!
