Blog

David Melling illustrated his first children’s book in 1993. He first wrote and illustrated his own picture book, The Kiss That Missed in 2002, which was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal. He’s been shortlisted for many other awards including the Smarties Book Award, and he won the Sheffield Children’s Book Award 2023 with Ruffles […]

Sara Ogilvie is an award-winning illustrator and printmaker from Edinburgh based in Newcastle upon Tyne. Her bestselling children’s books include Dog’s Don’t Do Ballet by Anna Kemp and The Zebra’s Great Escape by Katharine Rundell. Her collaborations with Julia Donaldson, The Detective Dog and The Hospital Dog, have sold over a million copies worldwide and […]

Francis Martin worked in adult mental health for over two decades before a ‘now or never’ moment led him to pursue an interest in children’s literature. He went back to school and completed an MA in Children’s Book Illustration – this led to gaining a place on the Picture Hooks mentoring programme as a mentee, […]

Debi Gliori is a Glasgow-born, Edinburgh-based, best-selling writer and illustrator. Since first publishing Mr Bear in 1991, Debi has created over 80 books and sold more than half a million copies in the UK alone. She has won the Red House Children’s Book Award, the Scottish Arts Council Award, The Saltire Award and has been […]

Steve Antony has written and/or illustrated 23 picture books including his most recent picture book, Rainbowsaurus. He also recently illustrated the all-new Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Steve mentored Clare Andrews “It has been so inspiring to see my Picture Hooks mentee Clare develop her stories and illustrations over the course of the programme. Our regular […]

Chris Haughton is an Irish author/illustrator based in London. He was listed in TIME magazine’s ‘Design 100’ for the work he has been doing for fair trade clothing company People Tree. He has written and illustrated seven books: A Bit Lost, Oh No, George!, Shh! We Have a Plan, Goodnight Everyone, Don’t Worry Little Crab, […]

Jill Calder is an award winning illustrator and lettering artist who loves drawing, ideas, colour, ink, typography, stories, books, dogs, and deadlines. Through her work, she has been invited to talk at various events and conferences and teach at schools and universities throughout the UK, USA and Hong Kong. in 2025, she was nominated for […]

Anna Wilson is an Australian illustrator living in the beautiful stone city of Edinburgh. She loves working with colour and composition to create atmosphere in her illustrations and her favourite thing to do is sit in the streets of a city and draw what she sees. Clients include Bloomsbury, Hachette, Cameron Kids Books, Little Tiger, […]

Alison Murray is an author-illustrator based in Glasgow. She has been making picture books since 2010 and has several books published internationally. Alison studied printed textiles at The Glasgow School of Art, screen prints for fun and makes her illustration work digitally by layering handmade marks and printed textures. Alison mentored Rebecca Guthrie “Rebecca and […]

Ross’ Greenaway short listed book The Elephantom was adapted into an acclaimed play by those clever National Theatre War Horse people. There’s a Bear on My Chair was also short listed for the Greenaway and won the inaugural Amnesty CILIP Honour.