What a week it’s been for Marty Moose! I’m THRILLED to reveal that Marty has been SHORTLISTED for the fabulous @sparkbookaward 2026! 🐭🥰 I love this award, as the winners are chosen by ACTUAL CHILDREN!! 🥳 I share the shortlist with some pals, which is extra special. Congrats to all and a BIG thank you to all the teachers and librarians who selected Marty for the shortlist. Now… it’s over to the kids! 👀❤️🐭
#sparkbookawards #kidlitartist #kidlitauthor #readingmatters
I can’t believe it but Marty Moose First Class Mischief has been shortlisted for another award - InspiRead Book Award!! BIG thanks @inspireelslibrary for including Marty in this FAB shortlist! 🐭📮
This award is close to home (geographically speaking!) which feels really special. ❤️ @inspireculturenotts
WOW!!! This is brilliant, unexpected, and I am so thrilled to be jointly nominated with my frickin’ fabulous editor @grainneclear (@walkerbooksuk ) 💛
She not only wrangles my ideas and words into something resembling shape, but has also been a huge source of support, reassurance, and friendship over the last couple of years. I genuinely have so much fun working with Big G, and seeing her long-listed makes this feel extra special.
For anyone who doesn’t know, the @branfordboaseaward is a rare and wonderful nomination that celebrates both a debut author and their editor — and I’m not sure there’s another award quite like it. Which makes this feel… just wonderful. Truly.
The longlist is fantastic, so whatever happens next is up to fate. I’m simply thrilled to be here (even if the cover of my book is exactly the same colour as the background to this image 😂😂😂).
As always, thanks to my agent @litagentclare at @da_childrens who helped me write the pitch the send to Grainne in the first place ❤️
#branfordboaseaward
My favourite spread from The Princes and the Pea. I loved drawing all these characters and I spent ages working out the colour palette - I wanted it to resemble the pride flag 🏳️🌈 so I painted it using the rainbow colours from left to right. Swipe to see the original painting (pic 4 onwards).
🫛 Written by @peterbently
🫛 Published by @bloomsburychildrens
#picturebookillustration #kidlitartist #childrensbookillustrations
Finished artwork from The Princes and the Pea! I illustrated this all by hand as huge paintings (swipe to see) and I was a bit terrified as I’d never tried anything like this before - most of my books had been made digitally before this. I learned so much through this process and I was so proud that I tried! Unfortunately, when the book came out last year I was off sick so I didn’t share anything at the time. It’s such a great retelling, expertly written by @peterbently and published by @bloomsburychildrens 🫛
#fairytaleillustration #kidlitartist #watercolourillustration
My! What hairy feet you have grandma! 👵🏻 🐺
Drawn on the train last week with a trusty @blackwing pencil in a @moleskine #pencildrawing #childrensbookillustration #littleredridinghood #kidlitartist
Mole liked to take his morning cup of tea outside and sit amongst the foxgloves looking out over the meadow 🫖
#sketchbookdrawing #morningdrawing #kidlitartist
Experiments with line. I’ve been working in ink for ages and whilst I love it, sometimes it feels quite heavy, especially for picture books so yesterday I spent an hour creating this. Pencil outline, and watercolour with oil pastel and crayon. I think it’s a squirrel. It started off as a fox 😂 #kidlitillustration #sketchbookdrawing
How fantastic it was speaking at the Writer's children's literature day in Ipswich with my incredible agent Clare Wallace, managing director and literary agent of the Darley Anderson Children’s agency, along with the uber talented illustrator, Claire Powell. Both Clare and Claire gave such inspirational talks and I know the audience went away uplifted and motivated.
There was added joy that, Harriet Howe, who is also an author with the DA Agency came along. It was all in partnership with the English department at the University of Suffolk, so huge thanks to them and Dr. Lindsey Scott for inviting us. It was not only joyous spending the day with these incredible folk, but also fabulous speaking to all the people who came along. ❤️
✍️ We’ve had a lovely day with children’s author and illustrator Claire Powell @misspowellposts
🎨 Claire delivered her fabulous, interactive assembly in three different schools, engaging the children with stories of her career journey. We heard how when she was little, she hid away under the stairs to draw and read, with her Dad finally relocating the hoover and the space becoming her Den.
🐶 Claire also told us how she now has an art studio in the attic, with a special art companion - a naughty puppy called Ziggy.
🐭 Claire encouraged the children to see that ideas are everywhere and revealed that her inspiration for the Marty Moose series came about after she saw a little mouse scampering along a countryside lane.
🤨 The sessions included a fun drawalong which gave the children the opportunity to take in and try out tips about drawing faces with different expressions. They also had the chance to sketch their very own Marty character.
🐁 The children were able to buy their own Marty Moose book and they certainly couldn’t wait to get stuck into the pages.
✍️ The lively and funny books follow Marty in his job delivering the post and are perfect for newly confident readers. We have SIGNED copies in the shop.
#childrensbooks #bookevent #schoolauthorvisit #leeds #bradford
