EGG!

Click to enlarge

"Of all the suspicious looking houses in all the deserted woods

in all the world, he had to roll up to hers..."

Yesterday this arrived -my advance copy of my new picture book - EGG!

I'm so delighted with it - the colours have reproduced beautifully and the spot varnish on the cover is a glorious, shiny treat.

If you think you might like to read an exciting story - a sort of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?/A Streetcar Named Desire, but for children and with a Fox and an egg - this is the book for you.

It can be pre-ordered here, or here and of course at you local independent bookseller.

(Don't forget about them - they are brilliant.)

I do apologise for the quality of the photos. The light today is truly awful and these are very much the best of a bad bunch!

IF: Breakfast

Click to enlarge.

Roger always has a swim before breakfast...

Up in the Air...

Click to enlarge

Aaaah bed...

A few weeks ago I found the first picture somewhere online. Shamefully I forgot to note down where it was from, but I think it's an advert for Bloomingdales' home departments.

(If anyone knows do tell me and I'll credit the picture immediately).

I just think it's magical and a realisation of one of my childhood dreams - to live in a tree.

Anyway, inspired by the photo I've drawn my own version. Now, if someone could arrange for a bed to be made up for me in the trees, that would be brilliant - I'm desperately in need of a nap!

Billy Bongo: chihuahua, muse, icon

click to enlarge

My poor little chihuahua - I'm constantly drawing and photographing him and all he wants to do is play with his best toy - a stinky, very chewed little pink foot one of the other dogs bit off one other their other toys....

Illustration Friday: Giant

Click to enlarge.

Attack of the Giant Bunny!!!

( Poor thing - he's trying to step gently and all he wants is a nice cup of carrot tea..:-/ )

Tom and Matt: The Baddie and The Horrible Princess

How exciting!

Sarah, the brilliant art director/ book designer extraordinaire over at Meadowside Children's Books, has just sent these photos over.

They show the hot-of-the-press advance copies of my two new books.

(Brilliantly) Written by ( the very nice and tremendously talented) Anna Maxted, they tell the story of brothers Tom and Matt (and their little brother - Baby) who go on two amazing adventures.

THE BADDIE takes place in Deep Space when Tom and Matt find that their parents have been kidnapped by the dastardly BADDIE. Thank goodness the two brothers have their blasters and a cardboard box spaceship so they can come to the rescue and (hopefully) save the day!

In THE HORRIBLE PRINCESS, Isabella (or IS-A-SMELLA) the little girl from over the road, kidnaps Matt's best toy - Baby Dragon. The boys, their little brother Baby and a new, enormous, fire-breathing friend, are determined to get Baby Dragon back. What follows is a terrifically exciting adventure involving knights and dragons, a castle with a deep, dark dungeon, Kung-Fu fighting dolls and lots and lots of enchanted frogs!

Both books were such fun to illustrate and I can't wait for them to hit the bookshops.

The Baddie is publishing at the end of July this year with The Horrible Princess following in September. You can pre-order both books here and here!

Murphy

My parents came up to York last week for a visit, bringing with them their two dogs Murphy and Barney.

Barney is a big, tubby border terrier with a sweet little face which looks like he's run very hard into a brick wall and Murphy is a Westipoo - half West Highland White Terrier, half small poodle.

I couldn't resist sketching Murphy over the weekend. He has such a strong character. I don't know whether it's the combination of his long ears and bushy eyebrows, or just the way that he is a big baby (encouraged by my mum!), but I just find him hilarious. He's a massive fuss pot, can't bear anybody playing with his toys, likes to be involved in everything that's going on, loves to be dressed up in ribbons and bows left over from Christmas presents and absolutely refuses to eat his lunch unless it has a light sprinkling of grated cheese over it.

The thing I find most funny about Murph is that when he's had his haircut he reminds me of Anna Wintour! But I think he's a lot nicer...