Sometimes I Feel Sad
A little book for small people who are a bit blue.
Picture book, 32pp, B&W
Overview
My second children's book for Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Sometimes I Feel Sad is a little book for small people who aren't always happy.
Publisher's blurb
Feeling sad is, unfortunately, a part of everyone's life, and there's not always an easy fix. This touching book helps explain to children aged 5+ that they're not alone in feeling this way, and is especially useful for children who struggle to express their feelings.
Background
This is a really simple book, but an important one for me personally. After I'd done it, I realised it was the most honest thing I'd ever written. It made me wonder if children's books were what I was meant to be doing all along.
It's also the first time since I was a kid I've ever consciously sat down to draw anything, knowing it would be seen by other people.
The book was selected for the Reading Agency’s Reading Well for Children list and was distributed to schools and libraries in England. Which was nice. Honestly, it was the best result possible for the book. Having the book on a shelf, where a child could discover it for themselves, was what I always had in mind.
I made a couple of animated clips to promote the book on social media.
My Secret Dog
I always wanted a dog, but Mum said I wasn't allowed.
So I got one anyway.
Children’s picture book, 32pp, B&W
Description
I always wanted a dog, but Mum said I wasn't allowed.
So I got one anyway.
My secret dog lives in the cupboard and we sneak out at night to play.
We'll be best friends forever.
As long as Mum doesn't find out...
Background
My Secret Dog was my first published book for children aged 6-9. It was published in the UK and US by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
It was originally written for my sister Lois, who lives in a small flat and wanted a pet so badly. The illustrations were originally just make-do placeholders for the handmade version I made as a gift for her.
A few years later, I was working at JKP as a production designer and in a meeting about children’s books, I showed the prototype to some colleagues. It went from there to the commissioning editor and without really meaning to, I became a children’s author.
I’m pretty fond of this book. It was one of those stories that just flows out from you, almost fully formed. That happens so rarely that it feels amazing when it does. I wonder more and more if that’s because it’s written with a particular person in mind. Perhaps that’s the key – having that one reader as your target audience, rather than a mass of them.
There’s some other bits and bobs here.
A link to an article on JKP Website about the book.
Also some animated GIFs I made to promote the book on social media.
