Storytelling Through Picture Books
To mark National Storytelling Week we decided to speak to 3 fantastic picture book authors and find out about their own storytelling journeys.
Dr Vassiliki Tzomaka is a freelance designer and illustrator, researcher and educator.
In 2017 she successfully completed her PhD in Children’s Picturebook Illustration at Cambridge School of Art. Her picture books include the amazing Dart and Dive Across The Reef and Hoot and Howl Across the Desert.
Dart and Dive Across the Reef
Anna Doherty is an illustrator/author from Edinburgh, based in Cambridge, U.K.
She is a graduate of Children’s Books Illustration MA and has her own picture book series – Fantastically Feminist! which looks at key, influential women such as Michelle Obama and Emma Watson.
Emma Watson: The Fantastically Feminist (and Totally True) Story of the Astounding Actor and Activist
Victoria Cassanell is an illustrator from Yorkshire. She recently completed her MA in Children’s Book Illustration and her first picture book came out in 2020… The Grizzly Itch.
Her latest book Penguin Parcel tells the story of a Polar Bear who adopts a pet penguin!
Penguin Parcel
1. Which picture books do you remember enjoying as a child?
Probably too many to list.
The Peter Rabbit series was a favourite, but I also remember particularly enjoying Richard Scarry’s books.
I would read these with my younger brother, they made him laugh so much so we would read them together over and over again.
Vassiliki Tzomaka
This is tricky because I loved so many that I could list hundreds!
But some of my favourites were definitely The Tiger Who Came to Tea by Judith Kerr (for the story), the Beatrix Potter books (for the pictures), and Lullabyhullaballoo! by Mick Inkpen (for the reading-out-loud-at-bedtime!).
Anna Doherty
My favourite stories growing up were the Alfie series by Shirley Hughes.
Shirley Hughes’ illustrations are so warm and detailed, I loved her autumn scenes. My other favourites were Mick Inkpen’s Kipper books.
I loved ‘Where, oh where, is Kipper’s Bear’ with its lights up torch on the last page.
Victoria Cassanell
2. What inspires you to tell stories?
My maternal grandmother was a great storyteller.
As children we used to hang off her every word and she seemed to have an endless supply of tales. From well-known Aesop’s fables and fairy tales to her own invented characters she could keep us entertained for hours.
Vassiliki Tzomaka
With my Fantastically Feminist books, what inspires me is that I want to share the stories of these amazing people and what brilliant work they have done!
When I was growing up there were a lot of books I read which insinuated – or outright said – that boys were better than girls, and I hope that sharing the stories of these daring women will help kids nowadays know that everyone should be equal and everyone can do great things no matter who they are.
Anna Doherty
My inspiration for telling stories starts with the illustration. I love drawing characters and creating the worlds they live in, and the story develops from there.
My books are also hugely inspired by animals and nature. I live in the countryside and have lots of animals, which both provide me with a lot of inspiration.
Victoria Cassanell
3. What is the best response you have ever had to one of your stories?
One more time!
Vassiliki Tzomaka
The best responses are when people tell me about how excited and inspired their kids are when they learn about the Fantastically Femnist heroes in my books, because I feel like I’ve achieved what I set out to do.
The absolute best time was when I heard a story of a little girl who wanted to take her Ada Lovelace book to bed at night instead of her teddy bear!
Anna Doherty
The best response I’ve had to one of my stories would probably be from a book reviewer who included in her review that her boys had picked my book ‘The Grizzly Itch’ to read every night before bed that week.
It’s lovely to get a good review from an adult, but when it’s from a child it’s so special because it’s who the books were intended for. Hearing a child say my book is their favourite is the best!
Victoria Cassanell
