Oh boy, do we love autumn – and here it is, in all its colourful glory. This year, more than ever, there seems to be a rich abundance of autumn colours and autumn produce. Wherever we walk, we are bombarded by conkers, acorns, and spectacular hues on the trees. We’re always looking for inspiration for…
Happydesigner Piggy Post: News & Features from September 2023
STOP PRESS: HAPPYDESIGNER ARE ON THE MOVE! Apologies for the slightly shorter blog this month, as much of our time is being spent on getting organised for our impending move to new premises. Happydesigner’s new home will soon be in a 17th Century Grade 2 listed building full of quirky-shaped rooms and lots of old,…
Trees: they’re green, they’re brown, they’re leafy and we love them!
Do you love trees? We do! In fact, we love trees so much that our superstar children’s book designer and author, Sarah-Leigh, has made a tree the hero of her latest book. ‘Sally Sapling’ features the eponymous character who witnesses the changing decades as she goes from a young tree to a mature copper beech….
Happydesigner Piggy Post: News & Features from August 2023
August Overview The hectic year continues apace, with no signs of letting up, but we love what we do here at Happydesigner, so it’s all good! Perhaps the sun may not have been shining as much as we would have liked throughout August, but the studio has remained as bright and as colourful as ever,…
Why children’s books are essential in schools…
Of the hundreds of appeals that schools make for additional support, have you noticed how many of them are asking for help with buying books? This isn’t just a whim. It’s because books are an absolutely essential ingredient in school life. So often, schools fundraise for books because they don’t have enough to go around,…
Happydesigner Piggy Post: News & features of July 2023
Welcome to the first edition of the Happydesigner Piggy Post! It’s been a pretty hectic year so far at Happydesigner HQ, and July has been no exception; with lots of beautifully illustrated children’s books having been completed, new ones beginning, old doors closing, and exciting new ones opening wide, it has most certainly been a…
How well do you know your children’s classics?
Here’s a bit of fun for the summer holidays: a fun quiz on how well you know your children’s classics. Are you au fait with Anne of Green Gables? Could you wax lyrical about Winnie the Pooh? Are you cognisant of the Cat in the Hat? By classics, we’re, of course, talking about books that…
Here comes Summer: five things for Children to do!
We may have just passed the longest day, and the nights are about to start drawing in, but summer is upon us, and school will soon be breaking up. So, dig out the shorts and sunshades, grab a picnic and head off outside. Here are five things to do in the summer that won’t break…
Writing Tips for Budding Young Authors
Are you a young person who is burning to write a book? Do you love reading children’s stories and want to see if you can write too? It’s never too soon (or too late) to start. Some people start young. Did you know that Mary Shelley was only 18 when she began work on Frankenstein?…
