Firefly are delighted to announce that talented illustrator Katy Riddell will be partnering with poet Alex Wharton on his debut poetry collection for children, Daydreams and Jellybeans – publishing 28 January 2021.
From forgotten jellybeans to sparking daydreams, Alex’s poems, written for 7-11 year olds, are both funny and thoughtful, and aim to spark familiarity and inclusion. And the illustrations from Katy Riddell will focus on the fun and dreamlike quality of the poems’ engagement with the natural world.
‘I am really excited to be working with such a lovely team. Alex’s poems are so beautifully observant as well as brilliantly imaginative and I hope I can bring his words to life with my illustrations.’
Katy Riddell
Katy Riddell was obsessed with drawing from a young age. Plenty of encouragement from her parents, both artists and illustrators, led her to spend hours writing and illustrating her own stories, which her father (award winning illustrator Chris Riddell) collected throughout the years. Originally drawn to Fine Art, Katy rediscovered her love for illustrating children’s books in her gap year and decided to pursue it as a career. She lives and works in Brighton.
‘We’re so delighted to be working with Katy Riddell, her wonderful, joyful illustrations will fit perfectly with these poems.’
Penny Thomas, Publisher at Firefly Press