From charming picture books to longer reads and poetry, here are some of the best illustrated children's books for ages 3 – 12, introduced by illustrator Katie Hickey.
Illustrator Katie Hickey specialises in children's books, and has created work for the special edition of Eva Ibbotson's classic Journey to the River Sea and Emma Carroll's new book inspired by it, Escape to the River Sea. Here, she explores the power of illustration, followed by our pick of the most beautiful children's books.
Book illustrations are to words as dancing is to music. They accompany and enhance, and are also incredible works of art in their own right, able to convey such emotion that sometimes no words are needed at all. Illustrators can bring authors’ creations to visual life with just the tip of a paintbrush or the nib of a stylus. We create images that energise and excite, and at other times offer pause and moments of reflection and contemplation. I would say our job is to make you see things with fresh eyes, but perhaps it’s just to make you open them a little wider; to draw out your imagination and encourage all your questions.
From picture books to poetry, classics to cinematic non-fiction, below you’ll find a range of books for children made even more beautiful by their illustrations. Whether it’s Catherine Rayner’s energetic watercolour washes and scribbly pencil crayon that emulate the gruff and cragginess of a bear padding through the woods, Emily Sutton's jewel-toned palette that makes royal animals dance off the page and Henry the VIII’s robes swoosh past your legs, or my own stately jaguars that introduce each chapter of Emma Carroll’s Escape to the River Sea – enjoy the ride and enjoy the pauses.