TEY 13.2

I hope parents will always want to read physical books with their children home and design some more. I sent all my designs off to Nike in the USA, and they wrote back to say thank you. They must have thought I was a right weirdo. I did the same with Playmobil; I sent them a whole sketchbook of drawings of a new pirate ship and they also, amazingly, responded. I would have been eight or nine. I suppose that taught me the value of writing to people, having ideas, and trying to make things happen. Why did you decide to create your first children’s book? How did you come up with the concept? Why? I suppose it didn’t occur to me not to; someone has to make them! I have the opposite of imposter syndrome: just jolly well try stuff out, and if it works, keep at it. It’s great fun. My first picture book was about a red, yellow and blue stripey snake called Sassoon – you have to spot him through the book. He started out as a doodle in my art school sketchbooks; I used to imagine him slithering around my desk and doing my work for me. The first version of the book was slightly obscure; he went through the book splashing paint everywhere. Then the financial crash happened, and the publisher couldn’t take a risk on such an eccentric book, so we took the character and created something equally mischievous but with a more recognisable format. With an anniversary edition of the Seasons quartet coming, tell us about Boy and Grandad – why did you decide to focus on that relationship? After art school I needed to move to London but didn’t have any dosh, so I advertised in the London Review of Books and The Lady for places to stay. I ended up meeting an 86-year-old man called James and his two stepdaughters in North London. I moved in to keep an eye on him, take him for lunch and to galleries and concerts, and in exchange, have a studio space in his house. I was there when my books started getting published, and I was stuck on my second one, not sure where my next idea was going to come from. I suppose I thought I had to write about something adventurous and unusual, but actually, what was under my nose was the most interesting thing to write about. Taking small-scale, domestic situations and finding the magic in them – that’s what appeals to me about the books. purpose whatsoever, just something that unashamedly celebrates the joy and magic and silliness of existence. Picture books should fill children with wonder, not be a dreary lesson. Given the range of digital content available now, do you think there’s still a place for printed books in early childhood? I hope parents will always want to read physical books with their children – it’s so much better than a ghastly screen. We all know instinctively it’s more healthy. I hope picture book time between parents and children is a daily refuge from modernity. How old would you say is “too old” for one of your books? Seventy-four and 158 days. Clang! by Sam Usher is available now in hardback and paperback, priced at £7.99 and £12.99. Adventures with Grandad by Sam Usher is published in hardback 10 October 2024, priced at £19.99. Both titles are published by Templar. Your new quartet is focused on mending, reusing and recycling; why did you choose that theme? Do you think that picture books need a “purpose” or educational aspect? I remember vividly the utility room of James’s house – his bright red toolkit, and stories of his garden shed and making things for his grandchildren. That must be where the idea came from, though when I thought of it, it’d been six years since I moved out. I liked the idea of a series about travel; I was motorcycling around Italy at the time, and in truth, that’s all there was to it! I wrote down Toot, Clang, Whoosh, Bang and thought it sounded like a fun series. To be honest, when I was a child, if someone had told me a book had educational value , or a purpose , it would have put me off reading it. I think that is my highest ambition – to create a book with no educational value or Teachearlyyears.com 49