Our children’s entertainers are a talented bunch and none more so than Gillian Hibbs. When she’s not throwing totally awesome kids parties, she’s getting creative as a children’s author and illustrator. After studying Illustration at Falmouth University, she began working freelance. Some of her work includes designs for the Scouts and Jamie Oliver as well as several book covers. She wrote her very first children’s book, Tilly’s at home holiday, in 2014. Now Gillian’s second book, Errol’s Garden, is about to hit bookstores across the country and she’s here to tell us more.
Tell us a bit about your new book.
Errol’s Garden is about a little boy called Errol who loves the idea of having a garden but, because he lives in a block of flats, he doesn’t have space. He grows things in pots, but he really wants a garden. One day he finds a space on the roof of his building and decides to make it into a garden. He gets everyone in his community to come and help build a beautiful garden.
Where do you get your ideas for stories from?
I grew up in South London, so had lots of influences. Inner city life is very different to the idyllic images often found in storybooks. The idea for Errol’s garden actually came when I was on a bus! I spotted a flat above a shop and whoever lived there was growing cress on a windowsill. I started imagining what it would be like to create a garden in a small space in a city.
What process do you go through when you write a book?
My ideas often start with a sketch. Or I might write snippets of a book from the characters point of view, telling the story with a different voice. I like to use storyboards. It helps to plan out my ideas and show what the story and pictures will look like on a page.
Who are your inspirational authors/illustrators when you were growing up?
I don’t know that I could pick one particular author or illustrator. I come from a family who were really into books. There were always lots of picture books and fiction books growing up. I liked creative writing and art at school, and I was always looking for new things to read, so my inspiration came from a mix of different people. After my A levels, I did an Art Foundation course, and that is when I really knew what I wanted to do.
What would your advice be to anyone wanting to be an author/illustrator?
Keep the magic of reading and writing alive. Make sure you read plenty of different books and keep looking for inspiration. If you find English or art a bit boring at school, use your spare time to find ways to make it fun. Maybe start a writing club with your friends and share your stories. If you live in London, the House of Illustration have some great things on. Don’t be afraid to write something people might think isn’t any good or is weird, keep practising. Sometimes weird is good; it’s what makes your writing different from everyone else’s.
And what about your next book, do you have an idea for that?
I do have an idea. I’d like to write something magical. A story about something magical happening in an ordinary situation.
Gillian’s book Errol’s Garden is out this Spring and is available on Amazon, or in bookshops.