

This is such a funny story about a brilliant character called Hoot Owl.

With that in mind, here is a list of my top five picture books. That is what picture books are all about as far as I am concerned, the magic that happens when story and illustration come together in perfect harmony. But the real magic didn’t happen until Nicola Bernardelli did the beautiful illustrations.

To The Island was a pleasure to write, as I had grown up listening to stories about a mythical island that was said to appear off the west coast of Ireland every seven years. But mostly I love the stories, the funny ones, the lyrical ones and the downright crazy ones. I love the way illustration has changed over the years especially the choice of palette. For years now, I have been collecting vintage picture books and buying new ones.
