AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS THAT HELP
At Books That Help, we celebrate the authors and illustrators behind the books that nurture, guide, comfort and empower children through life’s ups and downs.
These are the storytellers who gently tackle big feelings, tricky topics and everyday challenges - turning them into stories full of hope, honesty and heart.
Whether it’s finding the words for grief, making sense of anxiety or exploring the joy of friendship, their books offer more than just stories… they offer support.
Here, we shine a light on the incredible creatives behind the pages.
ROSALIND MARONEY
Rosalind Maroney is an illustrator who lives at the top of a hill over-looking the sea with her brilliantly imaginative kids and partner, who provide her with endless giggles and story inspiration. When not in her studio, she loves to be out in nature, on the beach searching for perfectly round pebbles to add to her impressive collection, or counting cormorants and feeding ducks in the local park.
She creates her playful illustrations by hand-making textures with pencil and paint before collaging and drawing the details digitally. She has illustrated over 20 books, from board books to mindfulness books for older kids and the popular 10-minute Activities book series. She is also the creator of the beautiful images on this site!
Hear a video message from Rosalind for Books That Help here.
WENDY MEDDOUR
Wendy Meddour is an author, illustrator and academic who has published over 30 children's books to date. She is best-known for writing books that address complex social issues in ways that are accessible to children. Wendy has been awarded the Margaret Wise Brown Prize for Children's Literature, the John C Laurence Award for Writing that Promotes Understanding Between the Races, and been shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award for Outstanding Debut Novel. Best-known titles include: Lubna and Pebble, a book about the refugee experience that was selected by TIME Magazine as one of the "10 Best Books of the Year", and Tibble and Grandpa, a story centring on grief and loss that was chosen as the UK Literary Association’s "Outstanding Winner".
Several of Wendy's books have featured on the CBeebies Bedtime Stories and been read by celebrities including Tom Hardy, Emily Watson, and Louis Theroux. Featured titles include The Friendship Bench, How the Library (Not the Prince) Saved Rapunzel, Tisha and the Blossom, and Peggy the Always Sorry Pigeon.
Wendy has an MA and PhD in Critical and Cultural Theory and is a Professor of English and Creative Writing. When she’s not writing stories by the sea or in her shed, you will find her surrounded by books at the University of Exeter, where she is the Director of Creative Writing.
Hear a video message from Wendy here and do check out our reviews on all her fabulous Books That Help!
The Friendship Bench , illustrated by Daniel Igneus(Friendship)
Tisha and the Blossom illustrated by Daniel Igneus(Mindfulness and Slowing Down)
Peggy the Always Sorry Pigeon illustrated by Carmen Saldana(Understanding Feelings)
Lubna and Pebble illustrated by Daniel Igneus(War and Migration)
Tibble and Grandpa illustrated by Daniel Igneus(Grief and Loss)
ROBERT TREGONING
Robert Tregoning is an award-winning picture book author. He studied at the Glasgow School of Art and performed in West End shows before he began writing picture books.
Robert’s published works include The Dress in the Window (illustrated by Pippa Curnick) and Out of the Blue (illustrated by Stef Murphy). As an author, he hopes to help children and adults alike to accept and celebrate all that makes us uniquely ourselves. The stories Robert writes are often stories he wishes he could have read as a child. He hopes they provide a voice of recognition, validation and kindness to those who need it.
Hear a video message from Robert about Books That Help here.