Emily Gravett: Writing and Me

Emily Gravett's most recent book is Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears, which is as engaging and sumptuously produced as her previous titles.

Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears follows a mouse who is scared of everything, what inspired this story?

'I've wanted to do a book about fears for a while now, mainly because I'm the sort of person who is afraid of their own shadow!'

I've wanted to do a book about fears for a while now (mainly because I'm the sort of person who is afraid of their own shadow!), but it was only after doodling the little mouse in the story that I saw how it could work.

Your books appeal to the very young but to adults as well; do you have a target audience in mind when you write a book?

It really depends on the book. Mostly I'd have to say no. I tend to draw and write about what is appealing to me at the time.

For instance in Little Mouse's Big Book of Fears I was just having fun making all the extras like the map and newspaper.Very self-indulgent!

Monkey and Me was inspired by a friend's daughter who was quite wriggly and didn't always sit through a whole book, so even though my main motivation was how much I was going to enjoy drawing all the animals, I was also imagining reading it out loud, and a child being able to join in.

Your artwork is very distinctive, using collage and often interactive aspects, how did you develop your style and who influenced you?

I did an illustration degree at Brighton University, so I had three years in which I was able to spend loads of time playing with different materials and exploring how to put images together.

Using collage was mostly accidental. It just felt unsatisfactory to be drawing certain aspects of the image.

I'm influenced by practically every other picture book I pick up, but also by objects I find. I like to scour junkshops for interesting looking bits and pieces.

When writing a picture book, which do you produce first, the text or the illustrations and which of the two do you find easier?

I always try to develop text and image together, but the original inspiration could come from either. For example it could come from a character I've been doodling, or because I want to make a book with a certain rhythm.

I really enjoy the challenge of making both work together (and it is a challenge). Drawing comes more naturally to me, but writing is something I need to really concentrate on.

Your first book, Wolves, pays homage to libraries; did they play a big part in your own childhood?

'As a young teenager I used to spend a lot of time in the reference library. I liked being able to look at the old maps and directories'

Not so much for reading picture books or fiction, but as a young teenager I used to spend a lot of time in the reference library. I liked being able to look at the old maps and directories, and I loved the smell.

The people who used the place fascinated me. I used to try and imagine what their lives were like (I also loved playing with the photocopier).

Despite the recent slump in UK picture book sales, since the publication of Wolves in 2005 your books seem to have gone from strength to strength; what advice would you give to aspiring illustrators wanting to break into the picture book market?

It's very difficult for me to give advice because I'm still so amazed that I'm doing what I'm doing. I feel exceedingly lucky.

I don't think that there is a formula you can follow that will end in your books getting published. Everyone I talk to seems to have come at it in different ways, but the thing that they all have in common is how passionate they are about what they do.

So I think my advice would be to produce work that reflects your interests, and to have fun with it!