Nadia Shireen
Nadia Shireen enjoyed making homemade magazines and comics as a child. She studied law at university and then worked in magazine journalism; it was during this time that she started to draw again. After a lifetime of doodling in the sidelines, Nadia decided to pay some attention to drawing and in 2007 was accepted onto an MA course in children’s book illustration at Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge. Her debut book, Good Little Wolf, received a mention in the Bologna Ragazzi Opera Prima Award and won the UKLA Book Award. Nadia has been shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. She lives in London.
Books
Barbara Throws A Wobbler
Author: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 3-5
Nadia Shireen’s brilliant book about temper tantrums is a definite must-have for any parents of 3-5 year olds who may have had a wobbler or two. As ever, Shireen’s humour and empathy with little ones shines through.
Billy and the Beast
Author: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 6+
Billy and her friend Fatcat are enjoying a walk in the woods when they notice that the bunnies and mice have gone missing – and a hungry Beast is collecting ingredients for a terrible soup. An empowering story, full of humour and humanity.
Billy and the Dragon
Author: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Puffin
Interest age: 3-5
Billy and her sidekick, the amusingly monobrowed Fatcat, are at a fancy dress party when a very large REAL dragon swoops down from nowhere and grabs Fatcat! As always, Shireen’s comic timing is first class.
Good Little Wolf
Author: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Jonathan Cape Children's Books
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 6+
Rolf is a good little wolf - he likes baking cakes, eating all his vegetables, and is always nice to his friends
Grimwood
Author: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Interest age: 6-9
Reading age: 7+
Fox siblings Ted and Nancy live in the big city but decide to find Grimwood, a faraway forest where they can lie low. Nadia Shireen’s first illustrated middle grade novel is a brilliantly hilarious and heartwarming tale, full of her trademark anarchic humour.
Hey Presto!
Author: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Jonathan Cape
Interest age: 4+
Reading age: 6+
With delightful illustrations and something of the same quirky humour that characterised her acclaimed Good Little Wolf, this is a fun and engaging story about friendship.
Slug in Love
Author: Rachel Bright Illustrator: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Interest age: 2-5
Doug is a slug in need of a hug... but no-one wants to give him a cuddle! Will Doug ever find his perfect match? A brilliantly fun read.
The Baby That Roared
Author: Simon Puttock
Illustrator: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Interest age: 1+
Reading age: 5+
Mr and Mrs Deer don’t have any children, but they would love to have a baby of their own to look after. When a mysterious bundle arrives on their doorstep they are overjoyed.
The Bumblebear
Author: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Jonathan Cape
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 5+
Norman the bear loves honey, so he thinks up an ingenious plan to get his paws on as much as he can eat - by enrolling at Bee School! An endearing tale about friendship and loyalty.
The Cow Who Fell to Earth
Author: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Penguin Random House Children’s Books
Interest age: 4-6
Reading age: 5+
One night, a little cow falls to earth from the moon, but none of the earth animals speak her language. This lovely book about friendship and belonging is beautifully paced and has all of Nadia Shireen’s recognisable cute characters.
Yeti and the Bird
Author: Nadia Shireen
Publisher: Jonathan Cape
Interest age: 3-6
Reading age: 6+
Yeti is all alone in the forest: he is so big and scary that all the animals leave him alone. Then one day a funny little orange bird turns up