Dapo Adeola was Writer-Illustrator in Residence from September 2021 until March 2022. During this time, Dapo’s theme for the residency was “The Art of Storytelling” and he focused on supporting emerging illustrators, in particular under-represented voices in children’s books.
Dapo Adeola – Photo: Tim Lane
Dapo Adeola, the co-creator of science-mad chatterbox Rocket from the bestselling picture book Look Up! with Nathan Bryon and illustrator of We’re Going To Find The Monster written by Malorie Blackman, creates vivid and striking children’s book characters and images that prompt and challenge readers’ expectations around race and gender in a fun and upbeat way.
As well as running workshops for children, he has risen to prominence in recent years for using his platform and experience to champion and promote careers in illustration to under-represented groups in the creative arts and publishing industries.
Dapo Adeola reading to children
What Dapo Adeola said:
‘I’ll be looking at illustration as a form of storytelling: who gets to tell stories, as well as the importance of championing and developing the diverse voices and talents within illustration and storytelling in general. My time will be divided up between both the readers and content creators of children’s literature, with competitions and activities for both groups that give an insight into some of the relevant areas of children’s illustration.
‘I’ll also be using my tenure to demystify access into publishing for aspiring illustrators by giving them a glimpse into industry life, as well as workshops on navigating social media and building your brand as a beginner in children’s illustration.
‘I’m really looking forward to sharing this next step of my journey with you all.’
Watch Dapo Adeola read My Dad Is A Grizzly Bear by Swapna Haddow
The dad in this book is very bearish – he loves honey, chases his little boy around while growling, and naps everywhere. And there’s nothing like a grizzly bear hug from your dad to make you feel safe. A charming picture book celebrating all the bear-like dads out there.
We absolutely LOVE BookTrust Writer-Illustrator in Residence Dapo Adeola and Malorie Blackman’s picture book, We’re Going To Find The Monster. Here, Dapo answers some of our questions about where the idea for the picture book came from, depicting a character with vitiligo, and working with a legendary author…
A joyous collection of stories and poems celebrating Black voices, with universal appeal. The perfect gift for any child ready to dive into a variety of voices and situations.
Nathan Bryon and Dapo Adeola’s charming picture book gifts us with a gorgeous character in Rocket, a girl whose passion for all things space is as inspiring to the reader as her heroine Mae Jemison is to her.
A lovely slightly fairy tale-inspired tale about a family with two younger siblings and a teenager getting ready for breakfast, featuring the wonderful storytelling and word wizardry of Malorie Blackman and the illustrations of prize-winning Dapo Adeola.
A baby is born to loving parents, but as she grows up it’s hard for her to find books to read containing girls that look like her. Sometimes, as she gets older, she encounters racism, and life can be very hard. Yet, she is reminded that she stands on the shoulders of the great black community that has come before her – and that she has the power to be anything and anyone she wants to be.
A summer holiday job selling ice cream aboard the exotic space station of Starville turns into a race against time to avoid a catastrophic collision with the moon. Bring on the Space Detectives!
Rocket loves visiting her local library every week, but on one visit, she discovers it will be closing. It’s time to speak up and see if she and the local community can save their beloved library.
