It’s more than 25 years since your first book, Old Bear, came out. Do you still feel pre-publication nerves?“Of course. My new book, Ruby, Blue and Blanket, is a complete departure from before - new characters and text in verse. It’s nerve

No Matter What by Debbie Gliori (£5.99, Bloomsbury)Little Fox Small want to test the limits of his mother's love. Would she love him if he were a grizzly bear or snappy crocodile? This gorgeous book deals sensitively with a young child

discovered that owl babies have a habit of falling out of trees and getting separated from their mothers. “Getting lost is an experience that most of us can identify with,” says Chris. “I remember losing my mother in a shopping centre when I was about three

21. Owl Babies by Martin Waddell and Patrick Benson (Walker, £4.99)Sarah, Percy and Bill wake up one night to find their mother isn’t there. Their loneliness makes them anxious and the fluffy white owls begin to fret, but are overcome with relief

A Bit Lost by Chris Haughton (Walker, £6.99). Age 2+When a sleepy owlet falls out of his nest, an enthusiastic squirrel helps him to find his mother again. Told with a muted colour palette of dusky pinks, yellows and blues , this humorous tale

popular books including Each Peach Pear Plum (I spy Tom Thumb) and The Jolly Postman, both of which were illustrated by his late wife, Janet. In this instance, the initial inspiration was not actually literary, but musical. “It’s based on Bach’s Goldberg

by American artist, Lichtenstein (whose retrospective exhibition is currently showing at the Tate Modern). While the story of the little bunny, whose mother advises "Now run along. And don't get into mischief!” is true to the original text, we think Peter has

Tom ThumbNo larger than his father’s most dexterous digit, Tom Thumb is a character of English folklore who has been involved in a number of size-related accidents. As well as falling into his mother’s Christmas batter and being boiled into a

to be on duty over Christmas. I felt a deep sense of gratitude and wanted to share this feeling with everybody. I wanted to remind everybody about these people.2) Are you a parent yourself? What do your children think about the book? I have a daughter called

elephant was born. His name was Babar. His mother loved him dearly, and used to rock him to sleep with her trunk, singing to him softly the while."Why we love Babar* Many great authors cite Babar as an inspiration including Dick "Miffy" Bruna and AA Milne