SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Spaceboy
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: www.worldofadam.com
CITY: Brighton
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: English
LAST VOLUME: SATA 319
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born in England; children: one daughter.
EDUCATION:Norwich School of Art, B.A. (illustration; with first-class honors); University of Brighton, M.A. (narrative illustration and editorial design).
ADDRESS
CAREER
Illustrator and author. Freelance illustrator for publishing houses and other clients including MoneyWeek, The Week, Aardman Animation, Bloomsbury Publishing, Faber & Faber, Haba, Macmillan Childrens Books, Penguin Random House, Puffin Books, Scholastic US, Simon and Schuster US, Walker Books, and the National Museum of Scotland.
AWARDS:Norfolk Library Silver Award for Children’s Books, 2005, for Slam! A Tale of Consequences; Red House Children’s Book Award in younger-readers category, 2010, for Bottoms Up! by Jeanne Willis; BookTrust Early Years Award shortlist, 2010, for Sing a Song of Bottoms! by Willis; Wanda Gág Read Aloud Book Award, 2013, and Schütterts Bilderbuch Bärchen, 2014, both for Silly Doggy; Sheffield Children’s Book Award, 2014, for Troll and the Oliver; Fantastic Book Award, 2019, for King Coo; Alligators Mouth Award, 2020, for The Curse of the Mummy’s Gold.
WRITINGS
Author’s work has been translated into several languages, including Afrikaans, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, French, German, Hebrew, Japanese, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Slovenian, and Spanish.
SIDELIGHTS
Adam Stower is a British artist whose style is influenced by golden age illustrators such as Heath Robinson, Edmund Dulac, and Arthur Rackham. [open new]He was born in England but raised alongside an older brother primarily in Switzerland, as well as Germany. He has fond memories of his mother reading The Hobbit as a bedtime story, and he was a big fan of Roald Dahl and the Calvin & Hobbes comics. With no English-language bookshops near their Swiss home, his father would take advantage of frequent business travels to bring home the latest Tintin and Asterix & Obelix books from the airport. Stower told A Pocketful of Books, “My brother and I loved them—we would fight over who got to read them first. He was older, so he won :)” Stower always loved drawing, and after finishing high school he prepped for a creative career by attending a foundation course in art and design in Cambridge, England.[suspend new] A graduate of the Norwich School of Art and the University of Brighton, Stower has provided artwork for stories by writers such as Andrew Clement, Timothy Knapman, Daniel Pinkwater, Heather Vogel Frederick, and Tommy Greenwald. He is also known for his award-winning self-illustrated stories, among them Two Left Feet, The Den, Troll and the Oliver, and the companion books Silly Doggy! and Naughty Kitty.
Stower introduces Rufus, a cheerful, blue-skinned monster, in Two Left Feet, his debut self-illustrated work. Although Rufus loves to dance with his friends, he inevitably winds up on the floor after tripping over his own feet, both of which are, quite literally, left ones. When a messenger from the Glittering Palace invites the monsters to attend a ballroom dancing competition, Rufus cannot find a partner who wants to pair off with him. Dejected, the monster prepares to sit out the contest but is approached by Maddie, a boggart with an anatomical quirk: she has two right feet. In School Library Journal Bethany L.W. Hankinson cited “the subtle humor” in Two Left Feet, and a Publishers Weekly critic remarked that “the delicate ink lines and golden, shimmery colors at times give Stower’s artwork the appearance of classic hand-tinted etchings.” A Kirkus Reviews contributor dubbed Two Left Feet “a terpsichorean triumph that will send even younger readers into a twirl.”
Another self-illustrated work, Slam! A Tale of Consequences, spins a saga in which one act results in a string of consequences. When a headphone-wearing lad slams his front door on the way out to the candy store, a red rubber ball drops from the roof and follows him. As the ball starts a chain reaction of events, the boy remains oblivious, although readers can witness the chaos as Stower produces what Mary Elam described in School Library Journal as “an explosion of detailed pen-and-ink drawings from various perspectives” that capture a “cartoon humor.” Pairing with an onomatopoeic text, “Stower’s drawings are magnificent,” asserted Karyn Huenemann in Resource Links, Slam! showcases “the intricacy of detail, the balance of colour, the expressions on people and animals’ faces” that makes it “not a book to be read by an adult to a child, so much as to be enjoyed by both together.”
Centering on a young boy who a Kirkus Reviews critic described as “clever—and impossibly cute,” Troll and the Oliver chronicles the daily efforts of a hungry blue troll to catch red-haired Oliver, who can easily outrun the cumbersome, big-eyed creature. After months and months with no success, Troll gives up and retires to his cave, or so Oliver thinks. “Not since Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner has there been such a happy mismatch of inept hunter and blithe prey,” noted the Kirkus Reviews critic, and in School Library Journal Amy Nolan dubbed the book “an enchanting tale full of surprise, mischief, and lots of laughs.” Recommending Troll and the Oliver as a good choice for group sharing, Janet Perkins added in School Librarian that Stower’s story is “great fun, and a great opportunity to discuss … themes of sharing, overcoming fear, and friendship.”
[resume new] Stower kicks off a series of wacky self-illustrated novels with King Coo, whose plot is set in motion as Ben, chased by archbully Monty Grabbe, tries to hide but ends up passing through a tunnel to secret forestland. There he encounters a small wild-bearded creature who calls herself Coo and is happy to help Ben not only thwart his malicious pursuers but also save the town from Monty’s father. School Librarian reviewer Margaret Pemberton reckoned King Coo a “hilarious and energetic adventure”—a “real rollercoaster”—with sketched pen-and-ink illustrations, “ranging from simple images to comic style layouts,” that are “full of character and detail.”
Stower’s picture book The Day Fin Flooded the World finds disaster striking as Fin, who can be forgetful, leaves the faucet running after brushing his teeth. When the entire world floods overnight, Fin is ushered first to the Fish King, who thanks him for letting marine creatures enjoy a change of scenery, and then to the Bird Queen, who is rather concerned that all the land creatures have been squeezed up into the sky—and hopes Fin can do something about it. Affirming that the illustrations full of expressive characters “enhance the story greatly,” a Kirkus Reviews writer enjoyed how Stower takes an “intriguing premise and, using childlike logic, follows it to a most outlandish conclusion,” making for a tale “dripping with fun.”[suspend new]
As an illustrator, Stower has contributed his talent to dozens of picture books and novels for younger readers. Snowball Fight!, a story by Saturday Night Live star Jimmy Fallon, follows a young boy as he dashes outside on a wintry day to construct a fort strong enough to withstand a snowy onslaught from his playful neighbors. “Watercolors, featuring pug-nosed, wide-eyed kids, exude an old-fashioned winter friskiness,” remarked a contributor to Publishers Weekly, and Sally R. Dow noted in School Library Journal that Stower’s “energetic cartoon-style illustrations” here “capture the action and humor” in Fallon’s story.
Daniel Pinkwater’s whimsical Mrs. Noodlekugel, about the curious exploits of a seafaring captain’s wife, and its chapter-book sequels gain an added layer of eccentricity from pen-and-ink illustrations that ratchet up what Horn Book Guide Miriam Lang Budin described as “the series’ trademark nonsensical silliness.” Stower’s work has “an old-fashioned sweetness,” noted a Publishers Weekly critic, finding it in whimsical counterpoint to Pinkwater, who “adds just enough bite with his signature deadpan, loopy humor.” Mrs. Noodlekugel and Drooly the Bear inspired a Kirkus Reviews contributor to affirm that Stower has “surpassed his work in the earlier books, with tightly detailed drawings of things that could never exist and glorious, textured gray ink washes everywhere.”
Stower’s detailed illustration style pairs well with fantasy stories, such as Chris d’Lacey’s Gruffen, the story of a family that raises young dragons with magical powers. Noting the “cozy” elements in Gruffen, Amy Holland added in School Library Journal that the artist’s “line drawings add visual interest; their cartoon style also enforces the light, upbeat mood.” This Side of Magic, by the prolific writing team of Debbie Dadey and Marcia Thornton Jones, benefits from what Booklist critic Carolyn Phelan described as “appealing line drawings” that capture the story of two children who discover a hidden dimension inhabited by magical creatures. Stower’s “brightly colored comic-style illustrations” for Timothy Knapman’s Mungo and the Spiders from Space “will appeal to young fans looking for action and adventure,” predicted School Library Journal contributor Maura Bresnahan, and in Booklist Ian Chipman noted of the same work that Knapman and Stower’s “dizzying mix of space-adventure superheroics and bedtime fantasy fulfillment plays a bit with picture-book conventions.” Walls within Walls, a middle-grade novel by Maureen Sherry, serves up a “breathtaking romp” in which the journey of three siblings following hidden clues to discover a lost fortune is captured in Stower’s “full-page illustrations,” according to School Library Journal critic Caitlin Augusta.
Stower’s art is a feature of a trio of linked stories by Jane Johnson: The Secret Country, The Shadow World, and Dragon’s Fire, which together comprise the “Eidolon Chronicles.” In The Secret Country Ben Arnold purchases a talking cat named Iggy from Mr. Dodds’s Pet Emporium, and learns from his new pet that his ailing mother is the rightful queen of the mythic world of Eidolon. Hoping to restore order to that realm, the boy and his sisters must now prevent Dodd and evil Uncle Aleister from joining forces and kidnapping the magical animals that live there. In The Shadow World Ben encounters a host of creatures—including a centaur, a mermaid, and several selkies—after he enters Eidolon in order to rescue his older sister from the clutches of the nefarious Dodman. Praising Stower’s contributions to The Shadow World, School Library Journal reviewer Sharon Grover remarked that “a whimsical black-and-white drawing opens each chapter.”
Other multi-book series that feature Stower’s art include Clements’s “Benjamin Pratt and the Keepers of the School” books. Featuring the novels We the Children and Fear Itself, the series finds middle-schooler Ben Pratt acquiring a gold coin that dates to the revolutionary era and encourages its owner to defend the school Ben now attends. When he learns that a deal to sell the school to a theme-park developer is afoot, the boy decides to research the property’s history to find out why the school’s preservation was deemed so important. Ben’s quest continues in Fear Itself, as the preteen is joined by classmate Jill tracing the ownership of the school building back to its original founder and stopping its destruction. “Expressive, dynamic full-page and spot illustrations rendered in pen and ink heighten the action” and propel We the Children to “an exciting ending,” according to School Library Journal contributor Debbie S. Hoskins. Along with Clements’s “solid writing,” Stower’s “expressive pen-and-ink illustrations add detail and excitement to the [continuing] adventure,” asserted Debbie Hoskins in her School Library Journal review of Fear Itself.
[re-resume new]Stower has collaborated with author and actor David Walliams on a number of children’s books, including Spaceboy. Set during the twentieth-century space race, the story finds twelve-year-old Ruth and her rescue pooch delighted when a flying saucer crashes in a nearby field. The alien inside, Spaceboy—aka Kevin—would be happy to make a friend but gets shuttled from a Top-Secret Secret Base to the White House to Cape Canaveral as the U.S. government hopes for help outdoing the Soviets. Observing that Stower’s “abundant comical cartoons and caricatured portraits lend this work the look of farce,” a Kirkus Reviews writer called Spaceboy a “soaring escapade.”[close new]
“I have been illustrating professionally since the early 1990s but I have enjoyed drawing for as long as I can remember,” Stower once told SATA. “My first published works were cartoons for my school magazine, done when I was nine years old. During the first few years of my career, much of my work was commissioned by publishers of educational books. Illustrating school books may not have been the most exciting work but I was glad of it as it proved to be an excellent apprenticeship in the art of illustrating to a brief.
“In these early years I would take on any commissions I was offered—illustrating text books, packaging, leaflets, etc.—but I was always drawn to the more narrative commissions. As time has gone on, I have specialized in illustrating children’s fiction, dividing my time between picture books and young fiction, with the occasional editorial/packaging job thrown into the mix. I enjoy the different challenge each type of job presents.
“I am an avid keeper of sketchbooks, which I use partly as diaries (particularly when traveling) but mostly as somewhere to enjoy doodling and let new ideas and characters evolve. Sometimes it’s good to enjoy activities away from my desk, particularly when I’m stuck on a story idea. I swim and play the guitar (not very well), and attend life-drawing sessions among other things. The ideas soon start flowing again. I love what I do and feel very lucky to have the opportunity to do it.”
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, June 1, 2006, Sally Estes, review of The Secret Country, p. 71; December 1, 2007, Sally Estes, review of The Shadow World, p. 42; February 1, 2009, Ian Chipman, review of Mungo and the Spiders from Space, p. 46; June 1, 2009, Carolyn Phelan, review of This Side of Magic, p. 57; September 15, 2010, Todd Morning, review of Fear Itself, p. 65; April 1, 2012, Ilene Cooper, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel, p. 77; May 1, 2015, Martha Edmundson, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel and Drooly the Bear, p. 98.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, April, 2012, Jeannette Hulick, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel, p. 417.
Horn Book, January-February, 2010, Robin L. Smith, review of Gruffen, p. 85; May-June, 2010, Susan Love Lempke, review of We the Children, p. 78; March-April, 2012, Sarah Ellis, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel, p. 118.
Horn Book Guide, spring, 2014, Miriam Lang Budin, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel and Four Blind Mice, p. 65; fall, 2014, Nell Beram, reviews of Naughty Kitty! and Slam! A Tale of Consequences, both p. 46; fall, 2015, Miriam Lang Budin, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel and Drooly the Bear, p. 71; spring, 2016, Nell Beram, review of Troll and the Oliver, p. 49, and Tanya Auger, review of My Dog Is Better than Your Dog, p. 79.
Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2004, review of Two Left Feet, p. 638; April 15, 2006, review of The Secret Country, p. 408; April 1, 2009, review of This Side of Magic; January 15, 2012, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel; April 1, 2012, review of Silly Dog!; April 15, 2014, review of Naughty Kitty!; March 1, 2015, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel and Drooly the Bear; June 15, 2015, review of Troll and the Oliver; July 1, 2015, review of My Dog Is Better Than Your Dog; January 15, 2023, review of The Day Fin Flooded the World; October 15, 2024, review of Spaceboy.
Publishers Weekly, August 9, 2004, review of Two Left Feet, p. 250; April 15, 2005, review of Snowball Fight!, p. 58; May 4, 2009, review of This Side of Magic, p. 50; March 22, 2010, review of We the Children, p. 70; February 13, 2012, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel, p. 56; spring, 2014, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel and Four Blind Mice, p. 72.
Resource Links, October, 2014, Karyn Huenemann, review of Slam!, p. 8.
School Librarian, winter, 2012, Jane Doonan, review of Naughty Kitty!, p. 222; spring, 2014, Janet Perkins, review of Troll and the Oliver, p. 33; summer, 2014, Sue Polchow, review of The Queen of Dreams, p. 104; spring, 2017, Margaret Pemberton, review of Alistair Grim’s Odd Aquaticum, p. 38; summer, 2017, Lesley Martin, review of Animals Behaving Badly, p. 108; fall, 2017, Margaret Pemberton, review of King Coo, p. 173.
School Library Journal, October, 2004, Bethany L.W. Hankinson, review of Two Left Feet, p. 135; November, 2005, Sally R. Dow, review of Snowball Fight!, p. 90; April, 2006, Margaret A. Chang, review of The Secret Country, p. 141; November, 2007, Sharon Grover, review of The Shadow World, p. 126; April, 2009, Maura Bresnahan, review of Mungo and the Spiders from Space, p. 110; May, 2010, Amy Holland, review of Gruffen, p. 82, and Debbie S. Hoskins, review of We the Children, p. 107; September, 2010, Debbie Hoskins, review of Fear Itself, p. 148; October, 2010, Caitlin Augusta, review of Walls within Walls, p. 126; November, 2013, Amanda Stuckermeyer, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel and Four Blind Mice, p. 86; March, 2014, Mary Elam, review of Slam!, p. 128; May, 2014, Marge Loch-Wouters, review of Naughty Kitty!, p. 96; April, 2015, Amy M. Laughlin, review of Mrs. Noodlekugel and Drooly the Bear, p. 141; August, 2015, Amy Nolan, review of Troll and the Oliver, p. 76.
ONLINE
Adam Stower website, https://www.worldofadam.com (April 22, 2025).
Arena Illustration website, https://www.arenaillustration.com/ (June 8, 2022), “Artist Spotlight—Adam Stower,” author interview.
A Pocketful of Books, https://apocketfulofbooks.com/ (February 19, 2024), “Author Interview: Adam Stower.”
A little bit about me…
Adam Stower is an award-winning illustrator and author who has been drawing pictures and making up stories for as long as he can remember. Adam was born in England but grew up in Switzerland and Germany. After nine years at an ancient boarding school in Norfolk Adam trained at the Norwich School of Art earning a first class Honours Degree in Illustration. He moved south to continue his studies at Brighton University and achieved a Masters degree in Narrative Illustration and Editorial Design. Adam fell in love with the city and lives there still, with his wife and daughter and a cat called Murray. Adam has been working as an illustrator for over 25 years and began writing his own books in 2004. His books have achieved acclaim and awards at home and abroad.
Adam is represented by Arena Illustration. For all work enquiries and to see my full portfolio, please go HERE. Thank you.
Some previous clients:
David Fickling Books, Harper Collins, Templar Books, MoneyWeek magazine, The Week magazine, Bloomsbury Publishing, Puffin Books, Alison Green Books, Faber & Faber, Macmillan Childrens Books, Aardman Animation, Andersen Press, Candlewick Press US, Haba, Penguin Random House, Scholastic US, Simon and Schuster US, Walker Books, National Museum of Scotland.
Some awards:
Red House Book Award 2010 - Bottoms up! by Jeanne Willis illustrated by Adam Stower (Puffin)
Booktrust Early Years Award shortlist 2010 - Sing a Song of Bottoms by Jeanne Willis illustrated by Adam Stower (Puffin)
Wanda Gág Read Aloud Book Award 2013 (USA) - Silly Doggy by Adam Stower (Templar)
Schütterts Bilderbuch Bärchen 2014 (GER) - Silly Doggy by Adam Stower (Templar)
Dundee Picture Book Award shortlist 2013 - Silly Doggy by Adam Stower (Templar)
Peters Book of the Year shortlist 2013 - Troll and the Oliver by Adam Stower (Templar)
Sheffield Children’s Book Award 2014 - Troll and the Oliver by Adam Stower (Templar)
The Fantastic Book Award 2019 - King Coo by Adam Stower (David Fickling Books)
Alligators Mouth Award 2020 - King Coo The Curse of the Mummy’s Gold by Adam Stower (David Fickling Books)
Author Interview: Adam Stower
February 19, 2024
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This month our junior reader subscribers enjoyed the fabulous new book by Adam Stower in their book box: Murray And Bun, Murray The Viking. It's the first in a brand new adventure series that's purr-fect for independent young readers; a funny, exciting adventure story with wonderful illustrations throughout. An award-winning illustrator and author who has been drawing pictures and making up stories for as long as he can remember, Adam was born in England but grew up in Switzerland and Germany! We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to ask Adam a few questions; here's what he had to share with us:
What was the inspiration the new Murray and Bun series?
I have a cat called Murray. When he goes out, I never REALLY know where he goes or what he gets up to. I thought it would be fun to add a magic cat flap and see what sort of adventures that would lead to. I want to write fun, nimble stories that can take place anywhere and at any time in history. That way there are plenty of possibilities for adventure that will be a joy to write and hopefully a joy to read.
Who are some of your favourite animals in fiction that you have read - either growing up or as an adult?
I’m a big Roald Dahl fan and so Fantastic Mr.Fox is definitely a favourite. Also I love the relationship between Calvin and his tiger Hobbes in the amazing comic strip by Bill Watterson.
Do you feel you share more of Murray's characteristics, or Bun’s?
I think we are all part Murray and part Bun. Murray loves the quiet life and Bun embraces adventure. I am more Murray than Bun, but I strive to BE MORE BUN! Exciting things happen when we step out of our comfort zones and take a risk. We should all BE MORE BUN!
If you were to able to head through Murray's magic cat flap, where would you most like to find yourself?
Somewhere warm. Ancient Greece perhaps? But honestly, it would be more for the beaches than the history…
Do you think you would have enjoyed living amongst the Vikings?
Maybe. I would enjoy living by the sea, mucking about in boats and sitting around roaring fires eating and drinking with my friends. But I think I like modern comforts too much to stay for long.
Do you usually begin a book like this with illustrations, or the story, or do they develop organically together?
My ideas all begin in sketchbooks, with drawings of characters and possible scenarios. When I am dreaming up a story, it plays out in my imagination like a movie in my head. Then I plot out the story in a notebook, figuring out the phases and pacing of the narrative. Then I rough out the whole book with sketches, deciding which parts to tell with words, pictures or a mixture of the two. I enjoy adding visual gags too, which are textless. It’s good fun.
What are your three most important tools for illustrating?
My sketchbook, my pencil case and my computer. All my final art is made digitally in Photoshop these days….. Oh, and coffee and biscuits...
Did you study or train to become an illustrator or a writer? Was this a career that you always aspired to?
Yes, I trained as an illustrator. I did a foundation course in art and design in Cambridge, then a three year BA in Illustration at the Norwich School of Art, and then I came to Brighton to do a two year Master of Arts course in Narrative illustration. I never knew that this job existed when I was at school, but I knew I LOVED drawing. I always have. Doing the foundation course was one of my best decisions ever. It opened up the world of illustration and I have never looked back. I started working as a freelance Illustrator when I was doing my MA and I have been working ever since. I am very lucky. I love it.
What are your biggest challenges as an author-illustrator?
Time. There is never enough of it to do everything I want to.
Did you have any favourite books or authors when you were younger?
I have lovely memories of my mum reading The Hobbit to me as a bedtime story, so that has always remained a favourite. Roald Dahl stories too. I love Tomi Ungerer’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice. It scared me a bit when I was little but I still love it. Maurice Sendak’s In the night Kitchen has been unforgettable too. I grew up in Switzerland and my dad travelled a lot with his work. When he came home from trips he would always bring the latest Tintin and Asterix & Obelix books with him. He bought them in the airport - there weren’t any English language bookshops handy where we lived. My brother and I loved them - we would fight over who got to read them first. He was older, so he won :)
What do you enjoy most about creating stories for children?
Children are very open-minded and have wonderful imaginations. You can start a story with something entirely ridiculous and they won’t even blink - they will just go all in and enjoy it. A magic cat flap? Great, OK! Let’s go!
Do you have any exciting new projects for the year ahead?
My next book in the Murray and Bun series is already underway. I have written it and I am almost ready to start the illustrations. I can’t wait. It is called Murray the Knight.
Thank you Adam! You can find out more about Adam's books and illustrations on his website: www.worldofadam.com
Artist Spotlight - Adam Stower
8th June, 2022
The World's Worst Pets is packed with so many crazy characters that are joy to illustrate so it's a bit hard to choose, but some of my favourites were Furp the Fish ( I mean, who doesn't like drawing MONSTROUS gold fish?)
We have been proud to represent the fabulous Adam Stower for over twenty years now and he's an honoured member of our Arena Family, we caught up with him in his studio to ask him a few pertinent questions!
Firstly congratulationson your flurry of recent publications and your latest collaboration with David Walliams, The World's Worst Pets which features a myriad of deviant and untamable critters, which was the most fun to illustrate?
The World's Worst Pets is packed with so many crazy characters that are joy to illustrate so it's a bit hard to choose, but some of my favourites were Furp the Fish ( I mean, who doesn't like drawing MONSTROUS gold fish?), Mr. Bumble the Burgling Budgie because I don't get to draw bad-tempered budgies very often, and Monty the Musical dog - in particular when he is dressed up as Julie Andrews from The Sound of Music!
The human characters were fun too - my favourite being The Great Fiasco!
We are really enjoying the amazing time lapse videos you have been posting on social media of late, they are really meditative to watch. Do you sketch to relax or is sometimes a bit of a busman's holiday? Can we have a peek inside your sketchbook?
I LOVE drawing, doodling and sketching! It is super relaxing. The best bit about doodling in sketchbooks is that you can let the drawing just become what it wants to be. Illustrating to order for a commission is slightly different and can be more challenging, but filling sketchbooks with random drawings is very mindful. I think everyone should do it. There's no pressure and it can be very fulfilling.
I really love watching other people draw, so I enjoy filming some of my sketches as they come to life and sharing them on my Instagram. I hope people get a kick out of it and perhaps are inspired to have a go too.
My sketchbooks? Yes, of course you can have a peek! Here you go...
Are there any creative techniques you haven't experimented with which you would like to try?
Oil painting! I did an introductory course not long ago and would love to do more. Also, animation. I LOVE animation, but how anybody finds the time to do it is a mystery to me. Perhaps one day....
You have created hundreds of books for all ages over the years, which were you most proud to hold a physical copy of and why?
I am most proud of my firsts and my most recent - Two Left Feet was the first picture book I wrote/illustrated. King Coo was the first fiction book I wrote and illustrated and The World's Worst Pets is the most recent book that I illustrated, David Walliams wrote that one! An honourable mention should go to The Monster Catcher's Diary too. It is the only pop-up book I've illustrated so far and it is so fun to play with! The amazing Nick Denchfield was the paper engineer and he created some fantastic pop-ups!
What are you working on now and can we have a top secret sneak peek?
I am working on a few new ideas, which is always such a fun part of making books, but they still in their early stages. So, sorry, I have nothing to share just yet....but watch this space! I feel bad now though, so here is another sketchbook doodle for you...
Do you have a local independent bookshop which is a particular favorite?
Yes! The Book Nook in Hove. They really know their stuff and they make wonderful recommendations. The shop is packed with wonderful books and they support many of Brighton's local children's book authors and illustrators by hosting events and arranging school visits (and there are a LOT of us!).
Thank you, Book Nook!
THANK YOU for spending time with us today!
My pleasure. Thank you for having me.
Hamilton, Peter
The Queen of Dreams
Illustrated by Adam Stower
Doubleday, 2014, pp288, 12.99 [pounds sterling]
978 0 857 53381 4
For sisters Taggie and Jemima, an ordinary summer holiday spent with their Dad soon becomes a race against time to do battle with the evil Karrak Lords and the King of the Night who have kidnapped their father.
The girls enter the magical realms which have a Wonderland quality and make friends with a host of fantastical creatures including a talking white squirrel called Felix, Sophie the Skymaid and some very laid back elves. The main part of the story charts the quests and dangers they must face. Time travel is also part of their journey as they visit London during the Blitz and enlist the help of a young Princess Elizabeth.
Friendship and helping others is a strong theme in this book as is the sense of discovering more about yourself and what you can achieve. Both girls slowly realise they are not who they thought they were as their particular special power starts to reveal itself and they learn how to use them. But can they save their father and who is he really? First in a trilogy, Adam Stower's illustrations enhance this enjoyable, heartwarming and well-crafted faerie world adventure that has a traditional feel to it.
Polchow, Sue
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2014 The School Library Association
http://www.sla.org.uk/school-librarian.php
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Polchow, Sue. "Hamilton, Peter: The Queen of Dreams." School Librarian, vol. 62, no. 2, summer 2014, p. 104. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A376205519/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1a9a2d4b. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
PINKWATER, Daniel. Mrs. Noodlekugel and Drooly the Bear, illus. by Adam Stower. 96p. ebook available. Candlewick. May 2015. Tr $14.99. ISBN 9780763666453.
K-Gr 2--Fans of Mrs. Noodlekugel's delightfully wacky and whimsical world will rejoice in Pinkwater's newest offering. The latest installment welcomes new characters Drooly Bear along with Captain Noodlekugel, Mrs. Noodlekugel's "mister" who is usually "lost at sea." During a rare stint on land, the captain treks home and declares that he has given up a life on the water in the hopes of becoming an animal trainer. Young neighbors Nick and Maxine spend a whole four days in Mrs. Noodlekugel's care--their father is competing in the speed-knitting world championship and their mother is going along--and they tag along with the captain as he attempts to train Drooly. Antics and hilarity ensue as readers follow Nick, Maxine, and the captain on their journey to train the bear, all the while grappling with Drooly nodding off and wandering away during training. Readers should know that the captain acquired Drooly (along with a canoe) from an "Inuit fellow" while shipwrecked on a piece of flotsam. The Inuit man takes a great liking to the captain and explains that lie is poor and has difficulty feeding the bear, who also fights with his husky dogs. The inclusion of this unfortunately stereotyped character is both odd and unnecessary. Readers encounter the Inuit man only in this brief scene. After trading the bear to the captain for a "Mexican dollar," a gold watch, and a fish, the Inuit man paddles away on a piece of driftwood. VERDICT Pinkwater presents another silly glimpse into the world of Mrs. Noodlekugel and her talking cats and mice, but here's hoping the archaic stereotypes get lost at sea in the next installment.--Amy M. Laughlin, Darien Library, CT
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Laughlin, Amy M. "Pinkwater, Daniel. Mrs. Noodlekugel and Drooly the Bear." School Library Journal, vol. 61, no. 4, Apr. 2015, pp. 141+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A408648963/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=a709abfe. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Pinkwater, Daniel MRS. NOODLEKUGEL AND DROOLY THE BEAR Candlewick (Children's Fiction) $14.99 5, 12 ISBN: 978-0-7636-6645-3
Is there a Mr. Noodlekugel? Apparently the answer is yes. Capt. Noodlekugel is described as "a little man with wonderful whiskers." He's just come back from the sea to visit his wife, and his whiskers are pretty spectacular. They're an endless series of white waves, and they stretch several inches past the end of his face in the illustrations, as though Stower couldn't stop drawing. They look as if they might float off into the sky, like an altostratus cloud. Along with the whiskers, Pinkwater has given the artist all sorts of wonderful things to draw: cake with delicious mushrooms on top and the titular Drooly, a long-snouted bear that the captain is teaching to dance. There's not much plot: the bear is lost and found again. Though nothing really happens in the book, it is hilarious. Even when the characters are just eating dinner, they eat it backward, starting with vegetable cake for dessert and ending with chocolate soup. In its relative eventlessness, the book is a lot like life, but with more bears, as well as mice in nightshirts. The appeal is the loopy conversations about sardines--and the pictures. The artist has surpassed his work in the earlier books, with tightly detailed drawings of things that could never exist and glorious, textured gray ink washes everywhere. Also, the mice wear tiny glasses. Utterly, endearingly ridiculous. (Fiction. 5-9)
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"Pinkwater, Daniel: MRS. NOODLEKUGEL AND DROOLY THE BEAR." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Mar. 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A403213956/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=4ccecb74. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Greenwald, Tommy MY DOG IS BETTER THAN YOUR DOG Scholastic (Children's Fiction) $12.99 9, 29 ISBN: 978-0-545-77332-4
A new series for middle-grade readers begins when 11-year-old Jimmy gets a dog that just might have supernatural powers.Jimmy's mom works all the time, and his dad's constantly away looking for a new job. Feeling neglected, Jimmy spends most of his time watching an old crime TV show and reading his favorite vampire novels. When his dad agrees to let Jimmy have a dog, Jimmy chooses a strange mutt named Abby. Abby sleeps all day and roams at night, and she has huge fangs; is she a vampire dog? When Abby attacks his awful new babysitter, will Jimmy's parents send his beloved new pet back to the shelter? Later, more complications ensue that give Abby a chance to save the day, with help from Jimmy's best friend, Irwin, and his new possible heartthrob, Daisy. Could it be that Abby might actually be a crime-fighter vampire dog? In fact, might she even have some real superpowers? Greenwald keeps everything light and unthreatening, with some nice childhood conflicts (Irwin also likes Daisy) and, via a bully character, some great advice about how to deal with bullies. Stower's cartoon-style illustrations enliven the text even further.Who wouldn't want to read a whole series of superhero-vampire-crime-fighter-dog books? (Fiction. 8-12)
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"Greenwald, Tommy: MY DOG IS BETTER THAN YOUR DOG." Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A419698494/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1008c8fd. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Funaro, Gregory
Alistair Grim's Odd Aquaticum
Illustrated by Adam Stower
Alma Books, 2016, pp300, 6.99 [pounds sterling]
978 1 84688 409 2
Once again we are following the adventures of young Grubb as he gets used to his role as an apprentice in the Odditorium; which is run by his newly discovered father Alistair Grim. Having escaped from London and the villainous Prince Nightshade they are off on a quest to discover the resting place of the sword Excalibur. This takes them to the kingdom of Avalon and the eventual discover of Prince Nightshade's true identity. However they yet again discover more mysteries surrounding Grubb's dead mother.
This is a tremendous adventure story, full of brave deeds, magic and some truly extraordinary characters. These people, both human and nonhuman work well together, despite their differences and you can see that Grubb is an ordinary boy, who finds himself in really weird and wonderful circumstances, but with some truly good friends who take care when things start to go wrong. There is a touch of Steampunk about the settings and the illustrations at the start of each chapter reinforce this feeling. The developing relationship between Grubb and his father has its ups and downs but it teaches lessons about how love can develop, so I look forward to seeing how they get on in the next adventure in the series.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 The School Library Association
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Pemberton, Margaret. "Funaro, Gregory: Alistair Grim's Odd Aquaticum." School Librarian, vol. 65, no. 1, spring 2017, p. 38. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A490821302/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=ac04bc8d. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Davies, Nicola
Animals Behaving Badly
Illustrated by Adam Stower
Walker, 2017, pp112, 5.99 [pounds sterling] 978 1 4063 6605 1
Cleverly combining two topics children find endlessly entertaining--mischief and animals--this book contains stories about the behaviour of five different animals. Wolverines, kea (a New Zealand bird), various fish, monkeys and sperm whale are singled out with descriptions of their 'bad' behaviour, the impact on humans and plausible explanations for why this behaviour has developed--which include of course the impact of humans on the animals and their habitat. In some cases, such as the macaque monkey and the kea, the animals' behaviour is reinforced by human interaction such as feeding. The book might have been improved by a glossary, as there are some specialist terms used which might be beyond the target age range, but Nicola Davies has talked to scientists and specialists and indeed spent time herself researching the sperm whale, and Adam Stower's witty illustrations complement the informative and interesting text.
This book will intrigue curious children and inspire them to learn more about the animals featured and animal behaviour in general. Ideal for 7-11 year olds, perhaps shared with a parent or teacher at the younger end of the age range.
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Martin, Lesley. "Davies, Nicola: Animals Behaving Badly." School Librarian, vol. 65, no. 2, summer 2017, p. 108. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A499577937/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e669f5f6. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Stower, Adam
King Coo
David Fickling Books, 2017, pp176, 9.99 [pounds sterling]
978 1 9102 0060 5
When Ben is being chased by his arch enemy, he hides under a rubbish bin, only to find a tunnel that eventually leads to a hidden garden (or even forest) He is then challenged by a weird small person with a very long beard, who eventually takes Ben to her (yes she says she is a girl) home. However the bullies, led by Monty Grabbe are still in pursuit and the adventure is just beginning.
This is a hilarious and energetic adventure for young readers, a real rollercoaster. It is full of action and a great collection of illustrations, ranging from simple images to comic style layouts; they are just pen and ink sketches but full of character and detail. The readers are very quickly on the side of Ben and Coo and cheer them on in all of their attempts to save the town from the machinations of Monty and his father
(The Mayor). This really is an excellent story for those just getting to grips with a lot of text and there are enough breaks to make this a enjoyable experience. I hope that we are going to be treated to more adventures from this quirky pair of heroes.
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Pemberton, Margaret. "Stower, Adam: King Coo." School Librarian, vol. 65, no. 3, autumn 2017, pp. 173+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A506957402/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=7e09323c. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Stower, Adam THE DAY FIN FLOODED THE WORLD Andersen Press USA (Children's None) $18.99 4, 4 ISBN: 978-1-72849-213-1
Water, water everywhere all thanks to Fin.
Fin, a young, light-skinned boy, forgets everything, from making his bed to switching off the light to wearing his pants. One fateful evening, he leaves the bathroom sink running after brushing his teeth and washing his face. The sink begins to overflow in the middle of the night, and the deluge of water eventually floods the entire world. Talk about water pressure! The next morning, a delegation of fish collects Fin and takes him to the Fish King, who thanks Fin for allowing aquatic creatures to finally explore the land above. Fin becomes a splash until the next morning when a delegation of birds comes to collect him. They present Fin to the Bird Queen, who points out that every creature who lived on land is now taking up space in the sky. Mortified, Fin decides to put things right. An ideal read-aloud, this wacky tale takes an intriguing premise and, using childlike logic, follows it to a most outlandish conclusion--and the ultimate return to normalcy is equally rewarding. The illustrations enhance the story greatly, creating a world of large-eyed characters whose expressions tell countless stories themselves. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Dripping with fun! (Picture book. 5-8)
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"Stower, Adam: THE DAY FIN FLOODED THE WORLD." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Jan. 2023. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A733021408/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=6a66ed30. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.
Stower, Adam SPACEBOY Harper360 (Children's None) $9.99 11, 12 ISBN: 9780008704001
Dreaming of escape from cruel grown-ups, two orphaned children share an out-of-this-world adventure in the space race's early days in this offering by British actor Walliams.
Gazing longingly at the sky one starry night, 12-year-old Ruth sees a flying saucer crash in a nearby field and excitedly races out with her three-legged rescue pooch, Yuri (named for the Soviet cosmonaut). She makes contact with a short, silent figure clad in shiny foil and a tall, oblong helmet. As it turns out, Spaceboy (or Kevin, as he's really called) doesn't come from all that far away, and, also being orphaned and mistreated, he shares her dream of getting away. Unfortunately, both dog and children are instead swept up by vigilant authorities and hustled off to Cape Canaveral (with stops at the Top-Secret Secret Base and the White House for savage digs at the military and political classes) in hopes of giving the country's fledgling space program a boost over their Soviet rivals. Frequent changes of typeface size and weight in the narrative, matched with Stower's abundant comical cartoons and caricatured portraits, lend this work the look of farce. But what with the satiric edge cutting deep enough to draw blood, even younger readers may find themselves wincing at times as they root for the underdogs, canine and otherwise. Spaceboy and a few others are rare exceptions in an otherwise light-skinned cast.
A soaring escapade, heavy axe-grinding aside. (space race timeline)(Adventure. 8-11)
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"Stower, Adam: SPACEBOY." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Oct. 2024. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A811898489/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=81000b30. Accessed 16 Mar. 2025.