Illustrator Interview with Children’s Book North Network: Catherine Booth
A little while ago, Children’s Book North kindly interviewed me about my illustration work, how I got started, what I’ve been working on recently, and things I’d love to see more of from the publishing and illustration industry in the North.
It was such a lovely chat and a great opportunity to reflect on my process and what I’m currently working towards.
If you didn’t catch it when it was first published, here’s the full interview.
In this Northern Highlight, we interview Catherine Booth, an illustrator based in Manchester. Catherine co-hosts Drawn In, Manchester’s meet-up for illustrators.
Where are you based, and how would you sum up the place in three words?
I’m based in Manchester. In three words: friendly, buzzing, home. It’s where I grew up, and over the years, it’s become a place I love fiercely. The skies are often heavy and grey, but I’ve come to find comfort in that. I’m grateful that Manchester has such a vibrant creative scene too. There’s countless bars and cafés with the perfect balance of working energy and matcha lattes to keep me satisfied.
If you could be transported to anywhere in the North or Scotland right now, where would it be?
There’s a small village tucked between County Durham and the Lake District called Mickleton – that’s where I’d go. I first discovered it during lockdown, when the world was quiet and I escaped for some rest and reflection. I’ve stayed there a couple of times since then. When I'm there, my routine usually starts early in the morning, before the sun rises and I can draw while being serenaded by the cows and crows. I often walk along the river and bake bread while I’m there. If I ever need to retreat from the city’s buzz, that’s where I’d want to be.
What is special to you about creating children’s books, and what’s your favourite part of the process?
The research phase of the process has always been the part I love most. I tend to begin by gathering a hefty amount of books, and giving myself the excuse to explore museums and galleries, armed with my sketchbook and mechanical pencils. I love immersing myself in texture, history, and anything that helps evoke a strong sense of place. Creating a book often feels like world-building. I become the architect, the costume designer, and set-maker all at once. The research phase is always where I feel the most freedom and flow. It’s also the part of the process with the least amount of decision-making, which suits me just fine!
Tell us about the most recent book you’ve worked on.
This winter, I illustrated a short black-and-white children’s book titled Thank You, Teacher, published by Hachette. It was the first time I created an entire book in graphite, aside from the cover, and as an illustrator who loves colour and paint, I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge! I worked on it during the slow weeks of January and finished in just over a month. As someone who’s also been an art teacher for the past three years, illustrating children felt especially close to home, and I was able to add little references to their charm, curiosity, and mischief into the characters. It was a comforting project that kept me grounded during those slow weeks after Christmas.
What recent children’s or YA book by a Northern or Scottish creative have you enjoyed?
It has to be King Winter’s Birthday illustrated by Emily Sutton. I’ve admired Emily’s work for years, and this book, like all of hers, is exquisitely illustrated. I’m a sucker for winter books, full of magic, snow, and Nordic influences. Emily’s traditional line work and her sensitivity to colour and texture turns each page into a work of art. Her illustrations fill me with joy every time.
What literary events have you attended or been involved with recently?
I co-host Drawn In, Manchester’s meet-up for illustrators, and recently we hosted a talk with my agent, Mark, from The Plum Agency. The event included live portfolio reviews, held in the beautiful House of Books and Friends, which was a fantastic opportunity for our audience to hear real-time feedback from a well-established agent. With a focus on children’s book publishing, Mark generously shared his vast knowledge and experience working as an agent and representing illustrators in children’s publishing.
What would you like to see from children’s publishing in the North or Scotland?
At Drawn In, we’re working toward a more inclusive and accessible creative space, where stories are shared more widely, and new voices feel empowered to enter the industry. Speaking from personal experience, publishing can often feel mysterious or out of reach for many. I’d love to use our platform to lift the veil and highlight illustrators who have found ways to overcome those barriers, and carved their own unique path within the industry. By sharing stories of persistence and creative resilience, we can help dismantle the myth that the industry is only for a select few and instead foster a strong, supportive network that helps aspiring creatives find their own way in.
What advice would you give to aspiring creatives in the North or Scotland?
Most of the projects I’ve worked on came from a mix of persistence, timing, and sharing my work regularly. After graduating, I spent years working hard with little to show for it. But in 2023, things began to shift. Commissions started arriving because I had built a consistent body of work, so there was something for people to connect with when they found me. That’s where I’d tell others to begin: create what you love, build your portfolio, and share it often.
There’s no perfect formula. At times, it will feel like nothing is happening. I’ve felt that too. Even the illustrators you look up to are still figuring things out. Keep going. Stay focused on what brings you joy. That energy will carry you much further than trying to do everything at once.
Thank you Children’s Book North!
A Summer Meet-Up with Drawn In
Hello sweetest gems!
I’m making a brief pit-stop here, on my corner of the internet, to share a little joy from our most recent Drawn In meet-up, Manchester’s social for illustrators, artists and sketchbook-lovers. Just look at this gorgeous lot!
This time we set up shop at Fairfield Social Club, a spot I’d visited earlier in the year for a Pecha Kucha night with my lovely friends Louise and Nathan. There’s something about those festoon lights and long shared tables that makes it a very welcoming, slightly magical hideout.
This time around, we were joined by the ever-lovely Jenny from Sketch and Cafe, who led part of the event with her signature playful drawing prompts and wholesome sketching session. Diving head-first into continuous line-drawings and collaborative illustrations is the perfect way to shake off the nerves, chat around the table and remember why we love to make art in the first place…to play of course!
I’m grateful to have been able to catch up with so many of my gorgeous illustration pals I’ve met over recent years too, some who’ve just moved studios and others in the midst of the hard slog of deadlines, others just exploring new creative paths. It really does fill my heart to spend time with them. It does much good for the inner-artist too. Our theme for this month’s meet-up was ‘Sketchbook Journeys', and I think its safe to say that for most illustrators sketchbooks can be a space of both frustration and joy, so to hear other people’s struggles, wonky perspectives, and abandoned projects felt strangely comforting, and made the event an open and non-judgemental space for people to share their failures as well as their wins, without pressure.
Once everyone had arrived and settled in with a drink, we began with sharing our sketchbooks with each other, which, as most vulnerable things do, tends to be the thing that connects us the most. We shared pages we were proud of and things we were hoping to work towards. There’s something very grounding about sharing your ‘ugly’ work with others - you realise very quickly that no one is the ‘perfect’ artist, and that most people, in their own creative way, are still figuring things out as they go.
Then, after Jenny led the loose drawing prompts to wake us all up and get out of overthinking, the event coasted with some space to do our own personal sketching. Between the chatting and the drinking all I had time to draw was this little lady in my Pith sketchbook. It was such a lovely event, and as we wrapped up for the night, many of us stayed, sketchbooks sprawled across the benches, and long chats into the evening. Summer in the city at its finest.
I’ve always been an advocate for socials like these, that’s why I love being a part of Drawn In so much. These moments of authentic connection are rare, and having gone through a time in my life where I didn’t know of any other illustrators I could chat to, to now make work alongside them and share goals with other likeminded creatives, is so valuable. And if you came along to the event, thank you for making this community what it is. We hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
Current Musings…
*This song has snuck it’s way into my playlist for Summer and I’m not mad about it. It makes me want to lay in the grass and watch the sun set over the city. Perfect for August.
*I’ve gotten back into reading on the morning commute, and currently I’m making my way through A History of the World in a Hundred Objects. I have to be in the right mood for non-fiction, but this book has been strangely comforting and makes me want to visit the British Museum again!
*Exciting workshop news! This August I’m running a child-friendly illustration workshop at the beautiful House of Books and Friends, hopefully creating a little joyful chaos! If you’re coming along I can’t wait to see you there.
*I was very kindly featured on Children’s Book North socials last month. It was my first time making ‘proper’ video content and my goodness I have a newfound respect for influencers! I spent an entire day filming 30 seconds of footage! It’s so far out of my comfort zone to be in front of a camera, but, as the lovely Yusra said in her Pecha Kucha talk, embrace the cringe! And I’m certainly trying.
Thank you for reading friends, as always. I hope your August sends you good thoughts and long sunny evenings with people you love.
With smudgy hands and a full heart,
C x
Book Birthday ~ Thank You, Teacher
Hello, sweetest ones! How are we all?
Somehow, it’s almost summer, and I find myself in subtle disbelief. Was it the unusually hot weather we’ve had that disrupted my usual routine, or the influx of projects I’ve been juggling? Who can say. Regardless, we’ve made it this far, and I hope the year so far has been kind to you.
Today is a special post, celebrating the recent publication of my new children’s book, Thank You, Teacher, published by Hachette. This project kept me company through the slow weeks of January and is my first book created entirely in pencil (excluding the cover)! It was both a challenge and a joy to create, and honestly, I absolutely loved it. Through those quiet months, the heart-warming sketches gave me much comfort, and I managed to complete the whole book fairly quickly. It was a fast turnaround, taking just over a month to finish. April’s newsletter lifted the curtain on my process for this book. So if you’d like to read more about it, you can do so here.
Last weekend, I headed down to a sun-soaked Manchester to see the first copies of Thank You, Teacher on the shelves of Waterstones and HOBAF. It truly was a pinch-me moment. Seeing something I’d created by hand, printed and stocked in bookshops I’ve loved for a long time, I wonder whether there’s a word to describe the feeling it gave me. My inner child was so happy. I’m incredibly grateful for the guidance and support I had from my wonderful art directors, Samuel and Rosie, and, as always, my agent Mark. To work with people who are truly fans of your work is as fulfilling as holding the finished product. And of course, being a teacher myself, it was a pleasure to work on a book that will be drawn in, written in, and gifted by small hands to their teachers. I value connection deeply in my work, and I felt that at the heart of this little book. I’ve been celebrating with long, drawn-out moments of gratitude this month, with bookshop visits, lots of unboxings, and the odd piña colada. It’s been wonderful.
Let’s catch up!
While I was finishing up the edits for Thank You, Teacher, my agency took some future projects I’m optimistic about to the Bologna Book Fair. I couldn’t attend myself this year, as I recently started a new arts administration job in the city centre. While this means I’m no longer a full-time freelancer, the role brings a helpful boost in income during a quieter season for book projects. I still get to dedicate a couple of days each week to my beloved creative practice however, and the community projects that I get to be involved in adds another dimension to my life as a creative in the northern arts community. This change in routine has also made me curious about how other freelancers balance their time and income. From conversations with friends in the same field, it seems to be a constant, shifting balance. I do love it though, and I have a feeling this summer will give me a little more space to settle into these new roles and provide me with time to enjoy making art just for me.
I’ve also been spending a lot of time with people I love. It’s deeply nourishing, and has become more and more apparent how much I value connection. This month, the Drawn In gang and I visited the colourful Caterpillar Press to brainstorm a future risograph workshop, which I’m sure will be a hit with the creative communities in Manchester and Stockport! It’s always a joy catching up with Nicola, Jordan, Louise, and Nathan, and hearing about their own projects and progress. I also went on a Sketch & Stretch retreat with my dear friend Amber, which was a dream. It was led by Emma Thorlby, and I got to meet the lovely Caroline Dowsett! I even went to my first Eurovision party, which was MAD. I did enjoy this one however, from Latvia. Alongside a few private painting events and mentoring a third-year illustration student, it’s been a busy, variety-filled season. I guess I really am living the life of an illustrator!
So, what’s next? I’m currently working on a sweet community project in partnership with Bury Art Museum. I’m collaborating with a lecturer from my old university, Manchester Metropolitan, and the stories I’ll be illustrating have been written by children, some from my old primary school, so this is a project that is incredibly close to home. I won’t be doing full-page illustrations for this one, which should, in theory, make the process a little quicker. I’ve really enjoyed the collaborative nature so far, and I’m excited to see how the illustrations develop.
Thank you, as always, dear friends, for being here, for reading, liking, and supporting in every way you do. It never goes unnoticed. I wish you all a creative season ahead. Let me know what you’re working on in the comments below!
See you around!
C x
Dancing in the Rain ~ Book Birthday!
“You dance love, and you dance joy, and you dance dreams” ~ Gene Kelly
Dearest friends, how are you?
I can’t quite believe it has been a year since Dancing in the Rain first arrived into the world. To be honest, I thought I’d have more time to reflect on this milestone, but the last few months have been something of a whirlwind. Between workshops, a new book, and the usual ebb and flow of creative work, I find myself almost a year older and a year busier. But I didn’t want to let this moment slip by without pausing to celebrate it properly.
My dear friend and author of the book Giulia Zucchini has been bringing the book to life across Italy, sharing the beautiful story of Olmo’s discovery of the legendary Gene Kelly — an encounter made possible by Giulia’s own son’s love of the dancing legend. With references to Kelly’s films and memorabilia, the book introduces young readers to the timeless artistry of Kelly, whose influence on dance and film continues to shine many years after the films first came to our screens. The first presentation was in Padua, last spring, at Pel di Carota. After this there were many others; the book began to travel around Italy and in some libraries and independent bookstores. In Bologna, at Giannino Stoppani - Libreria per ragazzi, Giulia sat in conversation with Marcella Terrusi (University of Bologna), sharing how the book came to be, and the hidden details that are scattered throughout the pages.
Last November, Dancing in the Rain found itself at La Gang del Pensiero in Turin, where Giulia shared the book among vintage photographs and eager young faces.
To mark the first anniversary, Giulia hosted a special event on February 15th at Castello di Carta - Libreria per ragazzi, where children became part of the story—dancing, creating paper dolls inspired by Gene Kelly, and discovering the magic of movement and imagination. The event, in collaboration with Curci Young Editions, was a joyful celebration of art, film, and storytelling. The children were invited not just to listen, but to move. The story came alive through dance, laughter, and the tapping of small feet. At the end of the event, each child left with their own handmade Gene Kelly paper doll, a tiny memento of the day.
I wish I could have been there for all of it. The photos alone made me want to hop on a plane and join in. I am grateful to Giulia and the Edizioni Curci team who have cared for our book. I would also like to thank Mrs. Patricia Ward Kelly for always supporting this project and for continuing to follow this adventure with great affection.
There’s still more celebrating to do, more children to introduce to Gene Kelly, more tiny feet ready to step into the magic. For now, though, I just want to say thank you. To everyone who has held this book, read it, shared it, and danced along.
🎉 Happy first birthday, Dancing in the Rain! 🎉