Hannah Peck

Awards

• Shortlisted for V&A Awards, 2022
• Shortlisted for Alligator's Mouth Award, 2022

Organisations

• Pathways
• Orange Beak Studio
• Bright Agency

Details

I've been working freelance in publishing for 7 years, starting as a picture book illustrator before expanding my practise to include other forms of children’s fiction. I've illustrated over 30 book covers, 10 fiction titles, 7 picture books, and began my career as an author with my debut series, Kate on the Case, (Piccadilly Press). The third and final book, The Headline Hoax, was published in Jan 23. 

The series has been really well received, and was shortlisted for the V&A Illustration Awards 2022, The Alligator’s Mouth Award 2022, and included in a Waterstones’ list of best new children’s fiction. 

Alongside this, I've hosted a number of illustration workshops for both children and adults, details of which are listed below. I’m happy to repeat any of these, or create an event specific to your needs. 

Workshop experience (adult): 

I am a mentor with Pathways Into Children’s Publishing, a course for artists with diverse backgrounds, specifically artists of colour, disabled artists, neurodivergent artists and artists with UK refugee and asylum-seeker backgrounds aged 21 and above. I have led a day-course on colour and composition for picture books, and am due to host another another masterclass with Pathways this coming year on book cover illustration. These workshops offer hands-on tasks, advice from industry experts, and designed so mentees can build a well-rounded and relevant portfolio. 

I will also be putting on a workshop with Orange Beak Studio in July on children’s fiction. This will focus on the balance between writing and image-making when it comes to fiction, and is also aimed at students / adults. 

Workshop experience (children):

Young Writers Workshop: Mostly Books, 2022. (Aged 8-16). This was a 3 hour long workshop focused on building a plot using the hero’s journey as a framework. Participants left with their own plot, a written scene, and an illustration to go with this.  

I have also done readings from Kate on the Case followed by an activity and Q&A’s at The Book Nook in Hove, Churchill Garden’s Primary School in Pimlico, Rupert House School in Henley-on-Thames, and Hamburg LitFest, 2022. 

Areas of expertise:

As an author and illustrator I feel I’m in a unique place to speak to both sides of what it takes to make a captivating children’s book. The balance between words and design, creating compelling characters,  writing dialogue,  book covers, composition, working with publishers and designers, the process of publication; these are all things I can talk confidently about. 

Travel & Fees:

I live in London but am willing to travel anywhere! Fees are based on Society of Authors recommendations. 

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