We were thrilled to feature the absolutely stunning picture book The Search For The Giant Arctic Jellyfish, written and illustrated by Chloe Savage in our subscription box for mini readers recently - it's a moving and beautifully illustrated tale of endurance and self-belief to inspire young explorers. Chloe hails from England and studied illustration at the Cambridge School of Art. Her books have been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and have won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize. We are delighted to have had the opportunity to ask her a few questions about illustrating and writing; read on to find out what she shared with us...
Did you have any favourite books when you were a child?
I loved, and still love now, Jez Alborough's Where's My Teddy. It's a wonderful read aloud and is connected with many years of happy childhood.
What was the inspiration behind The Search For The Giant Arctic Jellyfish?
About a decade ago I started doodling jellyfish on scripts and callsheets, it would always be jellyfish solving the problems of the day. The theme of failure is inspired by my own life, and all the things I have learnt about perceived failure and perseverance.
What key messages do you hope to convey to children through your stories and illustrations?
Many things, for instance mindfulness, to learn to find joy in the journey of life and work. And to challenge how we regard failure, because failure is a necessary and beautiful part of experimentation and exploration. Fear of failure is crippling, learning to persevere in the face of failure will open up the world to you.
Do you have a favourite animal or bird?
Besides my sister's dog, Mr Beige - who I love deeply - my favourite animals are elephants. What a completely wonderful creature to be.
Which of the illustrations in The Search For The Giant Arctic Jellyfish is your personal favourite?
The polar bear at the icecap, it was a lovely one to paint, I love the tiny scientists on the dinghy and the feeling of height.
If you could go on an expedition anywhere, where would you choose to go?
Into the jungles of South America to find the remains of ancient civilizations knitted into the jungle.
If you weren't an author-illustrator, what else would you choose to be?
Either professional gift wrapper, or fabric pattern designer. Both things would make me very happy, it's a long life, and there's still time for both.
What are your favourite hobbies or interests?
I absolutely love food. Cooking and baking bring me so much joy. In my rare free time I will always try to make a comforting loaf cake or something like that.
What do you think is the most powerful aspect of picture books?
For me, their greatest power lies in the experience of reading books aloud with children. Storytime is a precious moment of connection and bonding, as well as for an opportunity for emotional education. Creating joy around reading picture books with children, forms the foundation on which a love of reading can be built.
What is the biggest challenge when creating a picture book?
For me the biggest challenge is protecting my creative space, all things in life, the good and the bad, will intrude on the flow of work. Part of my own practice of mindfulness is setting boundaries with myself and keeping to reasonable working hours. The amount of work that goes into making a picture book is enormous, and it's very easy to slip into working scary hours to get the work done.
I loved, and still love now, Jez Alborough's Where's My Teddy. It's a wonderful read aloud and is connected with many years of happy childhood.
What was the inspiration behind The Search For The Giant Arctic Jellyfish?
About a decade ago I started doodling jellyfish on scripts and callsheets, it would always be jellyfish solving the problems of the day. The theme of failure is inspired by my own life, and all the things I have learnt about perceived failure and perseverance.
What key messages do you hope to convey to children through your stories and illustrations?
Many things, for instance mindfulness, to learn to find joy in the journey of life and work. And to challenge how we regard failure, because failure is a necessary and beautiful part of experimentation and exploration. Fear of failure is crippling, learning to persevere in the face of failure will open up the world to you.
Do you have a favourite animal or bird?
Besides my sister's dog, Mr Beige - who I love deeply - my favourite animals are elephants. What a completely wonderful creature to be.
Which of the illustrations in The Search For The Giant Arctic Jellyfish is your personal favourite?
The polar bear at the icecap, it was a lovely one to paint, I love the tiny scientists on the dinghy and the feeling of height.
If you could go on an expedition anywhere, where would you choose to go?
Into the jungles of South America to find the remains of ancient civilizations knitted into the jungle.
If you weren't an author-illustrator, what else would you choose to be?
Either professional gift wrapper, or fabric pattern designer. Both things would make me very happy, it's a long life, and there's still time for both.
What are your favourite hobbies or interests?
I absolutely love food. Cooking and baking bring me so much joy. In my rare free time I will always try to make a comforting loaf cake or something like that.
What do you think is the most powerful aspect of picture books?
For me, their greatest power lies in the experience of reading books aloud with children. Storytime is a precious moment of connection and bonding, as well as for an opportunity for emotional education. Creating joy around reading picture books with children, forms the foundation on which a love of reading can be built.
What is the biggest challenge when creating a picture book?
For me the biggest challenge is protecting my creative space, all things in life, the good and the bad, will intrude on the flow of work. Part of my own practice of mindfulness is setting boundaries with myself and keeping to reasonable working hours. The amount of work that goes into making a picture book is enormous, and it's very easy to slip into working scary hours to get the work done.
Do you have any top tips for young children wanting to create their own story?
Look around at your own life, observe the people around you, the things they do and say, their habits and quirks. Use that to infuse your work with details and character. And don't be afraid to make something rubbish, it just part of the learning process, and that's a wonderful thing.
You can follow Chloe on Instagram to discover more of her work.
