South London Press Interview with Lisa Stickley
With four projects on the go, life is busy for children’s author and illustrator Lisa Stickley, writes Rebecca Magill.
From a grumpy bee called Bartholomew, to a weather-obsessed reporter called George, she spends her time creating a host of wonderful characters.
But her newest project covers a subject matter you wouldn’t expect to find in a children’s book.
“I’ve actually written a book about losing someone,” said Lisa, 44. “My mum died from pancreatic cancer in 2020 and I started painting that day.
“I was going on long walks and started painting clouds. I found that really connected me to mum.
“I’d already written a book about the weather, so I started using these paintings to illustrate it. It feels like she’s there helping me a little bit.”
Lisa, who lives with her husband Richard, 43, and their two children aged 5 and 7 in Forest Hill, trained as a textile designer and used to have her own company.
Her two most recent children’s books include Bernard Makes A Splash, about a swimming pool manager who only practices his diving at night and The Wobbly Waitress, where Mabel the giraffe waitress has the hiccups.