Shirley Hughes
About Author
Shirley Hughes was born and grew up in West Kirby, Wirral, near Liverpool in 1927 and she trained at Liverpool Art School and at the Ruskin School of Art, Oxford, where she later became a visiting tutor.
She became an illustrator after leaving Art School and has been doing this ever since. She began writing when she had children. Her first book, published in 1960, was Lucy and Tom's Day.
She has now illustrated over 200 books for children of all ages. Shirley says that ideas for her books, 'float about like icebergs mostly below the surface, for a long time until I start to draw the characters very fast in felt tip pen'. She wrote Lucy and Tom's Day because she felt there was a lack of books that were simple enough for the very tiny child.
During the late 1960s and early 1970s, she illustrated the books for the Naughty Little Sister series by Dorothy Edwards and for Margaret Mahy's Story Books, and in 1976, her own book, Helpers won the Other Award.
Success continued and her 1977 book, Dogger, was awarded both the Kate Greenaway Medal for that year and the Dutch Silver Pencil Medal in 1980. Dogger was later voted the Kate Greenaway Medal winner of all time. Shirley was honoured for her outstanding contribution to children's literature in 1999 when she received the OBE. Her title, Ella's Big Chance, published by The Bodley Head in September 2003 won the Kate Greenaway Medal.
The first of her books in the Alfie series, Alfie Gets in First was published in 1981, and has developed into a series featuring the little boy who, as she saw him, was 'positively pink in the face with determination to get into action'. It is perhaps for her Alfie books that Shirley is best known. In 2013 a special Alfie story was published for World Book Day, helping to bring the ebullient character to a whole new generation of children.
The strength of her illustrative style is in the distinctive characterisation of people (especially children) based on accurately observed drawing. She loves those areas of reality that can take off into fantasy, preferably the hilarious kind. But her books for little children are firmly rooted in the everyday events and dramas of family life, told in detailed pictures with which the reader can strongly and warmly identify.
Shirley also creates picture books for an older audience. One of these, The Lion and the Unicorn is set in the Second World War perhaps taking inspiration from the fact her own family took in evacuees when she was living at home on the Wirral in the 1940s.
In 2013 the Bodley Head is proud to be publishing Shirley's first ever collaboration with her daughter, Clara Vulliamy, called DIXIE O'DAY IN THE FAST LANE. This the launch book in a series of chapter books, centres on two dog characters Dixie and Percy and their japes and scrapes behind the wheels of their shiny red sports car.
Author link
Interview
DIXIE O'DAY: IN THE FAST LANE
BY SHIRLEY HUGHES & CLARA VULLIAMY
PUBLISHED BY BODLEY HEAD
AUGUST 2013
Celebrated author and illustrator Shirley Hughes has, for the first time, collaborated with an illustrator in the creation of a children's book. The illustrator is Clara Vulliamy, her daughter, and the book they created together, Dixie O'Day: In the Fast Lane, is the first of a series of titles they have planned featuring Dixie O'Day, a dog with a passion for cars, and his buddy Percy.
In this story, Dixie O'Day and Percy decide to enter the All-Day Car Race, but they are up against their arch enemy Lou Ella and there will be plenty of dangers facing them on the way...
We asked Shirley Hughes and Clara Vulliamy to tell us a little bit more about their collaboration, and where they plan to take the series.
Q: Why did you decide to create a book together and why now?
Clara: It's been on the cards for years that we would collaborate: I guess this was a combination of the perfect project and the perfect moment.
Shirley: Clara and I are both in the business of dreaming up entertaining fictional characters and bringing them to life in our writing and our illustrations. This time we wondered what would happen if we put our heads together.
Q: Is the collaboration different from how either of you have worked before?
Shirley: I have never had an illustrator before because I've always illustrated my own stories, so this was a first for me.
Clara: I have worked with other authors, but keeping it in the family is a unique experience. I must say, Mum is an admirably hands-off author, always supportive and never interfering!
Q: When you work, do you come up with the story lines together, with Shirley writing the text?
Clara: We do both chip in with suggestions and share ideas, for both the stories and the illustrations. I think Mum writes scenes into the stories that she knows I will love to illustrate. I find it amazing that some authors and illustrators work together without ever actually meeting in real life.
Shirley: We have some terrific laughs sitting around my kitchen table dreaming up ideas. As always, it's the characters - in this case Dixie O'Day and his friend Percy - who lead the story.
Q: Why did you decide to handle it this way around rather than Shirley illustrating and Clara writing?
Shirley: Our styles are so very different. I knew from the outset that mine was not suitable for these characters and hers was exactly right.
Clara: The stories are so action-packed, so exciting and hilarious, I couldn't imagine them being written by anyone else. Pure Shirley Hughes brilliance.
Q: What are the logistics of your collaboration?
Shirley: Writing is always a solo activity - I work on the stories and then try them out on Clara in instalments - but her creative input is terribly important to me.
Clara: I hugely look forward to the sessions when Mum reads aloud what she has written: I hang on her every word and then must wait impatiently for the next gripping chapter.
Q: Did you come up with a variety of central characters that you could have chosen from?
Shirley: Oh no! Dixie and Percy were central to the action from the outset, and their relationship leads the plot.
Clara: Lots of fantastic new characters are waiting in the wings for the next stories, though
Q: Why did Dixie and Percy appeal to you? Did it take a while to decide they would be dog characters?
Clara: I immediately just KNEW that they should be dogs, with Dixie the dependable larger dog in three piece tweeds, and the more nervy little Percy in a dashing sports jacket (clothes inspired by Mad Men). It all springs from Mum's fantastic writing, the friends' relationship and dialogue in particular.
Shirley: It's impossible to say how fictional characters come into being on the page. I can only say that Clara's visual characterisation of Dixie and Percy was a complete, wonderful surprise to me, but as soon as I saw them they were old friends.
Q: Clara, how much practice had you had at drawing dogs and old cars....
Clara: I have drawn dogs, but never of the standing-up-in-clothes kind. The cars I used to draw were, I confess, very poor indeed, but in this book I have grown to love them - the vintage sort especially. It's good to keep learning new things.
Q: Why did you choose to give your story a nostalgic feel?
Shirley: The marvellous 1960's retro style was all Clara's idea. Dixie's car is a 1961 Ford Zodiac convertible, and the interior of his home is in the same style.
Clara: It's a classic adventure story, with thrills and peril and the villain getting her comeuppance - Tintin meets Wacky Races! - just the kind I would have loved when younger.
Q: How did this feed in to the design of the book and the style of illustration?
Clara: The style of the artwork a strong line with limited shades of black, red and pink fits beautifully with the early 1960's flavour. As well as the vehicles, clothes and furniture, there are beautifully stylish patterns and backgrounds throughout. I worked closely with our designer, Ness Wood, who is an expert in this era of design.
Q: Why did you decide on including the notes, questions, activities etc in the final pages?
Shirley: You can't get far in our profession without a good editor, and Andrea Macdonald at Random House made a huge contribution with these extras in particular. We wanted to include maps, games and activities to encourage and entertain emergent readers, and, of course, there is a celebrity interview with Dixie himself!
Q: Do you have a favourite chapter or spread?
Shirley: I think mine is the one where they get stuck on the level crossing.
Clara: I like the scene in which various crazy vehicles wait at the starting line of the race.
Q: Can you tell us a little about the other books to come in the series?
Shirley: There will be a whole series. The next book is 'Dixie O'Day and the Great Diamond Robbery'.
Clara: There are haunted houses, hot air balloons, peril at sea and many more thrilling adventures in store - we can't wait to get going on them!
Q: What else are you each working on now?
Clara: I have Martha and the Bunny Brothers I Heart Holidays coming out in spring 2014.
Shirley: And I have Alfie's Christmas coming out in autumn 2013.
In this story, Dixie O'Day and Percy decide to enter the All-Day Car Race, but they are up against their arch enemy Lou Ella and there will be plenty of dangers facing them on the way...
We asked Shirley Hughes and Clara Vulliamy to tell us a little bit more about their collaboration, and where they plan to take the series.
Q: Why did you decide to create a book together and why now?
A: Clara: It's been on the cards for years that we would collaborate: I guess this was a combination of the perfect project and the perfect moment.
Shirley: Clara and I are both in the business of dreaming up entertaining fictional characters and bringing them to life in our writing and our illustrations. This time we wondered what would happen if we put our heads together.
Q: Is the collaboration different from how either of you have worked before?
A: Shirley: I have never had an illustrator before because I've always illustrated my own stories, so this was a first for me.
Clara: I have worked with other authors, but keeping it in the family is a unique experience. I must say, Mum is an admirably hands-off author, always supportive and never interfering!
Q: When you work, do you come up with the story lines together, with Shirley writing the text?
A: Clara: We do both chip in with suggestions and share ideas, for both the stories and the illustrations. I think Mum writes scenes into the stories that she knows I will love to illustrate. I find it amazing that some authors and illustrators work together without ever actually meeting in real life.
Shirley: We have some terrific laughs sitting around my kitchen table dreaming up ideas. As always, it's the characters - in this case Dixie O'Day and his friend Percy - who lead the story.
Q: Why did you decide to handle it this way around rather than Shirley illustrating and Clara writing?
A: Shirley: Our styles are so very different. I knew from the outset that mine was not suitable for these characters and hers was exactly right.
Clara: The stories are so action-packed, so exciting and hilarious, I couldn't imagine them being written by anyone else. Pure Shirley Hughes brilliance.
Q: What are the logistics of your collaboration?
A: Shirley: Writing is always a solo activity - I work on the stories and then try them out on Clara in instalments - but her creative input is terribly important to me.
Clara: I hugely look forward to the sessions when Mum reads aloud what she has written: I hang on her every word and then must wait impatiently for the next gripping chapter.
Q: Did you come up with a variety of central characters that you could have chosen from?
A: Shirley: Oh no! Dixie and Percy were central to the action from the outset, and their relationship leads the plot.
Clara: Lots of fantastic new characters are waiting in the wings for the next stories, though
Q: Why did Dixie and Percy appeal to you? Did it take a while to decide they would be dog characters?
A: Clara: I immediately just KNEW that they should be dogs, with Dixie the dependable larger dog in three piece tweeds, and the more nervy little Percy in a dashing sports jacket (clothes inspired by Mad Men). It all springs from Mum's fantastic writing, the friends' relationship and dialogue in particular.
Shirley: It's impossible to say how fictional characters come into being on the page. I can only say that Clara's visual characterisation of Dixie and Percy was a complete, wonderful surprise to me, but as soon as I saw them they were old friends.
Q: Clara, how much practice had you had at drawing dogs and old cars....
A: Clara: I have drawn dogs, but never of the standing-up-in-clothes kind. The cars I used to draw were, I confess, very poor indeed, but in this book I have grown to love them - the vintage sort especially. It's good to keep learning new things.
Q: Why did you choose to give your story a nostalgic feel?
A: Shirley: The marvellous 1960's retro style was all Clara's idea. Dixie's car is a 1961 Ford Zodiac convertible, and the interior of his home is in the same style.
Clara: It's a classic adventure story, with thrills and peril and the villain getting her comeuppance - Tintin meets Wacky Races! - just the kind I would have loved when younger.
Q: How did this feed in to the design of the book and the style of illustration?
A: Clara: The style of the artwork a strong line with limited shades of black, red and pink fits beautifully with the early 1960's flavour. As well as the vehicles, clothes and furniture, there are beautifully stylish patterns and backgrounds throughout. I worked closely with our designer, Ness Wood, who is an expert in this era of design.
Q: Why did you decide on including the notes, questions, activities etc in the final pages?
A: Shirley: You can't get far in our profession without a good editor, and Andrea Macdonald at Random House made a huge contribution with these extras in particular. We wanted to include maps, games and activities to encourage and entertain emergent readers, and, of course, there is a celebrity interview with Dixie himself!
Q: Do you have a favourite chapter or spread?
A: Shirley: I think mine is the one where they get stuck on the level crossing.
Clara: I like the scene in which various crazy vehicles wait at the starting line of the race.
Q: Can you tell us a little about the other books to come in the series?
A: Shirley: There will be a whole series. The next book is 'Dixie O'Day and the Great Diamond Robbery'.
Clara: There are haunted houses, hot air balloons, peril at sea and many more thrilling adventures in store - we can't wait to get going on them!
Q: What else are you each working on now?
A: Clara: I have Martha and the Bunny Brothers I Heart Holidays coming out in spring 2014.
Shirley: And I have Alfie's Christmas coming out in autumn 2013.
