Claire Powell introduces Marty Moose's hilarious animal adventures
About Author
Deliveries never go to plan for Marty Moose, a small postmouse with a big appetite for adventure! Author and illustrator Claire Powell tells us more.
Claire Powell is a bestselling children's book maker, character designer and illustrator. Claire's collaborations with Beth Lincoln, Kes Gray and Simon Farnaby all topped the charts to become bestsellers. She has also illustrated books for Dermot O'Leary, Jeanne Willis, Peter Bently and Michelle Robinson. Marty Moose is her first author-illustrated series.
Find Claire on X @misspowellpeeps or at www.claire-powell.com
Interview
March 2026
Meet Marty Moose, a tiny postie having BIG adventures! Claire Powell tells us more.
Whether he's rescuing a golden egg, facing off bandits or finding a way through Foggy Forest, postman Marty Moose's hilarious adventures (Walker Books) will have children both gripped and giggling! This highly illustrated early chapter series for developing readers is jam-packed with animal antics and peppered with puns.
ReadingZone caught up with author and illustrator Claire Powell to find out what inspired her to create her Marty Moose adventure series, why she thinks children deserve funny books, and how to encourage them to write their own animal adventure!
Marty Moose: The Great Stamp-ede (book 2): It's the day of the annual Fastest Feathers race in Little Ditch, and Marty Moose has a very important parcel to deliver - the prize golden egg. It's got to reach the finish line before the contestants do - but Marty isn't the only one who is after the Golden Egg!
Marty Moose: First Class Mischief (book 1): It's Marty Moose's first day on the job as Postmouse and he's ready to go! But postage can be perilous . . .
Q&A with Claire Powell: Meet Marty Moose
There's a serious reading crisis in the UK and a book that can make a child laugh will hopefully
encourage them to see reading as fun and something they want to do more of
1. Can you tell us a little about yourself, and how you became an illustrator and now also an author? What kinds of books do you enjoy creating?
Like most author illustrators I was always drawing as a child but unfortunately, in school I was told I couldn't make money from illustration and that graphic design was the better (more sensible!) choice. There was no google or internet back then, so I took their word for it, and I ended up studying graphic design. I worked as a print designer and then as a motion graphics designer, before moving into television, rebranding tv channels, but my heart wasn't in it.
By chance, I went to an exhibition about children's picture book illustration and I knew that's what I wanted to do. I found an evening course and through that I found my agent and started to illustrate books for other authors until I felt ready to write my own stories.
As for the type of books I enjoy creating, I'm known for humour! That said, it's the characters I'm interested in first and foremost and that's how a lot of my work develops.
2. What inspired your Marty Moose adventures - your debut series as a writer?
The idea for Marty came about in such a fun, unexpected way. I live in a rural countryside area and was out walking one day when I spotted a mouse darting through the undergrowth. As I walked on, I found myself imagining what the mouse might be up to, and I chuckled at the thought of it posting letters and running errands.
I illustrated a Mother's Day card that showed a mouse wearing a postman's uniform on the front. I wrote a tiny letter and attached it to look as though he was holding it between his paws. I posted it to my mum, but the tiny letter fell off in the envelope and ended up in the bin! That gave me the idea for a Postmouse that tries his best but who always seems to end up in perilous mishaps!
3. What can readers expect in Marty Moose's latest adventure, The Great Stamp-ede?
ABSOLUTE CHAOS! It's about The Fastest Feathers Race, a big race that's taking place in Little Ditch, which is meant to be for birds only. The prize is a giant golden egg. But it's gone missing, and Marty must find it and deliver it to the finish line before the race ends. Unfortunately, he isn't the only one who wants the golden egg - bandits do, too!
Marty ends up racing with the other birds through all sorts of crazy locations trying to outrun the bandits. He gets lost in Foggy Forest, tumbles into Bandits Burrow and even ends up riding a bull!
4. Why is Marty called Moose, when he's a Mouse? And why did you decide to make him a postie?
When Marty's birth certificate was being filled in a blob of ink fell in a perfect circle and landed where the U in mouse should have been. From that day forth he has been known as Marty Moose! The theme of the series is that things don't always go to plan but that doesn't mean things won't work out, so it felt fitting that even Marty's name had a mishap!
Marty became a postie because I've always loved writing letters. My own Aunt, Auntie Shirley, has written to me all my life, and I love receiving her long letters in the post. I find the digital age we live in slightly overwhelming at times, and I often long for the simplicity of bygone days when letters were a primary form of communication.
When I drew Marty on that birthday card, I had no idea he would one day become the hero of a story. But looking back, I realise that a postie is the perfect hero. Marty must go to places that challenge him, not to mention meeting less than friendly neighbours! Children get to see him being brave, and overcoming mishaps, whilst also keeping a sense of humour.
Claire Powell's development illustrations for Marty Moose
5. How did you decide what Marty would look like?
I developed Marty quite a lot from the original card I'd drawn. He needed to appear younger to be age appropriate for the readers. I changed the shape of his body, lost his sideburns, and gave him a tuft of hair and big front tooth. I also made him bottom wobblier!
6. Can you give us your top tips for creating believable animal characters? What's your starting point and how do you flesh them out?
I'd say think about their personality first - are they naughty, nice, friendly or mischievous, for example. Expression is everything when you're creating characters and the personality will dictate how they walk, stand, talk and even their clothes (if they wear any!)
So, if they're shy, how might they stand? If they're mischievous, how might their eyes look or their smile? Once I've decided on that, I'll start with the eyes and work out from there - I always start with the face, and usually work down!
7. There's a lot of slapstick comedy and puns a-plenty in Marty's adventures. How did you decide on the tone for these stories, and do you feel it's important for children to have funny stories like these?
I didn't consciously decide. Humour is inherent in my work; the slapstick and puns grew as the story and characters developed. Nibbles and Marty make a great comedy-duo: Marty is more sensible and tries so hard to be perfect, whereas Nibbles is a free spirit with a wild and bouncy mind. Putting characters together that have opposing personalities makes for a wonderful opportunity for slapstick.
I also think funny books are so important for children. Humour can still deliver messages of family, friendship and learn about emotions and overcoming challenges but has the added advantage of laughs along the way. There's a serious reading crisis in the UK and a book that can make a child laugh will hopefully encourage them to see reading as fun and something they want to do more of.
Claire Powell's sketches when 'mapping' Little Ditch, home to Marty Moose.
8. How did you decide on the overall look of the pages, which are highly illustrated and full of detail. Do you illustrate the story as you go along - or leave it all for the end?
Marty Moose is an early reader book, so we always knew we needed a lot of illustrations to help the reader feel confident. The chapters are nice and short for that reason. From the start, I worked closely with Jamie Hammond, the art director at Walker Books, and we have a clear vision that every page would have lots of juicy illustration! I love adding all the details and I hope that the reader enjoys spotting them.
The illustrations are done after the manuscript is written but I often have ideas of what I think I'll want to illustrate. Jamie lays out all the text and then briefs me on what he thinks might be best to illustrate based on where the page turns fall. We usually have a couple of fun conversations batting ideas back and forth before I head to the drawing board.
9. What else do you have planned for Marty Moose and his friends - and villains?
I've just submitted the second draft of book three and I'm so excited about it. I can't say too much other than it features A LOT of letters and there's a mystery for Marty, and Nibbles of course, to solve, which they do in their own calamitous way!
10. Where do you go to seek out inspiration and what kinds of things do you enjoy doing when you're away from your studio?
For inspiration, I usually visit second-hand bookshops, read magazines like Country Life or watch films. Radio 4 Extra is my go-to listen - there's such a variety of programmes, I enjoy it so much. Reading other children's books is hugely inspiring too, and listening to other people's illustrative process or writing habits never fails to make me want to create something.
I also got a sewing machine for Christmas so I'm excited to get crafty! Funnily enough when I'm out of the studio I'm usually still drawing and reading books! We now have a six-month-old puppy, Ziggy and he's been a joy to get to know - although his razor-sharp teeth are less welcome! I also enjoy swimming and watching period dramas or comedy classics on TV (not at the same time, obviously). I'm currently watching all the old episodes of Keeping Up Appearances and thoroughly enjoying them! Comedy at its best.
Creative Challenge: I have a GREAT challenge, which is: Create your own Fastest Feathers Race contestant. The only rule is it must be a bird! Once you have drawn your character, answer the following questions to get to know them and fill in the blanks of the story starter to get your story started!
• What's their name?
• How old are they?
• Where do they live?
• What are they scared of?
• What is their favourite food?
• How do they walk and talk?
Story starter: [Your characters name] had never been in Bandits Burrow before. They sniffed the air. It smelled like____________! And it looked very ____________. Suddenly they heard a funny noise, which got louder and louder. It sounded like ____________. They turned around and saw ________________________. Uh-oh!
School Visits: I absolutely love visiting schools and it's something I'd like to do a lot more of. My Marty Moose event is an interactive jam-packed session, 45 - 60 minutes long. I tell children a little about how I became an illustrator, before I introduce them to Marty and his world. There are readings, live drawing by me and then a drawing exercise for the children where I teach them how to create convincing character expression.
Then we create a character together using prompts the children pick out. Once we've drawn our character, we decide on their personality, name, likes and dislikes, and then there's a short 'fill in the blank' story starter exercise to finish. If there's time we can play a game, too. Like I said, jam-packed!
If the school has something specific in mind, I'm happy to tailor the event to what they need and I can also offer workshops on writing or character development. Schools can either get in touch with me directly via my website (www.claire-powell.com), or book me via Authors Aloud.
Marty Moose: The Great Stamp-ede
Marty Moose: First Class Mischief
