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Nicola has always loved drawing and still likes nothing better than taking her sketchbook to the zoo to draw her favourite animals – rhinos and penguins of course! Nicola was designing Christmas cards before she started an MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art. Her final show won Egmont's Best New Talent Award and since then she has been working on her own picture books. In her spare time Nicola enjoys cooking for friends, visiting museums and singing (but only in private!). She lives and works in Cambridge, England.
A Q&A with Nicola
Where & when were you born?
I was born in Cambridgeshire in the 1970s. My Mum and Dad still live in the house I was born in!
Where do you live & who with?
I live in Cambridge in a shared house. Sadly we're not allowed to have pets, otherwise I would have a dog!
How did you first start writing/illustrating?
I've always loved drawing. I did a degree in Graphic Design but specialized in illustration. I spent 18 months training to be an accountant after university but following a holiday to Cornwall decided to try and make a living from illustration. I started making handmade cards, then designing cards for publishers. After working in-house at a couple of design companies for 7 years I decided to apply for the MA in Children's Book Illustration at Cambridge. When doing the course we were encouraged to come up with our own ideas to illustrate and that's how I started writing.
What inspires you?
I tend to be inspired by little things that people say or do. If I hear something funny, I'll jot it down in my notebook. Sometimes it will stay there for several years before it develops into an idea. I love visiting galleries, watching films and drawing for visual inspiration.
Have you won any awards for your work? A Blue Peter badge and expandable sponge! - When I was about 12 I was a runner up in a competition designing a computer graphics sequence for Children's BBC. My idea of a sardine can opening was made and used for several months!
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Creative, hardworking and a bit silly!
What do you do to relax?
Drawing, visiting museums and galleries, watching films, and singing along to the radio (badly)!
Where do you write?
I write anywhere - I make notes in a notebook or sketchbook if I get an idea so I don't forget it! When I have an idea, I'll start to develop a sequence of pictures to go with it and this usually happens in my studio which is a small office I share with two friends. Sometimes it's so hard to find any space on my desk I have to tidy up first!
Get into the Spirit of Christmas! Nicola Killen’s story of a little girl’s magical adventure deserves a place in every Christmas stocking. Ollie is woken by jingling bells and dashes into the snow. Reindeers are clearly her special thing - she’s wearing her reindeer suit in bed, complete with antlers, and her favourite toy is a cuddly reindeer – so she can’t believe it when she meets a reindeer, looking for its lost collar (the source of the noise). Together they fly through the night sky across the sleeping world. Unusually, the illustrations are mostly greys and black, lit up by silver foil, splashes of red and touches of blue; deceptively simple they are full of warmth, and little Ollie is a very merry little character indeed. Special die-cut panels increase the fun, leading readers along with Ollie from one scene to the next. Delightful! ~ Andrea Reece
Small hands will be tempted by this charming interactive book which reveals opposites through attractive opening flaps. Some are obvious – a big elephant and a tiny mouse – but others are more imaginative and humorous. Nicola Killen’s illustrations are soft and gentle in colour and outline. A previous Book of the Month in September 2013.
A delightful catalogue of animal noises is revealed behind the flaps of this pleasing board book. Each animal leaves a teasing clue outside the flap. Young readers will enjoy guessing what they will find before they uncover it.
A beautiful introduction to colours as they appear on different animals. Sturdy flaps add an engaging interactive activity to this attractive guide to the different colours. Opening the flaps encourages children to look closely and to learn to predict a colour before the flap is opened.
April 2012 Book of the Month. A big and bold board book with robust flaps which make a good interactive introduction to the first five numbers. Lovely images of different animals help children count from 1-5.
A stunning new picture book from a hot new talent in children’s illustration, recently shortlisted for the Nottingham Children’s Book award with her stunning Not Me!. It's a beautifully observed story of friendship and forgiveness, which toddlers and young children will instantly connect with through the engaging and simple text and striking illustration.
This is an utterly delightful picture book from a bright new talent found by a publisher who seeks out new talent from the MA Illustration course in Cambridge. The clever interaction of the illustrations with some very simple text make it perfect for the smallest toddler and each and every one of them will relate to the ‘not me’ antics of four little children and little dog Jess.
A spectacular autumn Halloween adventure, filled with pumpkins, black cats and witches, Ollie's Lost Kitten is the perfect book for cozying up with on spooky nights! With striking illustrations, cutouts and foil inside, this series is a great way to help ones engage with, and explore textures and shape. One windy autumn day, Ollie and her cat Pumpkin are jumping in piles of fallen leaves when they discover a little kitten. After lots of fun and games, Ollie learns that the kitten is actually lost, and she must help him find his way home! But after returning the kitten to his rightful owner, she realises she has lost something very dear to her . . . With playful cutouts for little ones to look through and explore, Ollie's Lost Kitten is the perfect gift book. This Halloween treat is the next in the bestselling Ollie series.
Ollie and her toy Bunny have been waiting for the day that the rain would stop and they can play in the puddles... Finally that day has arrived! But when a magical breeze of blossom turns Bunny into a real rabbit, Ollie's day takes an unexpected turn. After Bunny runs off with the other rabbits, Ollie has to find and save her beloved pet toy! Just like Bunny, Nicola Killen's charming illustrations bring this delightful adventure to life. Also by Nicola Killen: Ollie's Christmas Reindeer Ollie's Lost Kitten
Hello! Meet Bobo the panda and his friends Snap the crocodile, Riff the giraffe and the rest of the gang in this enjoyable and engaging new lift-the-flap first concept series - perfect for inquisitive little minds everywhere! It's Bobo's birthday! His play tent is a triangle and his presents are all squares! Lift the large flaps to find the triangles, squares, circles and more in this funny and simple story about shapes. Gorgeous illustrations with very cute characters mean preschoolers will fall in love with Bobo and Co. Publishing alongside a board book about opposites. Fans of Tilly and Friends and Poppy Cat will enjoy lifting the flaps to see more of the story.
Hello! Meet Bobo the panda and his friends Snap the crocodile, Riff the giraffe and the rest of the gang in this enjoyable and engaging new lift-the-flap first concept series - perfect for inquisitive little minds everywhere! Bobo the Panda and his friends are playing! First, all the toys are IN the toy box and soon all the toys are OUT of the box. Open the large flaps to see all the differences in this funny and simple story about opposites. Gorgeous illustrations with very cute characters mean preschoolers will fall in love with Bobo and Co. Publishing alongside a board book about shapes. Fans of Tilly and Friends and Poppy Cat will enjoy lifting the flaps to see more of the story.
Hello! Meet Bobo the panda and his friends, Snap the crocodile, Riff the giraffe and the rest of the gang, in this enjoyable and engaging new lift-the-flap first concept series - perfect for inquisitive little minds everywhere! Bobo the panda is playing hide and seek with his friends. How many friends can he find? Open the large flaps to see where they're hiding in this funny and simple story about counting. Gorgeous illustrations with very cute characters mean pre-schoolers will fall in love with Bobo and Co. Also launching with a board book all about colours. Fans of Tilly and Friends and Poppy Cat will enjoy lifting the flaps to see more of the story.
Hello! Meet Bobo the panda and his friends, Snap the crocodile, Riff the giraffe and the rest of the gang, in this enjoyable and engaging new lift-the-flap first concepts series - perfect for inquisitive little minds everywhere! Bobo the panda and his friends want to paint a picture for their friend Snap, but oh-oh! Things get a bit messy! Open the large flaps to see what has happened in this funny and simple story about colours. Gorgeous illustrations with very cute characters mean pre-schoolers will fall in love with Bobo and Co. Also launching with a board book all about numbers. Fans of Tilly and Friends and Poppy Cat will enjoy lifting the flaps to see more of the story.
Get into the Spirit of Christmas! Nicola Killen’s story of a little girl’s magical adventure deserves a place in every Christmas stocking. Ollie is woken by jingling bells and dashes into the snow. Reindeers are clearly her special thing - she’s wearing her reindeer suit in bed, complete with antlers, and her favourite toy is a cuddly reindeer – so she can’t believe it when she meets a reindeer, looking for its lost collar (the source of the noise). Together they fly through the night sky across the sleeping world. Unusually, the illustrations are mostly greys and black, lit up by silver foil, splashes of red and touches of blue; deceptively simple they are full of warmth, and little Ollie is a very merry little character indeed. Special die-cut panels increase the fun, leading readers along with Ollie from one scene to the next. Delightful! ~ Andrea Reece
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