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Rachel Bright is a wordsmith, illustrator and professional thinker of happy thoughts. She has written several books for children, including Love Monster, The Lion Inside and The Koala Who Could – winner of the Evening Standard Oscar’s Book Prize and the Sainsbury’s Book Award. Her books have sold over 300,000 copies in the UK alone and been translated into over 30 languages. She is also the creator of award-winning stationery and homewares range, The Brightside. Rachel lives on a farm near the seaside, with her partner and their two young daughters.
You can read an extended biography of Rachel by clicking here.
10 Things you might not know about Rachel Bright:
She collects alphabets and hats and has a Nissan Figaro car which everyone says looks like a matchbox toy.
She used to be an air Hostess for Virgin Atlantic, when she got to visit Richard Branson's island of Necker.
She loves nothing more than getting all inky in the printmaking studio where she’ll often work super late, when there’s magic in the air.
She lives on a farm near the seaside, which she shares with her family, their dog Elvis and a cockerel called Herman.
She’s done zillions of different jobs before becoming an author and illustrator, including owning a landscape gardening business, being a life-guard and a TV extra (she was once taken hostage by Daleks in 'Dr.Who'). Her first proper boss was Samantha Cameron, now of No.10 Downing St.
She also runs an impressively global card and gift empire called ‘the brightside’ and occasionally practices her evil laugh.
She has hundreds of stories tucked away in her studio (an occasionally messy, converted caravan) which she can’t wait to turn into books.
She once won a week-long date in Tahiti, with ‘Man of the Millenium’ featured in Marie Claire magazine (and then spent a long time living it down).
She spent six years working as a copywriter in advertising, during which time she once had to dress up as a chicken.
She runs a really long way every day and has done loads of ultra-marathons all over the world, the most recent of which include the Atlantic Coast Challenge (3 marathons in 3 days) and the Midnight Sun marathon in the Arctic Circle.
Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2021 | Children’s mental health and wellbeing are a high priority for all schools and parents. This wonderfully reassuring book is from the award-winning Rachel Bright, teamed with illustrator Chris Chatterton who has created the most adorable little dinosaur: The Worrysaurus. Parents will immediately recognise the behaviour of a natural worrier - the child that likes to plan ahead and to have thought of everything before setting out to enjoy a lovely picnic. But it is not long before the overthinking gets out of control and a suggestion from a similarly nervous lizard feeds his anxieties just as children can do to each other. But Worrysaurus has a very helpful strategy in place and he remembers his mother’s advice. He has a tin of precious things in his bag and, going through them one by one, they give him the strength to set the butterfly of worry free. Even tiny children know all about the feeling of butterflies in the tummy so this is universally relatable. He shares a lovely picnic with the anxious lizard and they learn to live in the moment instead of worrying about what might happen. While this can simply be read as an enjoyable rhyming story, it will be most useful to prompt discussion and sharing. It will work well for this purpose with children in Key Stage One and Two making it a very useful purchase indeed.
Children’s mental health and wellbeing are a high priority for all schools and parents. This wonderfully reassuring book is from the award-winning Rachel Bright, teamed with illustrator Chris Chatterton who has created the most adorable little dinosaur: The Worrysaurus. Parents will immediately recognise the behaviour of a natural worrier - the child that likes to plan ahead and to have thought of everything before setting out to enjoy a lovely picnic. But it is not long before the overthinking gets out of control and a suggestion from a similarly nervous lizard feeds his anxieties just as children can do to each other. But Worrysaurus has a very helpful strategy in place and he remembers his mother’s advice. He has a tin of precious things in his bag and, going through them one by one, they give him the strength to set the butterfly of worry free. Even tiny children know all about the feeling of butterflies in the tummy so this is universally relatable. He shares a lovely picnic with the anxious lizard and they learn to live in the moment instead of worrying about what might happen. While this can simply be read as an enjoyable rhyming story, it will be most useful to prompt discussion and sharing. It will work well for this purpose with children in Key Stage One and Two making it a very useful purchase indeed.
UKLA Longlist Book Awards - 2019 | Two greedy squirrels learn to share in the third hilarious rhyming adventure from the bestselling creators of The Lion Inside and The Koala Who Could. Greedy squirrels Cyril and Bruce both have their sights on a very special prize: THE VERY LAST NUT OF THE SEASON! As the nut bounces crazily though the forest, the squirrels race after it, between the trees, over boulders, down the river and - ARGH! - right to the edge of a waterfall! Working together might be the only way to save themselves now ... A laugh-out-loud tale about friendship and sharing from the award-winning creators of The Lion Inside and The Koala Who Could. Perfect for competitive friends and sibling rivals! APraise for The Lion Inside: 'heartfelt message, delightfully conveyed' Parents in Touch 'A delight to read over and over again' WRD'Captivating' Books for Keeps 'Will easily win over readers' The Book List 'Field is on top form, offering so many imaginative framings and irreverent characterizations that readers will feel carried along by his visual and comedic generosity.' Publishers Weekly 'Brilliant ... had me in hoots of laughter' The Bookbag Praise for The Koala Who Could: 'Fabulous rhymes, I'm in love with Kevin and would like to buy this for all my friends' children.' Claudia Winkleman
Kevin the cuddly koala is king of the staying-still kings. He feels secure high up in his tree so turns down all the invitations from his friends to come down and play, until one terrible day his tree crashes to the ground. But even as his worst fears are realised Kevin notices he feels fine, that life can be great when you try something new. Rachel Bright’s joyous, funny rhyming text and Jim Field’s vibrant illustrations will encourage even the most cautious of readers to embrace life and there should be a place for this on bookshelves high and low! ~ Andrea Reece
Little Owl is snuggling down for the night, tucked up warm and safe, but first Big Owl has something important to say. In a series of funny, charming illustrations of scenes past, present and to come, we see the two of them having fun together and over each one Big Owl explains how much Little Owl is loved. The last lines describe the parent-child relationship beautifully: ‘Wherever you may choose to fly, I’ll always love you-hoooo!’ Joyful, reassuring, tender – it’s a perfect bedtime story. ~ Andrea Reece
Get into the Spirit of Christmas! This charming story of a little squirrel’s first adventure in the snow is also a gentle reflection on the things we should really treasure. Little Squirrel lives in an oak tree with wise old Bear and the two do everything together, Squirrel revelling in his new experiences, Bear finding that everything feels new again with Squirrel at his side. When snow comes, Bear has a cold so Squirrel goes out alone. He’s desperate to bring a souvenir of his special day home for Bear, but snowflakes don’t travel well. Squirrel and Bear are irresistible characters, one all boundless energy, the other a comforting, solid presence, and the Yu Rong’s evocative papercut artwork also makes this very special. A lovely book for grown-ups and children to share. ~ Andrea Reece
An unashamed celebration of the hundreds of things that make dads amazing this is a funny, tender and even poignant picture book. Little Panda lists the ways he loves his daddy, and the whys. They’re the things that all dads do, sharing stories, rough and tumble play, piggybacks and having fun. Rachel Bright’s pictures and text will make this feel personal for each pair of readers, and adds some singular lines that make this feel extra special: ‘I’d like to be like Daddy, when I’m big and old one day, but the oldness that my daddy has is VERY far away’. This will be a hit on Father’s Day and every day thereafter. ~ Andrea Reece
Shortlisted for the UKLA 2017 Book Award | Fans of The Gruffalo and Giraffes Can't Dance will love this feelgood rhyming story portraying a positive message about overcoming your fears.
No one likes a funny-looking monster with sticking-out teeth and staring, googly eyes – especially if he lives in Cutesville, the home of cuddly bunnies and fluffy kitties. Poor Monster! Will he find happiness? He just needs one person to love him. Just when he’s given up, the very special person turns up and the world looks quite a different place. Simple and bold illustrations carry this touching story to its happy conclusion. A message from the author and illustrator, Rachel Bright: "Love Monster is a story that arrived in my brain unannounced. These ideas are my favourite kind. They usually come knocking when a pencil and paper is the last thing I have to hand – you know – like in the bath or halfway up a mountain or, in this case, when I was fast asleep in bed. I awoke wide eyed *ping* at 5am (this isn’t common believe me) and got up as fast as my slippers would carry me. To the dulcet tones of our dog, Elvis, snoring in his bed, I sat at the kitchen table and sketched furiously until the sun came up. As Herman, our cockerel, crowed to signal the arrival of the day, so Love Monster had arrived too. "A few months and many hours of magical printmaking later (I did all the illustrations using an amazing technique called solar etching which involves special printing plates, lots of messy ink and big, old printing presses), I had the book in its finished form. What’s even lovelier about it now is that the drawings are made of light: Love Monster is quite literally made of sunshine…"
Introducing the first fantastic tale from the Wonderful World of Walter and Winnie - an enchanting new picture book. We all worry. But nobody worries quite like Walter. Unique picture book talent Rachel Bright has created the wacky world of Woollybottom, a little town that sits on top of a very tall hill, and home to best friends, Walter and Winnie, and a whole host of other charming characters. Each book in the series of which this is the first gently and humorously addresses a 'first experience' that all young children will be able to relate to, in Rachel's inimitable style.
No one likes a funny-looking monster with sticking-out teeth and staring, googly eyes – especially if he lives in Cutesville, the home of cuddly bunnies and fluffy kitties. Poor Monster! Will he find happiness? He just needs one person to love him. Just when he’s given up, the very special person turns up and the world looks quite a different place. Simple and bold illustrations carry this touching story to its happy conclusion. A message from the author and illustrator, Rachel Bright: "Love Monster is a story that arrived in my brain unannounced. These ideas are my favourite kind. They usually come knocking when a pencil and paper is the last thing I have to hand – you know – like in the bath or halfway up a mountain or, in this case, when I was fast asleep in bed. I awoke wide eyed *ping* at 5am (this isn’t common believe me) and got up as fast as my slippers would carry me. To the dulcet tones of our dog, Elvis, snoring in his bed, I sat at the kitchen table and sketched furiously until the sun came up. As Herman, our cockerel, crowed to signal the arrival of the day, so Love Monster had arrived too. "A few months and many hours of magical printmaking later (I did all the illustrations using an amazing technique called solar etching which involves special printing plates, lots of messy ink and big, old printing presses), I had the book in its finished form. What’s even lovelier about it now is that the drawings are made of light: Love Monster is quite literally made of sunshine…"
A light-hearted look at the thorny toddler issue of sharing from the award-winning illustrator Rachel Bright. How the twins Frankie and Fifi work out that sharing is much more fun than not is played out with wit and fun.
A funny and empowering new story featuring Love Monster, who now appears in his own animated television show on CBeebies! Love Monster is going on an exciting adventure... to the beach! He can't wait to be THE BEST SURFER IN THE WORLD! But as Love Monster gets closer to the extremely big waves, the less sure he is. Will he even have the courage to dip a toe in the ocean? A reassuring let-the-waves-roll-over-your-feet story about how, sometimes, perfect is just one more practice away.
A funny and empowering new story featuring Love Monster, who now appears in his own animated television show on CBeebies! Love Monster is going on an exciting adventure... to the beach! He can't wait to be THE BEST SURFER IN THE WORLD! But as Love Monster gets closer to the extremely big waves, the less sure he is. Will he even have the courage to dip a toe in the ocean? A reassuring let-the-waves-roll-over-your-feet story about how, sometimes, perfect is just one more practice away.
Doug the slug needs a hug. But who wants to hug a slug called Doug? Snuggle up with lonesome Doug on his search for love in this completely charming picture book which shows that you just never know when love might come flying by... (And which introduces an unsuspecting world to snail superstar, Gail!) A warm and endearing rhyming text by Rachel Bright (Love Monster, The Lion Inside) is perfectly paired with funny and fabulous illustrations by Nadia Shireen (Good Little Wolf, Billy and the Beast) in this adorable future classic.
Doug the slug needs a hug. But who wants to hug a slug called Doug? Snuggle up with lonesome Doug on his search for love in this completely charming picture book which shows that you just never know when love might come flying by... (And which introduces an unsuspecting world to snail superstar, Gail!) A warm and endearing rhyming text by Rachel Bright (Love Monster, The Lion Inside) is perfectly paired with funny and fabulous illustrations by Nadia Shireen (Good Little Wolf, Billy and the Beast) in this adorable future classic.
A new egg is ready to hatch, and the chickens all think they know what to expect. But when Freddy bursts from his shell with a multi-coloured explosion, it's clear he's not like ANY other chick they know! Join Free-Range Freddy as he turns the farmyard upside down and shows the other hens just how egg-citing life can be if you only look at it a little differently . . . A delightfully funny rhyming picture book about the importance of being true to oneself and embracing difference. Award-winning wordsmith Rachel Bright, creator of The Lion Inside and The Koala Who Could, pairs with wonderfully talented debut illustrator Izzy Evans, winner of the Carmelite Prize. Look out for these other egg-cellent books from Rachel Bright: The Lion Inside The Koala Who Could The Squirrels Who Squabbled The Way Home For Wolf All I Want For Christmas Love You Hoo Amazing Daddy
A sparkling story of friendship, set in the snowy Arctic, from the bestselling creators of The Lion Inside - now in board book edition! Stubborn wolf cub Wilf doesn't want help from anyone. Not from his friends or his family. Whatever it is, he can do it all by himself. But when Wilf finds himself lost and alone in the chill of the Arctic night, he discovers something important: sometimes we all need the helping hand of a friend. This positive rhyming story is perfect for stubbornly independent little cubs everywhere! Look out for more heart-tingling tales from Rachel Bright and Jim Field: The Lion Inside - over 195,000 copies sold in the UK alone The Koala Who Could - Winner of the Sainsbury's Book Award and the Evening Standard Oscar's Book Prize The Squirrels Who Squabbled
Longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2021 | Children’s mental health and wellbeing are a high priority for all schools and parents. This wonderfully reassuring book is from the award-winning Rachel Bright, teamed with illustrator Chris Chatterton who has created the most adorable little dinosaur: The Worrysaurus. Parents will immediately recognise the behaviour of a natural worrier - the child that likes to plan ahead and to have thought of everything before setting out to enjoy a lovely picnic. But it is not long before the overthinking gets out of control and a suggestion from a similarly nervous lizard feeds his anxieties just as children can do to each other. But Worrysaurus has a very helpful strategy in place and he remembers his mother’s advice. He has a tin of precious things in his bag and, going through them one by one, they give him the strength to set the butterfly of worry free. Even tiny children know all about the feeling of butterflies in the tummy so this is universally relatable. He shares a lovely picnic with the anxious lizard and they learn to live in the moment instead of worrying about what might happen. While this can simply be read as an enjoyable rhyming story, it will be most useful to prompt discussion and sharing. It will work well for this purpose with children in Key Stage One and Two making it a very useful purchase indeed.
Children’s mental health and wellbeing are a high priority for all schools and parents. This wonderfully reassuring book is from the award-winning Rachel Bright, teamed with illustrator Chris Chatterton who has created the most adorable little dinosaur: The Worrysaurus. Parents will immediately recognise the behaviour of a natural worrier - the child that likes to plan ahead and to have thought of everything before setting out to enjoy a lovely picnic. But it is not long before the overthinking gets out of control and a suggestion from a similarly nervous lizard feeds his anxieties just as children can do to each other. But Worrysaurus has a very helpful strategy in place and he remembers his mother’s advice. He has a tin of precious things in his bag and, going through them one by one, they give him the strength to set the butterfly of worry free. Even tiny children know all about the feeling of butterflies in the tummy so this is universally relatable. He shares a lovely picnic with the anxious lizard and they learn to live in the moment instead of worrying about what might happen. While this can simply be read as an enjoyable rhyming story, it will be most useful to prompt discussion and sharing. It will work well for this purpose with children in Key Stage One and Two making it a very useful purchase indeed.
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