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Rachel Bright is a writer, illustrator and printmaker; and the creator of the award-winning stationery and homeware range, The Bright Side. Rachel has written and illustrated several books for children, including Love Monster, and is the author of The Lion Inside, illustrated by Jim Field. She lives on a farm near the seaside with her partner, their daughter, a dog called Elvis and a cat called Superman.
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.
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.
Love is in the air again for Love Monster in this heart-tingling story from phenomenal, award-winning picture book talent Rachel Bright! It's Present Day in Cutesville, and Love Monster is on the lookout for something shiny for someone wonderful. But wonderful, shinyful things can be VERY expensive... What is a Love Monster to do? A heart-warming remember-the-important-things-in-life story about how presents don't have to cost the earth to mean the world!
Two greedy squirrels learn to share, in this hilarious rhyming adventure from the bestselling creators of The Lion Inside. Now in a board book! 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. Perfect for competitive friends and sibling rivals! Praise for The Lion Inside: 'A 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
Board book edition of this bestselling story about confidence, self-esteem, and a shy little mouse who sets out on a journey to find his roar. In a dry dusty place where the sand sparkled gold, stood a mighty flat rock, all craggy and old. And under that rock in a tinyful house, lived the littlest, quietest, meekest brown mouse. Fed up of being ignored by the other animals, Mouse wishes he could roar like Lion. But, as he discovers, even the biggest, bossiest people are scared sometimes ... and even the smallest creatures can have the heart of a lion! A modern classic, The Lion Inside has sold over 200,000 copies in the UK alone and been translated into over 30 languages worldwide. A heartfelt message, delightfully conveyed. Parents in Touch Captivating. Books for Keeps A delight to read over and over again. WRD
In a Minute, Mama Bear is the first book in a new series from Rachel Bright, creator of the popular Love Monster series. In this heartwarming story, Mama Bear is ready to start her busy day, but toddler Bella is lagging behind. There are errands to do, classes to get to, and lots more. Mama is raring to go. And Bella is . . . moving . . . very . . . slowly. Finally, Mama Bear decides to throw the to-do list out the window and spend the day playing and relaxing with Bella Bear. In this warm and relatable story about a day in the life of a mother and young child, we see that sometimes when things don't go as planned, that's when the most fun happens.
A sparkling story of friendship, set in the snowy Arctic, from the bestselling creators of The Lion Inside. 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 130,000 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
An adorable board book edition of this funny rhyming story about dealing with change and overcoming worries. From the bestselling creators of The Lion Inside. Meet Kevin. A koala who likes to keep things the same. Exactly the same. But sometimes change comes along whether we like it or not... And, as Kevin discovers, if you step outside your comfort zone and try new things, you might just surprise yourself! WINNER of the Sainsbury's Book Award and the Evening Standard Oscar's Book Prize! 'Fabulous rhymes, I'm in love with Kevin and would like to buy this for all my friends' children.' Claudia Winkleman 'A feel-good rhyming tale . . . Field's Australian animals are a treat' - Bookseller
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
Two penguins discover that love is the perfect gift at Christmas in this sparkling festive picture book! The countdown to Christmas has begun and there is so much for Little Penguin to be excited about: decorating the tree, cooking festive treats, sending a letter to Santa, wrapping presents, and much more. But what does Big Penguin want for Christmas? The answer will warm the hearts of every penguin, big or small! From the bestselling author of The Lion Inside and The Koala Who Could, winner of the Evening Standard Oscar's Book Prize 2017 and the Sainsbury's Book Award 2017. 'Rachel's star is shining bright and she is one to watch. She gets better with every book' Natasha Harding, The Sun
Two greedy squirrels learn to share in the third hilarious rhyming adventure from the bestselling creators of THE LION INSIDE. 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 bestselling creators of THE LION INSIDE and THE KOALA WHO COULD. Perfect for competitive friends and sibling rivals! Praise for THE LION INSIDE: 'A 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
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
Join Daddy Panda and Little Panda as they spend a day together, sharing many special moments along the way. This laugh-out-loud bear hug of a picture book celebrates the special relationship between father and child in a story full of warmth, humour and love. The perfect gift to share with the amazing daddy in your life. From Rachel Bright, the creator of the bestselling Love Monster and the million-selling lifestyle brand The Bright Side, this book is the perfect gift for brilliantly amazing daddies everywhere. My daddy is amazing for a thousand different reasons. He's a year-round superhero, a daddy for all seasons!
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.
A hair-raisingly funny and deliciously spooky new title in this monster hit series! It's way past bedtime o'clock in Cutesville and Love Monster is the only one who's wide awake... Or is he? As the sounds of the night make his imagination run wild... will he be brave enough to stare his fears straight in the googly eye? A heart-poppingly empowering, edge-of the-bed story, about how, sometimes, it's only when we face our fears, that we find out there was nothing to be scared of, after all.
An adorable bedtime picture book with a positive message about friendship and overcoming shyness. From Rachel Bright, the bestselling author of The Lion Inside and The Koala Who Could. Little Mouseling lives with her family in Wintermouse Wood. She loves having a big family, but she's so small that she often gets left out when her older brothers and sisters go out to play. Can this shy little mouse find a best friend to stay by her side? This gentle, rhyming story is perfect for sharing with your little one at bedtime. Look out for The Koala Who Could: Winner of the Sainsbury's Book Prize 2017!
A delicious new story about Love Monster, the only monster in Cutesville, from phenomenal, award-winning picture book talent Rachel Bright! When Love Monster finds a mystery box of chocolates at his door, he can't believe his luck. But he's soon thrown into a whirlwind of turmoil. Should he keep the chocolates for himself? Or risk the perils of sharing his good fortune with his friends? This super-funny-rumbly-tummy-sherbert-explosion of a story shows that when faced with the selection box of life, following your heart will bring you the best treats of all.
The second fantastic tale from the Wonderful World of Walter and Winnie - an enchanting new picture book series from Rachel Bright. At the top of a very tall hill in a very small place called Woollybottom, is a horseshoe of houses. Walter lives in one house and Winnie lives next door, which is lucky, because Walter & Winnie are the best of friends. And Benjamin Bounce lives very close by. Benjamin's favourite things are: 1.Bouncing 2.Bouncing higher... Benjamin is full of beans. He just never stops bouncing. But this story is about the time when his bounce got him a some very big bumps on the head... 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 gently and humorously addresses a `first experience' that all young children will be able to relate to, in Rachel's inimitable style.
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.
This laugh-out loud handbook of help and happiness, provide a beacon of positivity, sweeping away doom and gloom with top tips to have you dancing through the puddles of life one brilliant day at a time.
This laugh-out loud handbook of help and happiness, provides a beacon of positivity, sweeping away doom and gloom with top tips to have you dancing through the puddles of life one brilliant day at a time.
These laugh-out-loud handbooks of help and happiness, provide a beacon of positivity, sweeping away doom and gloom with top tips to have you dancing through the puddles of life one brilliant day at a time.
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.
Alfie is crazy about space. His favourite things are: 1. aliens, 2. rockets, 3. the moon - in that exact order. He doesn't really think much about anything else, until his new baby sister comes along. Then he notices that she looks a bit funny, she talks funny and sometimes she smells funny and he realizes . . . she MUST BE AN ALIEN! Alfie knows he needs to be brave and take her back to the moon where she belongs - after all, she often cries for home - and that's when the adventure really starts. . . A positive, funny and charming take on the joys of a new sibling with gorgeous etched illustrations from a rising picture book star.
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