Harriet Muncaster - Illustrator

Harriet Muncaster is the internationally best-selling children’s author. Her breakout success came in 2016 when Oxford University Press published the first four titles in the Isadora Moon series, which has sold over six million copies worldwide in 42 languages. Harriet studied Illustration at Norwich University College of Art and completed a master’s degree at Anglia Ruskin University. Harriet is also the author of the Mirabelle and Emerald series, both of which are set in the world of Isadora Moon, and the Victoria Stitch series for children aged 9+. Both Isadora Moon and Emerald grew so popular, they have TV adaptations on SkyKids, developed by Kelebek Media. Harriet has since worked on a brand-new series for ages 7+, The Diary of Wiska Wildflower, creating something for readers of all ages, as they grow up with the World of Harriet Muncaster. Her books blend fantasy with relatable themes like friendship, school life, and family, making them beloved by children all over the world.

Harriet Muncaster has been drawing, writing and creating things for as long as she can remember. It was while at school that she discovered that being an illustrator and author was a real career path she could take. From that moment on Harriet knew exactly what she wanted to be!

Harriet is inspired by anything magical, fantastical and glittery. She also has a great fascination for miniature things and owns a dollshouse in the shape of a castle.

Author Q&A

What inspired you to write the Isadora Moon series?  There is actually quite a bit of history behind Isadora Moon. About ten years ago, on my art foundation course, I created a character called Victoria Stitch and wrote and illustrated a picture book about her. She was a grown up, naughty, slightly gothic, fairy type character and she had a Pink Rabbit who she always dragged around with her. Victoria Stitch became like my alter ego and I always kept her close to me and worked on her in my spare time. Over the years she evolved. She started with pink hair and then she turned even more gothic looking with black, messy hair and with bat wings instead of fairy wings. As my style of illustration changed, she changed too. She is extremely special to me. However, whenever I showed Victoria Stitch to publishers I was always told that she was ‘too mean,’ ‘too naughty,’ ‘too spiky,’ ‘not child friendly.’ Looking back, I can see what they mean. I decided to create a new, separate character who would be more suitable for children but with the black/pink/gothic aesthetics of Victoria Stitch - a younger, friendlier, sweeter version. So Isadora Moon was born! I also gave Isadora Moon fangs (unlike Victoria Stitch) as when I started to think about the backstory for her (why she has batwings, what species is she etc…) it made sense that her mum was a fairy and her dad was a vampire. This is why Isadora Moon is so special to me – because she was born out of a real passion project of mine. I absolutely adore her.

If you had to choose, would you rather be a vampire or a fairy?   I would definitely be a fairy because I love nature. Ideally I would be a miniature fairy, not a human size fairy, because I like the idea of being tiny. Also I would love to have fairy wings and naturally pink hair!

_{Photo credit Alexa Loy}