In 2020, I was approached to illustrate a collection of imaginative stories following Keir McKinlay and his best friend James as they dream themselves into all kinds of wonderful adventures — from becoming a duck to sailing the seas as pirates and taking to the stage as rock stars.
The stories combine playful imagination with gentle lessons around kindness, gratitude, mindfulness and noticing the world around us. My role was to bring these ideas to life through characterful and engaging illustrations, creating a visual world that would capture a child’s imagination while complementing the calm and reflective nature of the stories.
The project gave me the opportunity to explore the balance between fun, fantasy and mindfulness, using illustration as a way to support both the storytelling and the emotional themes woven throughout the book.
I Wish I was...the Tales of Keir McKinlay
by Ms Morna Laird (Author), Ms Alice Wilson (Illustrator), Mr Martin Stepek (Contributor)
