No less than 70 children of all shapes, sizes, colours and abilities feature in the picture book adaptation of Tim Minchin's When I Grow Up. Here's a little peek at the three main characters. They are an imaginative, joyful, brave and wishful trio. I remember listening constantly to Tim's moving song while developing these playful and inquisitive children. Together, they skip, bound and ponder what a grown-up life will be like. Illustrating this book reminded me of how I used to fantasise about growing up: being able to stay up late, go on shopping sprees in Toys R Us, eat and drink whatever I want, whenever I want. I wouldn't watch boring late night news programmes or go on diets. No way! I'd take full advantage of being a grown-up. But it's not quite that simple, is it? Life is complicated. This world can be confusing, overwhelming, and who's going to pay the bills? For me, When I Grow Up became about remembering that eagerness, that sense of anything-is-possible, hope and imagination I had as a child before getting bogged down with all my grown-up responsibilities. Illustrating this book allowed me to indulge my inner child. I hope the child in you and the children in your life enjoy this book.
I can't thank Tim enough for allowing me to illustrate this book, and I look forward to when we can finally share its contents, and I have much to thank my designer Strawberrie and editor Pauliina for, not to mention my agent Elizabeth Roy. When I Grow Up will be published by Scholastic, first in the UK on the 5th of Oct. It will be published elsewhere, but I do not have dates, though I do know it will be released in the States next summer.
