Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Awards 2021
Featured in BookTrust’s Great Books Guide 2021
Winner - Fantastic Book Awards 2022
I had the absolute joy of illustrating "Life of Riley: Beginner's Luck" by the hilarious and heartwarming Simon James Green.
If you haven’t dived into Riley’s world yet, let me give you a quick taste (without too many spoilers). Our hero, Riley, is your everyday kid trying to stay under the radar—until a series of bizarre, unlucky events start following him like a clingy shadow. Riley’s journey is the perfect storm of cringe and comedy.
When Simon’s manuscript landed on my desk, I knew immediately this would be an absolute blast to illustrate. Riley’s story is packed with visual gold, and as an artist, I couldn’t wait to capture the chaos, awkwardness, and charm of his life.
This book is more than just a laugh-out-loud comedy. Beneath the humor, Simon has created a heartfelt story about self-acceptance, the ups and downs of friendship, and finding your place in the world—even when it feels like the world is laughing at you.
And that’s what makes Riley so relatable. We’ve all felt like the universe has it out for us at some point, right? Whether you’re 12 or 112, Riley’s story reminds us that sometimes, you just have to embrace the chaos and laugh along with it.
Illustrating "Life of Riley: Beginner's Luck" has been one of the most fun projects I’ve worked on, and I hope my drawings bring Riley’s world to life in a way that makes you laugh even harder.
