Lecturer – BA (Hons) Illustration for Commercial Application

Qualifications – BA (Hons), MFA

Holly is a children’s author and illustrator, with a mixed heritage of white English and Jamaican descent. Her work reflects her personal experiences, particularly with a focus on positive representation, which has become a hallmark of her artwork.

Her author-illustrator debut with Walker Books, ‘Karate Kids’, was also shortlisted for The Telegraph Sports Book of the Year Award in 2021. Following its success, she released ‘Ballet Kids’, the second book in the series, which earned a spot on the 2024 ALA Rainbow Book List, and was highlighted in the 2023 CLPE Reflecting Realities Survey as a good example.

Holly has had the honour of being nominated for the prestigious CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal and won the Seven Stories National Nursery Rhyme Illustration Competition. She received a high commendation for the Macmillan Prize, and her work has been included in The Independent’s Top 12 Books of the Year. Furthermore, her books have been featured in the EmpathyLab’s ‘Read for Empathy’ list and the ‘Summer Reading Challenge’, showcasing her commitment to creating works that resonate with and educate young readers.

In addition to her creative career, Holly is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of illustrators. She has served as a mentor for the ‘Pathways Into Children’s Publishing’ programme during its 2019-2021 and 2023-2024 intakes. This programme is particularly focused on providing opportunities for individuals from underrepresented and marginalised backgrounds, reflecting Holly’s own values and commitment to diversity in children’s publishing.