New Quentin Blake museum to provide a London home for a booming art form
The centre – featuring the work of acclaimed artists – will be the only permanent place in Britain to learn about the history of illustration
August 2021
Books that made me
Chris Riddell: ‘Maurice Sendak taught us playfulness could be profound’
The author-illustrator on being read Tolkien at school, the perfect picture book and struggling to crack The Da Vinci Code
August 2020
Sketches from a trying year: 10 cartoonists reflect on 2020
Leading cartoonists share exclusive artwork to help us get through the pandemic – and other disasters – with humour
June 2020
Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell announce new 'piratical adventure'
Pirate Stew will reunite the novelist and the illustrator in a rhyming tale for children due out this autumn
April 2020
My favourite book as a kid
My favourite book as a kid: The Edge Chronicles by Paul Stewart and Chris Riddell
Their fantastically detailed illustrations and breathless plots awoke me to books as a child. Today they’re a tonic for ‘literary’ nonsense
March 2020
Chris Riddell’s tips for young artists: bunk off school sports and study Raymond Briggs
The illustrator and Observer political cartoonist talks of his mentor – and his first crush – on Desert Island Discs
December 2018
At last, a partner for the Snowman who has melted hearts for 40 years
Illustrators including Quentin Blake and Shirley Hughes celebrate the Raymond Briggs Christmas classic – and one adds a touch of romance
November 2018
Lee Child joins authors auctioning character names for charity
In aid of Freedom from Torture, bids invited for a place in new work by the Jack Reacher author and others including Margaret Atwood and Julian Barnes
October 2018
Beyond red lines: illustrators' Europe – in pictures
Drawing Europe Together showcases visions of the community the UK is about to leave from leading artists including Quentin Blake, Judith Kerr and Chris Riddell. They introduce their work below
September 2018
Neil Gaiman and Chris Riddell on why we need libraries – an essay in pictures
Two great champions of reading for pleasure return to remind us that it really is an important thing to do – and that libraries create literate citizens
April 2018
Michael Morpurgo, Quentin Blake and Jacqueline Wilson join Authors4Oceans
Observer comment cartoon
Windrush or rush of wind? – cartoon
December 2017
Amelia Edwards obituary
Founding art director of Walker Books who oversaw some of the company’s great children’s classics including We’re Going on a Bear Hunt
November 2017
John Lewis Christmas ad accused of plagiarism by Mr Underbed author
Chris Riddell points out similarities between Moz the monster and a character from his 1986 picturebook
October 2017
The 13-year-old Syrian refugee who became a prizewinning poet
A year after learning to speak English, Amineh Abou Kerech has won this year’s Betjeman prize. She tells us how she found her voice
September 2017
Chris Riddell illustrates the 2017 Forward poetry prize shortlist – in pictures
As a judge of this year’s Forward poetry prizes, the illustrator was inspired to create sketches for each of the poets on the best collection shortlist
July 2017
Horrid Henry artist Tony Ross named UK libraries' most borrowed illustrator
Taking Ingmar Bergman’s Monika across Roger McGough’s Mersey
June 2017
From Quentin Blake to Lauren Child: the first 10 children's laureates – in pictures
Charlie and Lola creator Lauren Child named children's laureate
