Lifesize Creepy Crawlies by Sophy Henn

The World Book Day books are on shelves and available to buy now.  Sophy Henn has one amongst this year’s selection, Lifesize Creepy Crawlies.  She has written a blog post for us about this book, her own World Book Day experiences and the collection of Lifesize books.

My first experience of World Book day was as a mum, preparing a costume (Clarice Bean as my daughter didn’t like dressing up but acquiesced to her normal clothes plus the Ruby Redfort fly hairlip that we made together) and haranguing the PTA into paying for an author/illustrator visit – Knife and Packer, the pupils LOVED them.

Then, on the brink of becoming a published picture book author/illustrator I was picked to be the official World Book Day illustrator. I could not believe my luck! My debut book, Where Bear?, wasn’t even out and I was part of this brilliant children’s book institution. It did mean that my first ever live event was to 900 KS2 children who hadn’t a clue who I was! But they forgave me as I was there alongside Jonathan Stroud, Gill Lewis, Marin Brown, Jeremy Strong and all held together in fine fashion by Steven Butler.

And now, 15 odd years on from my first experience, I have a book in the World Book Day line-up, alongside such an incredible array of talent. I honestly have to pinch myself. It has been a furiously busy few years, but to have arrived here feels extraordinarily lucky indeed.

I am thrilled that the book is part of the Lifesize series, my non fiction picture books. Farshore approached me with the basic idea many years ago and they have been out in the wild since 2018. I have had so much fun exploring different areas of the natural world, past and present, and learnt so many incredible facts about so many amazing creatures. My mind has been blown repeatedly when I have researched each book! Once I have immersed myself in the subject I then have to select which creatures I will include in the book. This is trickier than it sounds as I have to strike the balance between animals this age group will recognise whilst also widening their knowledge in a way that isn’t jarring, then checking the facts are relatable and understandable for the reader. All the while making sure there is an interactive element for the reader the involves each of the key animals. As with all books, this is all a team effort. I have an ace editorial and design team who get involved with every aspect. And of course we bring in the experts to make sure I haven’t got my facts in a muddle, though with Lifesize Dinosaurs the experts were in constant touch as there seemed to be new dinodevelopments all the time!

I think the interactivity of these books really helps to bring these subjects alive, high fiving a lifesize polar bear paw, comparing your tongue to a lifesize lion’s tongue, seeing if you could jump as far as a giant South American grasshopper. Size and scale are obviously key to these books and (hopefully!) presented in a way makes the reader feel more engaged with the subject. We need to protect our natural world now more than ever and if these books can make the decision makers of tomorrow feel more engaged with it then I think that is a good thing.

Which is why I was so super excited to create Life-size Creepy Crawlies for World Book Day. Creepy Crawlies are an often misunderstood but utterly fascinating part of the natural world. It is so exciting to be able to highlight all the wonderful work they do to make the planet habitable for us. And on top of that they are capable of such incredible and surprising feats, and they are ALL over the place. It was very satisfying to be able to include a spread of amazing creepy crawlies from the UK, ones the reader can go out and search for. And while they might not be as big and flashy as their international relations, they are no less mighty! I really hope the readers get as excited about these wonderful creatures as I did researching the book. So go on, maybe it’s time you went on a Lifesize adventure!…

All Sophy Henn’s Lifesize books are available now.

 

Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the Federation.