Where Tough Topics
Meet Tender Hearts
Creative Educator | Author-illustrator | Self-publishing
(now trading under It Started With a Sloth Ltd)
Illustrations that turn "we need to talk" into "let's read together"
Life throws some pretty big subjects at little people. Climate change. Anxiety. Loss. New experiences that feel scary. And let's be honest—sometimes adults don't quite know where to start either.
That's where I come in, armed with digital brushes and a belief that the right character can make any conversation possible.
What I Do (The Serious Bit, Told Unseriously)
I create colourful, character-led illustrations for picture books that tackle subjects grown-ups often find tricky to explain. Think whimsical worlds where anxious feelings become friendly monsters, where nature gets a personality transplant, and where big environmental topics shrink down to child-sized understanding—without shrinking the importance.
My illustrations don't shy away from reality, but they do invite hope along for the adventure.
Some Books I've Brought to Life
7 book climate series
The first 3 picture books exploring energy, food, and circularity through stories that make sustainability feel less like homework and more like discovery. Because saving the planet should feel exciting, not exhausting.
Ellie the Crocodile Series
Following Ellie as she navigates first-time experiences like gymnastics and getting glasses. Because courage often wears spectacles and sometimes needs a leotard.
The Day the Crab Got Crabby
Our own tale proving that even nature has off days. Sometimes you just need to feel your feelings—even if you're a crustacean.
This is Jeff
Written by 9-year-old author Gracie, this book introduces Jeff—the anxiety monster who visits when things feel overwhelming. By giving worry a name (and a grumpy face), we made it much less scary.
See more about these below ⬇️
Portfolio examples
My services
Creative education
I specialise in creating the design and concepts for fun interactive educational books, games, toolkits, and learning resources.
Steeped in storytelling, quirky characters, creative thinking, and positive mindset development, I love adding puns, humour and wit too if that’s your thing.
Book illustration
I am fascinated by how storytelling and information is transformed into captivating visuals and admittedly, I hero-worship book illustrators.
If you have a non-fiction or children’s book that needs illustrating (about the environment, animals, health, or well-being in particular), I’d love to chat with you about it.
Why UnlikelyGenius?
The name came from my previous creative incarnation, and honestly? It still fits.
There's something beautifully unlikely about how a well-drawn character can unlock conversations that seemed impossible five minutes ago.
I'm now folding UnlikelyGenius into my main venture, It Started With a Sloth, because running two businesses is about as sensible as teaching penguins to fly. But the mission remains the same: creating illustrations that bring hope to the gloom and craft easy pathways for adults to explore tough subjects with children—no fear required.
Let's Create Something Together
Whether you're an author with a manuscript that needs the perfect visual voice, or an organisation looking to communicate important messages to young audiences, I'd love to hear from you.
A lifetime of love, honest!
Despite evidence to the contrary (see the regularly rolled out evidence by my family, right) I have always adored books, and particularly children’s books. I read Watership Down independently before I even started primary school (that may also explain the rabbit obsession) and have barely stopped since. I still buy children’s books now, just for me, to study their illustrations, humour, and clever layouts.
For a long time, I’ve been harbouring a not-so-secret desire to see my illustrations on the bookshelf amongst my illus-idols Jon Klassen, Chris Haughton, Oliver Jeffers, Rachel Ignotofsky, Sandra Dieckmann, and the mighty duo and creators of ‘Bunnies on the Bus’ Philip Ardagh & Ben Mantel. If you haven’t yet read Dick the Delightful Duck by Kaye Umansky and Ben Mantle, what are you even doing with your life? Absolute genius.
I already have multiple books released for which I’m the illustrator AND my first solo book that I have both authored AND illustrated will be out in 2026. I also create associated resources and activity books.
