Most Popular Books by Chris Riddell

Welcome to a strange and wonderful land, where nothing is quite what it seems! The Emperor of Absurdia is a gloriously rich and beautiful picture book from Chris Riddell, the award-winning creator of Once Upon a Wild Wood. This is Absurdia: trees are birds, umbrellas are trees, and the sky is thick with snoring fish. Join one small boy as he tumbles out of bed into a crazy dreamland of wardrobe monsters, dragons and amazing adventures! The Emperor of Absurdia is a brilliantly imaginative and original story from the bestselling picture book creator, Chris Riddell. With a story to enchant even the youngest reader and wonderfully rich and detailed illustrations, it will delight parents and children alike.

Guardians of Magic is an exciting, magical adventure from the Costa Award-winning creator of Goth Girl and Ottoline, Chris Riddell. This fantastic quest is fully illustrated in black and white in Chris''s trademark intricate style. Meet the Guardians of Magic: Zam, Phoebe and Bathsheba, three children who don’t yet know how powerful they are . . . In a place where fairy tales don’t behave, and magic brings danger, enemies of magic are working together to destroy it. Unless the three brave Guardians fight back and believe in the impossible, soon magic and the mysterious cloud horses will be gone . . . The Cloud Horse Chronicles continue in Tiggy Thistle and the Lost Guardians.

A celebration of love from the author and illustrator of Goth Girl, Ottoline and the Cloud Horse Chronicles, Poems to Fall in Love With sees Chris Riddell select and illustrate his very favourite classic and modern poems about love. This beautifully illustrated collection explores love in all its guises, from silent admiration through passion to tearful resignation. These poems speak of the universal experiences of the heart and are brought to life with Chris''s exquisite, intricate artwork. This perfect gift, this book features famous poems, old and new, and a few surprises. Classic verses sit alongside the modern to create the ultimate collection. Includes poems from Neil Gaiman, Nikita Gill, Carol Ann Duffy, E. E. Cummings, Shakespeare, Leonard Cohen, Derek Walcott, Hollie McNish, Kae Tempest, John Betjeman and Roger McGough and many more. Enjoy more poetry with Chris''s Poems to Live Your Life By, one of the Bookseller''s best poetry books of the last twenty-five years.

From 2015–2017 Children''s Laureate and beloved author and illustrator Chris Riddell, 100 Hugs is a beautiful collection of illustrated hugs – from the owl embracing the pussycat, to two cuddling otters. This is the perfect gift for a loved one, or to cheer yourself up on a dark day when all you need is a hug. The one hundred beautiful and intricate illustrations from the three-times winner of the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal includes a hug for every emotion and occasion, sprinkled with quotes on the beauty of love and friendship. As you look through these drawings, each one is sure to touch your heart. 100 Hugs is certain to comfort and raise a smile. From the author of many treasured books, including Ottoline, Goth Girl and Once Upon a Wild Wood.

Meet Ottoline Brown and her best friend, Mr. Munroe. No puzzle is ever too tricky for the two of them to solve.

Fleeing from the ruins of New Undertown, Rook Barkwater and his colleagues — the librarian knights, Felix Lodd and his banderbear friends — must lead the escaping population to a new life in the Free Glades. But perils aplenty are ahead for the crowd — not to mention some goblins with plans of their own. This is the dramatic and exciting conclusion to the Rook Barkwater sequence that takes the reader on a thrilling journey across the Edgeworld.

The son of a sky pirate captain is plunged into a terrifying adventure when he accidentally invokes an ancient curse.

SANCTAPHRAX WILL BE destroyed by the energy of the Mother Storm. . . . Far over the Edge, the Mother Storm is brewing—a storm more terrifying than any seen in the lifetime of any Edgelander. Sweeping in from the open sky, it must strike the source of the Edgewater River to bring new energy to the land. But in its way is Sanctaphrax, a magnificent city built on a floating rock and tethered to the land by a massive chain. Only one person can save the Edgelands from certain disaster: Twig, the young sky pirate captain who dared to sail over the Edge—and returned with his memory shattered and his crew flung far and wide. But to recover his memory and take action, Twig must first find his lost crew. And this means a journey back into the Deepwoods, and beyond. . . . “As before, Stewart’s descriptions are brilliant; Riddell’s line drawings are exquisitely detailed and notably grotesque. . . . Altogether this series is so exceptional that if I had any chance of collecting, I’d bet good money on it still being in print a century from now. . . . When’s the next book coming?”—Interzone “Fabulously illustrated. . . .”—The Sunday Times “Richly inventive. . . .”—Literary Review

A gorgeously illustrated collection of poems for every walk of life Curated by artist and writer Chris Riddell, Poems to Live Your Life By is a beautifully illustrated collection of poems for readers young and old to carry with them as they grow. The book includes favorites, both old and new—from selections of Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets to original poems by Neil Gaiman to lyrics to an indie rock song by Phoebe Bridgers. It is divided into different subjects and includes poems about youth, love, imaginings, and endings. Brought to life by Chris Riddell’s striking artwork, Poems to Live Your Life By is the kind of book that readers can return to again and again at different moments in their life.

A stunning and timely creative call-to-arms combining four extraordinary written pieces by Neil Gaiman illustrated with the striking four-color artwork of Chris Riddell. “The world always seems brighter when you’ve just made something that wasn’t there before.”—Neil Gaiman Drawn from Gaiman’s trove of published speeches, poems, and creative manifestos, Art Matters is an embodiment of this remarkable multi-media artist’s vision—an exploration of how reading, imagining, and creating can transform the world and our lives. Art Matters bring together four of Gaiman’s most beloved writings on creativity and artistry: “Credo,” his remarkably concise and relevant manifesto on free expression, first delivered in the wake of the Charlie Hebdo shootings “Make Good Art,” his famous 2012 commencement address delivered at the Philadelphia University of the Arts “Making a Chair,” a poem about the joys of creating something, even when words won’t come “On Libraries,” an impassioned argument for libraries that illuminates their importance to our future and celebrates how they foster readers and daydreamers Featuring original illustrations by Gaiman’s longtime illustrator, Chris Riddell, Art Matters is a stirring testament to the freedom of ideas that inspires us to make art in the face of adversity, and dares us to choose to be bold.

Full of sketches, doodles and journal entries, Travels with My Sketchbook gives a fascinating glimpse of the incredible journey of Chris Riddell''s time as Children''s Laureate. After two years travelling the length and breadth of the country, visiting schools, libraries and festivals, and meeting thousands of children, Chris Riddell has wrapped up his experiences into one beautiful edition. Gorgeously presented, the book is full of his train doodles and early sketches from books written during the period – including Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright and The Hunting of the Snark – alongside handwritten manuscripts and cover roughs. Also included political sketches created for the Observer, and his Laureate Log: reflections on key events and prizes in the world of children''s books, providing a time capsule into the years of his time as Laureate. Plus, there are birthday sketches, impromptu portraits, posters and Christmas cards, sketches for poems and song lyrics. This is a book to treasure – and an incredible insight for fans of this beloved author and illustrator.

Lao Tzu''s ancient text, the Tao Teh Ching, has much to offer the new infant. With their instinctive grasp of its principles, babies everywhere will find the wisdom contained in this new interpretation both a revelation and a confirmation of their own world vision. Targeted specifically at their needs, the charmingly illustrated aphorisms will enable them to enhance their understanding of the subject and share these great lessons with their family and carers. Essential reading for all those who wish to make an early start in their search for wisdom and enlightenment.

Chockful of suspense, humor, and action-packed illustrations, topped off witha surprising and twisted climax, this first episode in a new adventure seriesintroduces knight-for-hire Free Knight, who is tapped to recover an enchantedcrown from the legendary Lake of Skulls.

This uplifting anthology contains classic and modern poems to galvanize and inspire you which are brought to life with exquisite, intricate artwork. Chosen and illustrated by Chris Riddell, Poems to Save the World With –the follow-up to Poems to Live Your Life By and Poems to Fall in Love With - will ignite your inner activist and provide comfort and inspiration. These poems speak of hope, happiness, rebellion and living in interesting times. This wonderful book features famous poems, old and new, and a few surprises. Classic verses sit alongside the modern to create the ultimate collection. Includes poems from Neil Gaiman, Nikita Gill, Maggie Smith, Brian Bilston, Raymond Antrobus, Fiona Benson, Lewis Carroll and many more.

The Hunting of the Snark is Lewis Carroll''s nonsense poem which uses characters, setting and vocabulary from the Jabberwocky, a poem which appears in Through the Looking Glass. It was first published by Macmillan in 1876. This irresistible version is illustrated, and has an introduction by, Chris Riddell, author of the Goth Girl and Ottoline books.

9 yrs+

DIVFrom the creators of the Edge Chronicles comes the second installment in the fantastic tale of Wyrmeweald!/divDIV DIVWinter is a dangerous time in the wyrmeweald. Once a magnificent wilderness, the home of the dragon-like wyrmes has become an icy wasteland. Brutal battles rage between the evil kith, intent on ravaging all that they can, and the wyrme-friendly kin./divDIV /divDIVYoung Micah is safe in a winter den, sheltered from the intense cold, with kin Eli and the beautiful, dangerous wryme-rider Thrace. Thrace aches to leave the den and fly through the skies on her whitewyrme, but Micah knows they are safer indoors./divDIV /divMeanwhile, a brutal assassin approaches, fueled by the invigorating liquor known as bloodhoney and seeking vengeance. Micah and his friends are being hunted—and nowhere in the wyrmeweald is truly safe./div

When Mr Underbed keeps him awake at night, shaking the bed and snoring loudly, Jim reaches for his earmuffs... only to get more than he bargained for! Sparking controversy in 2017 when it was compared to the Moz the Monster John Lewis Christmas ad, this classic picture book is the perfect monster under the bed tale, packed to the rafters with humour.

A brilliantly witty collection of sketches from master artist Chris Riddell. Alice in Sunderland, A Brief History of Tim and One Hundred Years of Solihull. All literary classics...Or are they? The Observer political cartoonist Chris Riddell imagines what the world would be like if there really had been a novel called Wuthering Tights and expertly illustrated them accordingly This hilarious book collects over forty-five black and white sketches (originally printed in the London Review of Books) based on the titles of well-known literary mainstays.;A deliriously comic gift that will appeal to all ages

Barnaby Grimes is tick-tock lad - he''ll deliver a message anywhere, any time. But strange things are afoot. One moonlit night, as Barnaby highstacks above the city, leaping from roof to roof, a huge beast attacks. He barely escapes with his life. And now his friend Old Benjamin has disappeared. Suggested level: primary, intermediate, junior secondary.

Ben invites a bear home for tea, and the two have a fun-filled afternoon.

Doodle every day with Chris Riddell''s Doodle-A-Day! Featuring 366 illustration prompts, colouring activities, tips and artwork from award-winning illustrator, which will have you doodling every day for a year. There''s a doodle to be done every day of the year in this brilliant book from Children''s Laureate Chris Riddell - packed full of inspiration for everyone from colouring-mad kids to paint-curious parents. There are patterns to finish, seasons to celebrate, room to draw your lunch, mood, pets, family and friends, big drawings and tiny pictures and invitations to draw what you are listening to and more delights await in this fabulous book. What are you waiting for? Pick up a pencil and get started with a doodle a day! Macmillan Children''s Books are donating 20p from every copy sold in the UK to Book Trust.

A brilliantly funny robot adventure from award-winning author and illustrator Chris Riddell, creator of Once Upon a Wild Wood. Wendel is a very clever mouse – but not a very tidy one. If his inventions go wrong, Wendel just throws them away and starts again. So when Clunk, his robot assistant, fills the sock drawer with cups and saucers and makes tea in a Wellington boot, Wendel throws him on the scrapheap and makes himself a new assistant: the Wendelbot. But he gets more than he bargained for, and soon Wendel finds himself on the scrapheap! Can he win back his workshop from the mighty Wendelbot? Let the robot battle commence! With Chris Riddell''s characteristic verve and brilliance, Wendel and the Robots is a wonderfully funny, action-packed story full of surprises and extraordinary inventions, and with a subtle environmental message.

Soon after Victorian messenger Barnaby Grimes is attacked by a huge beast while crossing London''s rooftops, he becomes entangled in a mystery involving patent medicine, impoverished patients, and very expensive furs.

Quint Verginix and Maris go to help Quint''s father Wind Jackal defeat Turbot Smeal, the treacherous quartermaster.

Cade Quarter is building a new life for himself in the wild Farrow Ridges, miles away from civilization – and from the enemies who are seeking him. But when his new home is threatened by villainous mire-pearlers, Cade and his friends must find a way to defend the land they love, and the wise and beautiful secrets it holds. Doombringer is the second book of the Cade Saga – fourth trilogy in The Edge Chronicles, the internationally best-selling fantasy series, which has featured on the UK and the New York Times best-seller lists and sold more than 3 million copies. There are now 13 titles and four trilogies in the series, but each book is a stand-alone adventure, so you can read The Edge Chronicles in any order you choose.

Tiggy Thistle and the Lost Guardians is the second and final title in The Cloud Horse Chronicles duology, the exciting magical adventure from the Costa Award-winning creator of Goth Girl and 2015–2017 UK Children''s Laureate Chris Riddell. The Guardians of Magic disappeared ten years ago, leaving the Kingdom of Thrynne in the icy grip of a powerful sorceress. Most people have fled in desperate search of warmer lands, escaping the Ice Monsters that roam the streets. Meanwhile, young Tiggy Thistle lives hidden and safe with a kindly Badger until the day she meets one of the crafty Stiltskin brothers and she has to run from her happy home. So begins Tiggy''s quest to find Zam, Phoebe and Bathsheba – the lost Guardians and their beautiful Cloud Horses – the only people, she believes, who can save Thrynne from the curse of endless winter.

Packed with gorgeous black-and-white illustrations, Goth Girl and the Pirate Queen is a World Book Day book from Chris Riddell, award-winning author of the Ottoline series. When Ada travels to the seaside resort of Brighton on holiday, she is very excited to meet leading followers of fashion Lady Vivienne Dashwood and her rival, the fashionable shepherd, Beau Peeps. They are there preparing for World Frock Night - a lavish ball where everyone dresses up in their finest costumes to compete for the grand prize. Ada has been given money by her father to buy a spectacular outfit for the ball, and she''s excited to be in with a chance of winning the prize. But nothing goes to plan, and becoming the belle of the ball will prove to be Ada''s biggest challenge yet . . . Enjoy this mini adventure into the life of Ada Goth, and continue the fun with the Costa Children''s Book Award-winning first book in the series, Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse.

A fun, fresh cover look for the fourth title in Chris Riddell''s excellent Ottoline series. Packed with gorgeous black-and-white illustrations throughout, Ottoline and the Purple Fox is perfect for kids aged 7+! Ottoline and Mr Munroe love puzzles, clues and mysteries. One day, they meet an enigmatic purple fox, who offers to take them on a night-time urban safari. The fox shows them all the hidden animals of the city and Ottoline makes notes on them in her field notebook. Mr Munroe is making notes too - on the anonymous poems he finds stuck to lampposts on their journey . . . Who is the secretive poet, and how can Mr Monroe and Ottoline help them mend their broken heart? Beautifully and intricately illustrated by the author, the Ottoline series is perfect for curious young readers. Join Ottoline and Mr Monroe for more adventures in Ottoline and the Yellow Cat, Ottoline Goes to School and Ottoline at Sea! This ebook has been optimised for tablets and smart devices to best display the stunning illustrations. This means changing the size and format of the text is not possible. For the best experience, please download a sample to your device before purchase.