Sophy Henn is an award-winning picture book author and illustrator with a master’s in illustration from the University of Brighton. She is the creator of the much-loved Bad Nana series, the Pom Pom series, the Ted board book series, and the nonfiction titles Lifesize and Lifesize Dinosaurs, among others. Her debut picture book Where Bear? was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal and shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. Sophy was the World Book Day Illustrator in 2015 and 2016. Her latest book is the second book in the middle grade Pizazz series, Pizzazz vs the New Kid.
Today, Sophy Henn is on the blog to answer our Ten Terrifying Questions! Read on …
Sophy Henn
1. To begin with why don’t you tell us a little bit about yourself – where were you born? Raised? Schooled?
I was born in South London, UK, and raised in the leafy suburbs of Surrey. My senior school was in a neighbouring town called Dorking and we used to do cross country through a local winery’s vineyards! I went to Central Saint Martins and did a degree in fashion specialising in Communication and Promotion, so writing articles, styling, page layout and all that! Most recently I did a part time MA in Sequential Illustration at the University of Brighton, that was when I realised I wanted to get into children’s books, but as I am not the first (and definitely won’t be the last) parent to think that I wanted to try and qualify my ambitions.
2. What did you want to be when you were twelve, eighteen and thirty? And why?
When I was twelve I wanted to be a fashion designer because I loved clothes and the stories they could tell about a person. Then I realised my ability to follow a pattern was not good, at all, so at eighteen I decided I wanted to be a fashion stylist, so basically putting outfits together for photo shoots, pop bands and whatnot. At thirty I had admitted to myself I wanted to write and illustrate picture books for children, but I chickened out initially and started a greetings card company, inspired by my love of stationery.
3. What strongly held belief did you have at eighteen that you do not have now?
That you have to go out on New Year’s Eve.
4. What were three works of art – book or painting or piece of music, etc – you can now say, had a great effect on you and influenced your own development as a writer?
Well, I have to say Lauren Child’s Charlie and Lola books, as those where the books I read to my daughter the most and we both adored them. I loved the way Lauren intertwined the copy with her collaged illustrations and the rhythm and tone in the text made them great fun to read. So much so they inspired me to try and create books myself.
I couldn’t pick just one designer, but the design movement of the mid century has certainly influenced my illustration style, the content of my illustrations and definitely the colour palettes I use. My art director has said my colours are ‘non-colour colours’ as they all just a little bit ‘off’ and I know that is certainly influenced by the pioneering designers of the 50s and 60s, such as Eames, Bass, Eksell , Day and Lustig.
And I find the films of Wes Anderson hugely inspirational. His colour palettes, styling, framing and characterisation are all brilliant. Every shot is so beautifully put together you can’t help but get drawn in. Wonderful.
5. Considering the innumerable artistic avenues open to you, why did you choose to write a novel?
I have strolled down a few of those avenues and believe they have all led me to this point. All my past creative endeavours inform my work now, in that I include fashion, printmaking, advertising, graphic design and not least, motherhood. I think the idea just struck at right moment, for me personally and with regards to the children’s picture book world in the UK, as there was a bit of a creative explosion and I managed to jump in with both feet! And I LOVE writing middle grade fiction now, which came about because I had an idea I couldn’t fit into a picture book. I sometimes think I am slowly upping my word count a few hundred at a time! Who knows where it will end!
6. Please tell us about your latest novel!
Pizazz vs The New Kid is the second instalment in the Pizazz series.
Pizazz is a reluctant superhero from a family of superheroes and while they all whizz about happily saving the world, Pizazz isn’t actually quite so sure she wants be SUPER super. There are MANY reasons for this such as always getting called away for missions in the middle of fun things, having to wear the same superhero costume ALL THE TIME and having the MOST EMBARRASSING super power EVER! eyeroll It is so embarrassing I don’t think I should tell you.
As with most of my books, it was inspired by my daughter. Not that she is Pizazz exactly, but Pizazz was a character in a little comic strip in a comic I made for her (and my MA final project) when she was about 7/8 years old. The idea was to flip the perky, can-do, sensible girl super hero idea on it’s head and wonder what it would be like if she just found the whole thing, well, a bit annoying! And then seeing how she combines her ‘normal’ life with her ‘super’ life, trying to balance fitting-in and standing out all whilst wearing a full length cape with her name written across the back. SUPER!
They are all illustrated fiction books with added comic strips and you might have guessed I have a lot of fun writing and illustrating them.
Pizazz vs The New Kid sees our reluctant hero pitted against the brand new super in school in a Super-Off which is orchestrated by Pizazz’s nemesis in the normal world, Serena, the most popular girl in school. How will our plucky, yet reluctant, superhero fair? Well, you’ll just have to read it to find out!
7. What do you hope people take away with them after reading your work?
As I write for children and nearly everything I write is inspired by something I have witnessed my daughter or one of her friends experience, I think the takeaways would ideally be empowerment and reassurance. Whether it’s about the their power to make the immediate world around them a nicer place or reassuring them that getting the grumps happens to everyone or inspiring an army of naughty grandmas or letting young girls know that despite the constant pressure they face they really don’t have be super ALL THE TIME, I hope the reader walks away from my books feeling a little lighter.
8. Who do you most admire in the realm of writing and why?
Anyone who has the discipline to take a passing thought, roll it around into a fully formed idea and then make themselves write the whole thing down, time and time again, for our pleasure.
9. Many artists set themselves very ambitious goals. What are yours?
Well, being a published author and illustrator was my ultimate goal and I am still amazed and delighted that to have achieved that … and I’m still getting away with it! Oh and I have an inkling I would quite like a Miss Marple style retirement!
10. What advice do you give aspiring writers?
Keep going! The part where you get your idea is a lovely and exciting moment, enjoy it, because getting the whole book written and illustrated takes time, patience and grim determination, not to mention many, many edits/cups of tea. But it’s definitely worth it. I promise.
Thank you for playing!
—Pizzazz vs the New Kid by Sophy Henn (Simon & Schuster Australia) is out now.
Pizazz vs the New Kid
Pizzazz: Book 2
HELLO! My name is PIZAZZ and I’m a superhero . . . You probably think that’s really AWESOME, and while it can be, it’s also REEEEEEEAAALLLLY annoying.
I guess it was sort of going OK (I say, “sort of” – I still have to wear a silly cape and save the world all the time) until this NEW KID showed up, and started WOWING everyone with their super powers. Yep, SUPER POWERS – just what this town needs, another super . . .
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