York writer and illustrator Tim Hopgood tells MAXINE GORDON how his latest children's book took shape

WALTER has a problem. Every time the little spider tries to build a web, the wind comes along and whooshes it away.

This is the premise for the latest children's book by the award-winningYork author and illustrator Tim Hopgood.

Over 24 pages in his new board book for tots, Tim charts in glorious technicolour Water's woes as he struggles to complete the perfect cobweb.

In each attempt, Walter makes a different shape, starting with a triangle and finishing with a perfect circle.

It is only when he spins all the shapes together into a super-web that it is robust enough to stand up to the elements.

 

Walter's Wonderful Web, a book about shapes, is the latest in a collection of concept books for small children by Tim. It follows Wow! Said The Owl, a first book of colours, Tip Tap Went The Crab, about counting, and Hooray for Hoppy, on the senses.

York Press:

Tim, who is married with two grown-up children, gave up work as a graphic designer to launch a second career as a children's author and illustrator.

"I was working in graphics for retailers and became frustrated. I would spend lots of time on a project and became frustrated that it would only have a shelf life of a few weeks. It's far more rewarding to work on things that last."

And children's books do. "They get passed on to siblings; one might leave a book and another pick it up," says Tim.

Tim fondly remembers reading picture books to his own children when they were small. One of his favourite illustrators was John Burningham whose books Avocado Baby! and Oi! Get Off Our Train, were firm favourites.

Tim, who trained as an illustrator, says his style is quite simplistic. His illustrations are also in the new River Cottage cookbook, Love Your Leftovers. "They gave me the book and told me to draw whatever takes my fancy. I've drawn lots of ingredients - I love drawing food." There are photographs of some of the dishes too, but, says Tim, illustrations "just bring some of the pages to life".

Tim, who lives in the Clifton area of York, describes himself as a nature lover who loves living in the city.

The inspiration for the Walter picture book came one autumnal day. "The idea evolved slowly. I knew I wanted to do a book about shape, but it took me a while to hit on an idea. I saw cobwebs frosted over one morning and it was such a special display that it started an idea going."

The book took at least three months to produce. Tim says: "It takes longer than most people imagine."

But will give many hours of pleasure to children and their families for years to come.

Walter's Wonderful Web, Tim Hopgood (Macmillan, £5.99)

Catch Tim at his craft and storytelling events in York at half-term:

Saturday, October 24: 1pm, Waterstones, Coney Street

Wednesday, October 28: 10.30am at York Central Library; 2pm at Explore Acomb Library.