Charlie Mackesy’s early illustrations bring magic to Vicky Cowie’s debut children’s book

Before his fame from the best-selling 2019 book and an Oscar-winning adaptation in 2023, British artist Charlie Mackesy provided illustrations for a debut author’s woodland story collection. The collection, “Tales From Muggleswick Wood: A Magical Bedtime Treasury” by Vicky Cowie, is laced with rhyming tales drawing on her affection for animals, nature, and cherished family memories.

Mackesy’s work on this collection predates his critically acclaimed book “The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse”. Speaking about Cowie, whose stories were initially self-published in 2018 and sold at horse shows, a representative said: “He’s excited for Vicky, a dear friend, on the republication of her book series which he illustrated some years ago.”

Reflecting on their collaboration, Cowie recounted: “My first meeting with Charlie (Mackesy) working together on my book was a surreal and brilliant day for us both.” She revealed how their partnership unfolded: “Neither of us had had a book published before, so he asked me to just read my stories to him.”

Cowie described the intimate experience: “For the next two hours I read him all five rhyming stories in Tales From Muggleswick Wood, putting on all my silly voices that I had for the many loveable characters.” She tenderly added, “Only my children had heard these stories and voices before when I read to them! “.

“Both Charlie and I had grown up near the real Muggleswick Wood in North East England, so as a fellow country lover, Charlie totally understood my humour and all the country life in the stories. And there, right before my eyes, my world started to come to life through his beautiful illustrations.”

“Whatever I had in my imagination, he created in sketches fast and furiously, and in those first two hours together, Charlie had sketched all five stories! Melvin The Mole was drawn with such love for country life. Lady Plumcake’s hairdo was just like my mothers.”

“The little boy in The Biggest Blooming Beetle with the auburn hair, was my nephew Albie. And the magnificent and magical black horse was the spit of my own horse Nifty.”

“It is such a privilege knowing I worked with Charlie on my book before he became so successful. And now, at last, his gentle and colourful illustrations in my book will be seen and loved too.”

Cowie’s publication, filled with heartwarming tales titled ‘Tales From Muggleswick Wood: A Magical Bedtime Treasury’, is due for release by Bloomsbury Children’s Books on November 7.

Mackesy’s acclaimed piece, ‘The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse’ garnered both Waterstones’ Book of the Year after its release in 2019 and the Bafta for best British short animation in 2023.

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