Instagram story viewer> @zehrahicks> Posts

zehrahicks

@zehrahicks

2.8K

followers

2080

following

Author-illustrator of children's books | Winner of Oscar’s Book Prize 2024

POSTS STORIES REELS TAGGED

Download All

***NEW BOOK ALERT!!***

My new book with @andersenpress launches in two weeks time! This is a different style of book for me, as normally I choose to write funny books. (And it DOES have a happy ending!)

After my father died, I couldn’t do funny - I didn’t even want to try. And this story is what organically came out.

This book was incredibly healing for me to do while coping with my own grief. I connected with memories. I drew my dad. I cried. I smiled. And I cried. I didn’t really want to finish the book!

Although this isn’t a ‘funny book’, I aspire to making books that are positive, uplifting and hopeful with lots of colour. And this book is all those things.

HUGE thanks goes to my editor @sue_buswell20 and design director @bexgarrill at Andersen for believing in this story and supporting me along the way - not just creatively but emotionally too. THANK YOU. 😘

#newbook #picturebook #childrenspicturebook #booklaunch #Sid&Sam #childrensbook #illustratorsoninstragram #griefbooksforkids #griefbooks by @zehrahicks

173

51

a year ago

So thrilled and honoured to find out that Panda & Penguin Find a Thing is on the BookTrust Storytime Longlist 2026 - and in such fabulous company. Thank you so much @booktrust ! And huge thanks to my dream team editor @sue_buswell20 and art director @bexgarrill at @andersenpress too!

This book was inspired by the relationship between my son and me with technology getting in the way of our communication when he first got a smart phone just before going to secondary school. I had originally made us a mummy bear and a child bear. Then I decided to change it up and make the two characters friends. I liked the fact both characters begin with P (in English) and are black and white which made the phone (the Thing) pop out in colour and so I could use vibrant coloured backgrounds to make the story as visually dramatic as possible. This is my first author/illustrator book with Andersen Press.

I’ve included a few spreads showing the first moment they find ‘the Thing’ and how they first engage with it - before it lured them in and got in the way of their friendship!

#longlist #booktrust #booktruststorytimeprize #picturebook #author #illustrator #panda #penguin #techforkids #screentime by @zehrahicks

122

27

a year ago

Absolutely gob-smacked (yet incredibly thrilled) to have won the amazing Oscar’s Book Prize with Sean Taylor!!!

I was so in shock that at the beginning of my thank you speech, I literally started by asking James Ashton (Oscar’s father), “Are you sure?!”

This speech is delivered on behalf of @seantstories who couldn’t attend as he is in Brazil. Thank you @thecatchpoles Sean’s agent for videoing it!

This prize is really such a special one for us authors and illustrators to look up to. Not only does it celebrate the creativity of picture books and the importance and joy of reading with children, but it was set up in memory of James and Viveka’s son, Oscar, who died at three-and-a-half and absolutely loved picture books. This prize certainly does celebrate a child’s love for magical stories and the joy they can bring to both children and adults.

Us authors and illustrators all over the world come together as one supportive community to celebrate making impactful stories to widen a child’s imagination and encourage their joy of reading. Those that were at the ceremony last night, and those at home and connecting online, are celebrating ALL of us striving to do that. Together.

Thank you so much @oscarsbookprize 💛💛💛💛💛

#oscarsbookprize #OBP24 #illustratedbookprize #childrensbooks #childrensliterature #childrensillustration #childrensbookillustration #kidsbook #reading #readingtogether #readingwithchildren #literacy #picturebooks #picturebook #illustratedbook #childrensillustratedbook #illustratedchildrensbook #kidslit #picturebookart #kidsbookstagram #bookprize #oscarsbookprize2024 #awards #shortlist by @zehrahicks

194

36

2 years ago

A very belated thank you to everyone who came to my farty party book launch a few weeks ago. Here are a few photos from the night. And thank you so much @dkbooks @abimaxwell @elle_ward_designs @zoe_tucker_design for my gorgeous flowers! ‘Who Just Farted?’ has officially been released into the world!💨🌏🙏 (And it matches my green kitchen floor perfectly!🤣) #whojustfarted #childrenspicturebook #childrensnonfiction #scienceforkids #author #illustrator #newbook taken in The Paper Cat Children's Bookshop by @zehrahicks

124

14

3 days ago

It’s publication day for ‘Who Just Farted?’ 💨💨💨This has been a total TOOT to work on! Thank you @dkbooks for taking me and this super fun book project on! THANK YOU Gemma, Zoe, Abi, Elle and Chloe. We’ve all had such a laugh from beginning to ‘end’ (hee! hee!💨💨), and I hope many children and adults will do too!

A huge thanks also goes to my agent @emilytalbot1989 and to @jodieho31 for selling this smelly, farty fun project in the first place 🙏🙏🙏

#whojustfarted #publicationday #picturebook #picturebookillustration #sciencebooksforkids #nonfiction #nonfictionbooks #author #illustrator #bookstagram by @zehrahicks

89

38

10 days ago

💨NEW BOOK REVEAL!!💨 ‘Who Just Farted?’ launching on 1st October! 💨💨💨 publishing with @dkbooks
#picturebook #picturebookillustration #newbook #nonfictionbooks #nonfictionpicturebooks #bookstagram #sciencebooksforkids #whojustfarted #author #illustrator by @zehrahicks

211

53

20 days ago

100 takes later…🤣🤣

I made a little video introducing my book #SidAndSam which is out now in paperback, published by @andersenpress

I was so moved by my dad’s love and devotion to his dog which inspired me to create this book after he died.

It’s a heartwarming story of Sid the dog losing his beloved owner Sam, and finding a new kind of happy.

I hope this book helps anyone (children and adults) along their own personal journeys dealing with loss. It’s also a great book for any dog lover and anyone considering rehoming a pet.

“Thoughtful and ultimately comforting book” The Bookseller

“Heartbreaking yet uplifting story about life after bereavement” Bookseller’s Buyers Guide

#SidAndSam #childrensbooks #childrenspicturebooks #picturebooks #kidslit #kidsbookstagram #readtoyourkids #kidsmentalhealth #teachingtools #griefandloss #nationalyearofreading by @zehrahicks

156

61

4 months ago

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition opens this week! Always brings me such joy and is the official start to summer. Lovely to see brilliant illustrator @nataly_owl stand out with TWO fabulous pieces! Great to see @annagraysonartist sell so well even before the exhibition opens to the public with her comic contemporary photographic take on classic paintings. 💪🥳 Love your Blue Tudor Woman @juliahamiltonartist ❤️There’s lots of great stuff to spot!! @royalacademyarts #royalacademy #royalacademysummerexhibition #royalacademysummerexhibition2026 taken in Royal Academy of Arts by @zehrahicks

215

11

4 months ago

What a brilliant private view last night for exhibition organised by the one and only incredible @sharonkingchai to raise funds for two fabulous community charities. It was soooo wonderful to see so many friends in the publishing industry. What an absolutely joyous evening!

Delighted with my @martaltes print!! 😍

On until June 14th at @the_gallery_at_the_playroom_
99 Junction Road, Archway, N19 5QX
Nearest tube Archway
Go see it - it’s FABULOUS!

The artwork is for sale and supports two brilliant charities @the_toy_project and @urban_forest_tribe that focuses on community, sustainability, and helping children connect with creativity and nature. Something that is increasing lacking in our education system so even more essential that these charities exist and need our support.

#NatureExhibition #community #nature #sustainability #toylibrary #charity #childrensbookcreator #privateview #artexhibition #artexhibitionlondon by @zehrahicks

138

3

4 months ago

It’s been an honour to be added to the team of over 40 children’s book creators celebrating NATURE in an exhibition organised by the fabulous @sharonkingchai who is BEYOND incredible. It takes place at @the_gallery_at_the_playroom_ 99 Junction Road, Archway, N19 5QX

The exhibition is running from 9-14th June 10-6pm daily. The artwork is for sale and supports two brilliant charities @the_toy_project and @urban_forest_tribe that focuses on community, sustainability, and helping children connect with creativity and nature. Something that is increasing lacking in our education system so even more essential that these charities exist and need our support.

@the_toy_project recycles unwanted toys, redistributing them to children in need, locally and internationally. They also run free community workshops, art activities and storytelling and fund initiatives such as toy and book libraries, murals and community events.

@urban_forest_tribe is a company working with children, families and communities, delivering nature-based sessions and projects that combine forest school, bushcraft and environmental learning.

The piece I’m exhibiting is an illustration adapted from When Dinosaurs Walked The Earth, written by @seantstories published by @quartokids

#NatureExhibition #community #nature #sustainability #toylibrary #charity #childrensbookcreator by @zehrahicks

75

9

4 months ago

Sid & Sam is out in PAPERBACK TODAY!

Sid & Sam is published by @andersenpress and written and illustrated by me.

Sid & Sam is a deeply moving story of Sid the dog losing his beloved owner Sam, and finding a new kind of happy. It’s a gentle and ultimately uplifting introduction to life after loss, told through the eyes of a loyal dog.

HUGE thanks goes to my editor @sue_buswell20 and design director @bexgarrill at Andersen Press for believing in this story and supporting me along the way – not just creatively but emotionally too! THANK YOU! 😘

#SidAndSam #publicationday #picturebook #kidslit #kidslitart #picturebook #kidsbookstagram #childrensbooks #mentalhealthbooks #griefandloss #griefbooks #griefbooksforkids #booksaboutloss by @zehrahicks

136

22

4 months ago

Need something to do with children over half term?

@ewell_library has their BOOKFEST on FRIDAY 29th MAY and some authors and illustrators (@parkinparkin @i_am_samstewart @sarabarnardwrites and me) are doing events. I will be reading ‘Panda & Penguin Find A Thing’ so if you want to draw lots of pandas and penguins, come along! All ages welcome. (Link is in my bio.)

I’m proud to support the @go_all_in_2026 National Year of Reading campaign to celebrate the joy of reading.

I plan to do more events this year as part of my support to GO ALL IN.
So if you’re at a loose end, come down to Ewell Library on Friday 29th May!

#ewelllibrary #bookfest #bookfestewell #goallin2026 #goallin #nationalyearofreading2026 #nationalyearofreading #surreylibraries by @zehrahicks

37

1

5 months ago