Rebecca Cobb - Author and Illustrator
/What do you consider your greatest achievement?
Aside from getting through the recent lockdowns where we were balancing work, childcare, home schooling, and missing our friends and family all at the same time as feeling very frightened and worried about the world, then I think that my greatest achievement is making a career out of drawing - one of my favourite things to do. I spent many years after graduating from university when I was getting little or no illustration income but I used that time to push myself and to keep developing my work and not giving up. I feel so lucky that I knew what I wanted to do with my life and had the stubbornness to persevere for so long!
Illustration ©Rebecca Cobb from ‘Aunt Amelia’s House’ published by Macmillan Children’s Books 2021.
Illustration ©Rebecca Cobb from ‘Lunchtime’ published by Macmillan Children’s Books 2012.
What motivates you to do what you do?
I love drawing and I also love reading picture books and poring over the beautiful illustrations. I keep illustrating because I wish I could do something as good as the illustrators whose work I love and admire. It is also the most rewarding experience to hear from children who read my books and a very good reason to keep making more.
What do you owe your mother?
Everything! But perhaps one of the main things is my passion for drawing. My mum is really good at it and some of my fondest childhood memories are of us drawing and painting together. I remember a primary school trip where she was a parent helper and as part of the day we all had to choose a portrait to sketch from. My mum’s drawing was so incredible that everyone was admiring it and then the next day my teacher put it up on the wall in our classroom where it stayed for the rest of the year and I was so proud that she was my mum!
Illustration © Rebecca Cobb from ‘The Paper Dolls’ written Julia Donaldson and published by Macmillan Children’s Books 2012.
Illustration ©Rebecca Cobb from ‘Hello, Friend!’ published by Macmillan Children’s Books 2019.
Which women inspire you and why?
My mum because, as I mentioned, I owe her everything. Also, my two daughters who amaze me every day with how kind, funny and clever they are. And lots of my friends and women I work with who manage to juggle so much in their lives and I don’t understand how they do it! I am trying to learn to be more like all of these people, especially my 6 year old who is effortlessly brilliant in social situations - something that does not come naturally to me!
What are you reading?
My mum has just lent me ‘Hamnet’ by Maggie O’Farrell - I have only read the first couple of pages so far but I love the way she writes. I really struggle to find the time to read much at the moment and keep telling myself that I will make more effort because I really miss it. I always think about Thomas Hardy because I read that he used to get up at 5am every day to give himself an hour or two of reading time before the day started but I have tried to do this and I am so tired that I can’t keep my eyes open!
What gender barriers have you had to hurdle?
I feel very lucky that I don’t feel that I have come across any. I am freelance so happily get to be my own boss. I work with my agent and small teams of people at different children’s publishers, most of whom are women. I get to choose things like when I work and when I spend time with the children, how long I took for my maternity leave each time, and while we share the childcare, my husband took on a larger portion of it so that I would have more time to concentrate on my work.
Illustration ©Rebecca Cobb from ‘There’s An Owl In My Towel’ written by Julia Donaldson, published by Macmillan Children’s Books 2016.
How can the world be made a better place for women?
There is a long way to go but I am feeling hopeful after learning about the Global Goals, (not just because they have a beautiful logo!) but because they set out the 17 sustainable development goals that the UN has been working towards since 2015. If we can all work together to achieve these goals then I think they have the power to create a better world for everyone.
Describe your perfect day?
Well I would love the chance to do more reading, so perhaps a day of lying in a hammock alongside my husband, somewhere sunny and warm and surrounded by trees and birdsong, reading books and eating chocolate while our children play happily nearby without shouting at each other too much.
We've noticed there really aren't many (if any) statues of women around Cornwall - who would you like to see remembered?
I am a big fan of Daphne Du Maurier’s writing and because she spent a lot of her life here and set many of her books in Cornwall then I think I would choose her. Inspired by her famous short story ‘The Birds’ there is a rook sculpture in Fowey to celebrate her work but perhaps a statue of the writer herself would also be good.
Illustration ©Rebecca Cobb from ‘The Ferry Birds’ written by Helen Dunmore, published by Mabecron Books 2010.
Give us a tip?
Don’t give up!
About Rebecca
Rebecca Cobb grew up surrounded by coloured pencils, felt pens, wax crayons, poster paints and pieces of paper. She studied illustration at Falmouth College of Arts and has been living in Falmouth and working as an author and illustrator ever since.
As well as illustrating her own picture books, published by Macmillan, she has also illustrated works by authors including Helen Dunmore, Julia Donaldson, Richard Curtis and Nicola Davies.
In 2013, Rebecca won the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize for Picture Books, and she has been shortlisted for the prestigious CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal three times.
Rebecca lives with her husband and two young daughters.
Instagram: @rebecca_a_cobb
Twitter: @rebecca_cobb