1 minute read

Ah, the age-old tale of chasing your dreams only to find yourself knee-deep in illustrated picture books and crowdfunding campaigns. Jess, with her heart set on the East Midlands, ready to unleash her masterpiece upon the world. What could possibly go wrong, right?

Armed with a shimmering idea and a bucketful of determination, Jess plunged headfirst into the daunting world of re-artworking her magnum opus image by image. The stuff dreams are made of, right? Well, maybe more like the stuff nightmares are made of because let me tell you, creating 500 picture book copies one painstaking drawing at a time is no walk in the park.

And then comes the crowdfunding part, where Jess confidently sets the price at a modest £23 per copy. A steal, really, considering each page was probably infused with Jess’s blood, sweat, and tears. But hey, who can put a price on art, am I right?

As Jess delved deeper into the whimsical world of children’s literature, a revelation struck her like a ton of bricks - simplicity is key. The overstimulation of modern-day children’s books is enough to make any parent long for the good ol’ days of simple, calming stories. A nod to the classics, perhaps, where a talking mouse and a friendly spider could captivate young minds without the need for flashy gimmicks.

But Jess, being the generous soul that she is, didn’t stop at just creating a book. Oh no, she had bigger plans in mind. The philanthropic mastermind decided to donate copies of her masterpiece, The Very Long String, to hospitals. And not just any hospital, mind you, but the cancer ward at Leeds Children’s Hospital. A noble gesture, indeed, but one can’t help but wonder if the kids would have preferred a toy truck or a teddy bear instead.

So there you have it, folks. Jess, the artiste extraordinaire, embarking on a journey of creativity, generosity, and probably a few sleepless nights thrown in for good measure. Will her illustrated picture book be the next literary sensation? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure, Jess’s adventure is a testament to the chaos, comedy, and unexpected twists that come with pursuing your dreams in the most unorthodox of ways.

And remember, if all else fails, you can always resort to drawing stick figures. They never disappoint.