All about the Peanut Jones series
Who is Rob Biddulph?
In a previous life, author/illustrator Rob was the art director of publications such as the Observer Magazine, NME and Just Seventeen. Now he spends his time making up stories for his three daughters and drawing pictures to go with them. He is the official World Book Day Illustrator for 2019, 2020 and 2021.
What is Peanut Jones and the end of the Rainbow about?
Some legends are born, some are drawn …
Notorious villain Mr White will stop at nothing to wipe out colour and creativity everywhere. But he’s gone too far! This time he’s lured Peanut’s mum into terrible danger and only Peanut and her friends can save her. An action-packed mission to the heart of the magical Illustrated City tests friendships and leads to a final showdown that makes Peanut question everything she thought she knew…
Interview
What was your inspiration for the Peanut Jones series?
My daughter Poppy was nervous about eating lunch at primary school so I drew a drawing on a Post-it note and slipped it into her lunch box. She came back home and was excited for the next day and it continued all through primary school. These Post-it notes allowed for the ideas to form and the story to build itself. Taking the children to art galleries also helped with the portals and the inspiration.
What drew you to illustrating and writing?
I was always drawing as kid which lead me to doing graphic design where I ended up working for various magazines such as Just Seventeen and was the art director for Observer Magazine.
I never thought of myself as a writer but loved rhyme so it was a way into writing. Writing chapter books meant I organised my ideas and made them so it was bite-sized and easier to mange while writing.
What was your process for writing and illustrating the Peanut Jones series?
For writing I plot and dot-point each chapter as I like to organise and had plotted as a three-book series. For illustrating as they are very detailed pieces they took around 3 months to do. There was research on some of the illustrations as they were based on real places and actual paintings.
How does your process change when you’re creating picture books or working with other authors?
Illustrating is the focus as the words are already there. I have never been in direct contact with the other authors I illustrate for but through the publisher but illustrating is the easier aspect for me.
What is your approach to world and character-building?
For character building, I write a couple of A4 pages of character background so I can get into their head for dialogue. For the world-building of the Illustrated City, I drew the map and I plotted the journey that I wanted the characters to travel.
How would you describe Peanut Jones and the End of the Rainbow in five words?
surprising, exciting, friendship, colourful, freeing
Did you have a favourite moment in the book to write? Was it different from your favourite illustration?
SPOILER ALERT:
I loved writing the scene when Leo grabbed the pencil and colour poured out, illustrating this was also one of my favourites as he looked like a conductor.
What was your favourite book growing up?
Illustrating- Richard Scarry as they are so detailed and other books included The Lord of the Rings and choose your own adventure books
Do you have a favourite genre to read?
Historical fiction
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