Axel Scheffler: Picture books should leave children with some sense of hope. Otherwise, what are we doing?
- Charlotte Owen-Burge
- May 28
- 5 min read
Updated: May 30
Axel Scheffler is one of Britain’s most recognisable illustrators, best known for bringing to life the Gruffalo and Pip and Posy. But beyond the world of picture books, he is outspoken on the issues that matter most to him – from the climate crisis to Brexit to the loss of attention in an age of screens.
In this conversation with The Skylark, he reflects on drawing animals, protecting childhood, and staying politically engaged through art.
I never thought I’d do anything like this when I was a child. I liked drawing, but I don’t remember it being a particular calling. I drew a bit at school, a bit at home. But I did like going to museums with my dad, and I was drawn to paintings and the visual world early on.
As a teenager, I became more interested in art. I discovered surrealists like Magritte and Dalí – artists many teenagers are fascinated by. I got oil paints for my birthday and started painting. It was also during the Vietnam War, and I made some drawings about that too. That period sparked a more active engagement with drawing and painting.
Later, I discovered illustrators like Edward Gorey – satirical, sharp, with a distinctive atmosphere. I was interested in that kind of work, though it never occurred to me that it could be a career. Eventually, I found my way into children’s books. I didn’t set out to work in this world, but once I did, it made sense. I was never really drawn to realistic urban settings; I preferred fairy tales and imagined landscapes. It felt more natural to create characters that live in those spaces.
Many of my books are set in nature, but I don’t see myself as someone who draws the natural world with technical skill. My animals are stylised. They’re “my” animals. They don’t belong to a real forest or jungle, but they live in an imagined one. Still, there are always a lot of trees in my books. I’m not sure if that’s intentional or just a reflection of what I find interesting to draw.
I don’t believe very young children should be burdened with too much of the world’s problems.
Even though the worlds I create aren’t realistic, I hope they feel emotionally real. The characters’ experiences – their disagreements, their friendships, their journeys – are grounded in everyday emotions. Maybe that’s where children find something to connect to. I sometimes include small details like bits of rubbish in the background. It’s not heavy-handed, but it’s a way of hinting that the world isn’t perfect. That said, I don’t believe very young children should be burdened with too much of the world’s problems. There’s a time for that, and it’s not in the early years.
I feel despair and sadness about the state of the world; it’s hard not to. But I also believe picture books should leave children with some sense of hope. Otherwise, what are we doing? These books are often among a child’s first encounters with story, with empathy, with imagination. There has to be some gentleness in that.
The characters I draw are often stand-ins for people. They’re not meant to be literal animals. They experience things that children recognise – sharing, falling out, saying sorry. The Pip and Posy books are really about toddler life. There are tears and tantrums and then a resolution. No big moral lesson, but something about kindness, about learning to be with others. Julia Donaldson’s books – many of which I’ve illustrated – are very good at that too. They’re fun and lively, but they often contain a message about standing together, being helpful, being brave. That’s a form of realism too.
Over time, I’ve realised that children don’t need everything explained to them. They pick up a lot on their own. If you offer them a world that feels coherent and full of possibility, they’ll find meaning in it. And if it makes them curious about animals or the natural world or just helps them sit still with a story, then that feels like a good contribution.
Sometimes I think the most useful thing I can do is to keep making books that bring joy to children and families. I don’t take it lightly. It means a lot to hear that books have meant something to children. Reading aloud, sharing stories, that moment of closeness between an adult and a child – that’s precious. If my work contributes to that, even in a small way, I’m happy.
The stories may live in imagined worlds, but I don't live apart from reality. Like many people, I carry a lot of unease about what’s happening around us. I read the news every day – German and British media – and it’s hard not to feel overwhelmed. The climate crisis is something I worry about most. That, and the rise of anti-Semitism. I thought Germany had moved past it, but I’ve seen it creeping back. It’s frightening.
I try to support causes where I can. Sometimes that means donating drawings to help raise money. I’m a patron of two charities. One is called Three Peas. It was started by three mothers from the German school after they saw the situation facing refugees from Syria and Afghanistan. They began raising money and sending supplies. Now they support NGOs working with refugees in places like Athens and Thessaloniki. My partner is deeply involved. I help how I can, usually with drawings or by being a name on the list of patrons.
The other organisation is local, it’s called Habitat and Heritage. They work to preserve historic buildings and natural areas in southwest London. I take part in an annual fundraising event and offer support in a quiet way. It’s not very visible, but I’m happy to be part of it.
I do worry that children are losing something. Attention spans are changing. Screens are everywhere. It’s harder now to just be bored. But boredom can be good. It gives space for the imagination. Stillness matters. If a child picks up a book and finds something to hold their attention, even briefly, that’s already a small victory.
This conversation took place on 23 May 2025 and has been edited and condensed for clarity and flow.
Axel Scheffler’s new book, Welcome, will be published by Scholastic in June. A follow-up to his earlier title Kind, it features a cast of animals modelling compassion, openness and support for those in need. Proceeds will support refugee-focused charities including Three Peas.
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