Rob Biddulph on his new picture book, which inspires children to think big

Unusually for a Biddulph picture book, there is not a strong narrative arc here. “It felt more like writing a poem,” he tells me. The book’s standout line was in his head from the start: “With hearts ablaze and stars aligned/Life’s great adventures ours to find.” There is an echo, too, of one of his favourite books, the Dr Seuss classic Oh, the Places You’ll Go!. “I love that slightly elegiac meditation on life from a child’s point of view. I wanted to write my version of that, to create a book that celebrates that magical mix of hope and wonder.” When I Grow Up I’d Like to Be... continues the shift in style observed in 2024’s I Follow the Fox. His artwork has a dreamier quality and a richer, more evocative tone; the language is more subtle and poetic. “When I wrote I Follow the Fox I wanted to tap into an emotional side,” Biddulph agrees, citing the feelings inspired by reading Shirley Hughes’ Dogger as a child. “I wanted to get that emotional punch into the book.” When I Grow Up I’d Like to Be... builds on this without losing the accessibility and read-aloud appeal of his earlier works.

The Covid-19 pandemic became a pivotal and unexpected moment in his career. Early in the first lockdown, Biddulph began posting #DrawWithRob videos, short art tutorials for children to try at home. It began as a simple way to help families, he recalls, “and it turned into something quite extraordinary”. The videos have now been watched almost six million times on YouTube alone and events continue to sell out today. He still makes the videos, though less frequently, and, five years on, gets sent pictures from children every single day. “#DrawWithRob is the thing I am most proud of in my professional life. I think it showed how powerful creativity could be in a crisis.”

Creativity is something Biddulph is passionate about. At The British Book Awards, The Bookseller described him as a “torchbearer for children’s reading”, and he works extensively with organisations including the National Literacy Trust, Book Trust and World Book Day to promote literacy, access to books and a love of art. “It’s always been at the heart of what I do. I believe that stories, whether they’re written, drawn or read aloud, are one of the most powerful tools we have for inspiring confidence in children and engendering curiosity.” He recently spoke at the Labour Party conference – “unbelievably scary” – about his desire to see story time become a compulsory part of the primary school curriculum again. “That simple act of sharing a story as a group activity can spark a lifelong love of reading,” he stresses, “especially for children who don’t have easy access to books.” At his live events, Biddulph talks about the power of art to bring people together. “It’s why the whole AI thing is so upsetting. In lockdown, I had kids, parents, grandparents all drawing together, sending me their pictures.” He acknowledges that AI can be a useful tool but fears the impact it is having on the next generation of illustrators. “I talk a lot about the fact that making art is about the journey as much as it is about the final piece. My nightmare is that kids just won’t bother drawing anymore.”

Rob Biddulph will be speaking at The Bookseller’s Children’s Conference (KidsConf) at County Hall in Waterloo on 29th September 2025 and tickets are now on sale.