Hello!
I’m Tilly – a children’s illustrator and author based in the Staffordshire countryside.

I graduated from Nottingham Trent University with a BA in Graphic Design and an MA in Illustration. Since then, I’ve worked as a design assistant at Ladybird Books, as a freelance illustrator and as a part-time lecturer. I’ve also recently published my first two books and was thrilled to be longlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize 2025.

I have a real soft spot for lovable rogues, and humour is always at the heart of my characters and stories. One of my favourite parts of making picture books is going back at the very end to hide secret details in the illustrations – just for children to discover and giggle over.

I’m incredibly excited to keep creating more stories, take on new publishing projects and collaborate with other authors.

If you’d like to discuss a project or just say hello,
I’d love to hear from you.

Email me at tillymatthews36@yahoo.com