Fantastic Journeys
art book · First published 2025
Author guide
Quentin Blake Books in Order
Quentin Blake was born in 1932 and published his first drawings in Punch at age sixteen. He studied English at Downing College, Cambridge, later attended Chelsea Art School, and taught at the Royal College of Art, where he headed the Illustration Department from 1978 to 1986. He has written, edited, and illustrated more than 500 books, including picture books, poetry collections, graphic works, art books, exhibition catalogues, and nonfiction. He was the first British Children's Laureate, received the Hans Christian Andersen Award for illustration, was knighted for services to illustration, and was appointed a Companion of Honour in 2022.
children's literaturepicture bookspoetrynonfictiongraphic worksart booksedited collections
Catalog record updated .
Quentin Blake's Newest Book
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Patrick
Quentin Blake's first standalone authored book and the beginning of his published career as a writer-illustrator.
Mister Magnolia
A landmark, award-winning picture book and one of Blake's best-known original characters.
All Join In
A celebrated example of Blake's integrated text-and-image picture-book style.
The World of Hats
A concise entry point into Blake's later standalone drawing and art-book work.
Read in order
Books by series
- 1 Lester at the Seaside
Book 1 · picture-book · 1975
- 2 Lester and the Unusual Pet
Book 2 · picture-book · 1975
- 3 The Adventures of Lester
Book 3 · picture-book · 1977
picture-book series · completed
Mrs Armitage
Picture books featuring the inventive and indomitable Mrs Armitage.
- 1 Mrs Armitage on Wheels
Book 1 · picture-book · 1987
Relates the misadventures of Mrs. Armitage as she makes increasingly complicated modifications of her bicycle.
- 2 Mrs Armitage and the Big Wave
Book 2 · picture-book · 1997
Mrs. Armitage and her dog Breakspear head out surfing, but each time they paddle out they think of another outlandish thing they need.
- 3 Mrs Armitage, Queen of the Road
Book 3 · picture-book · 2003
picture-book series · ongoing
Three Little Monkeys
Picture books following three mischievous little monkeys and their family.
- 1 Three Little Monkeys
Book 1 · picture-book · 2016
Tim, Sam, and Lulu are the mischievous and naughty three little monkeys who are told each day to be good while Hilda goes off to do her errands. And each day, Hilda returns home to find a bigger mess than the day before. These mischievous…
- 2 Three Little Monkeys Ride Again
Book 2 · picture-book · 2019
- 3 Three Little Monkeys at Christmas
Book 3 · picture-book · 2021
- 4 Three Little Monkeys and the Grand Hotel
Book 4 · picture-book · 2023
graphic-art series · completed
The QB Papers
A completed series of twenty independently published large-format drawing sequences exploring recurring themes, characters, and visual ideas.
- 1 The QB Papers: Feet in the Water
Book 1 · graphic work · 2019
- 2 The QB Papers: Deliveries from Elsewhere
Book 2 · graphic work · 2019
- 3 The QB Papers: The Alternative Sports Olympics
Book 3 · graphic work · 2019
- 4 The QB Papers: The Mouse on a Tricycle
Book 4 · graphic work · 2019
- 5 The QB Papers: The New Dress
Book 5 · graphic work · 2019
- 6 The QB Papers: Riders by Night
Book 6 · graphic work · 2019
- 7 The QB Papers: A Comfortable Fit
Book 7 · graphic work · 2019
- 8 The QB Papers: Scenes at Twilight
Book 8 · graphic work · 2019
- 9 The QB Papers: Constant Readers
Book 9 · graphic work · 2019
- 10 The QB Papers: The Art of Conversation
Book 10 · graphic work · 2019
- 11 The QB Papers: Night Thoughts
Book 11 · graphic work · 2020
- 12 The QB Papers: The Language of the Fan
Book 12 · graphic work · 2020
- 13 The QB Papers: Trip Hazards
Book 13 · graphic work · 2020
- 14 The QB Papers: Thirteen Things You Cannot Really Manage Without
Book 14 · graphic work · 2020
- 15 The QB Papers: The Big Drawing
Book 15 · graphic work · 2020
- 16 The QB Papers: Wildlife Artists of the Year
Book 16 · graphic work · 2020
- 17 The QB Papers: Chance Encounters
Book 17 · graphic work · 2020
- 18 The QB Papers: Linear
Book 18 · graphic work · 2020
- 19 The QB Papers: On the Wing
Book 19 · graphic work · 2020
- 20 The QB Papers: 20 Bald Men
Book 20 · graphic work · 2020
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (5)
- The Puffin Book of Improbable Records
nonfiction collection · 1975
- Zap! The Quentin Blake Guide to Electrical Safety
nonfiction · 1998
- Words and Pictures
nonfiction · 2000
This is primarily a book of pictures but with an accompanying text in which Quentin Blake traces the development of his work as an artist over the last fifty years. Gathered together are: a) pictures which are familiar from new books or…
- Tell Me a Picture
nonfiction · 2001
- Magic Pencil: Children's Book Illustration Today
nonfiction · 2002
Children's books (19)
- Patrick
picture-book · 1968
When Patrick plays the violin he bought for one silver piece, fish begin to sing and fly through the air, cake and ice-cream grow on apple trees, cows begin to dance, and many other strange things happen.
- Jack and Nancy
picture-book · 1969
Jack and Nancy love to hear the sailors tell of adventures far away. But one day, they are walking on the cliffs and it starts to rain, so Jack puts up his umbrella. But the wind picks up and WHOOOOSH they are blown away to an exotic…
- Angelo
picture-book · 1970
Angelo and his family travel round the country playing music, singing songs and performing marvellous balancing tricks: Angelo can even dance on a rope! So when he meets Angelina, who is sad and lonely and trapped in her mean uncle's…
- Snuff
picture-book · 1973
It seems Snuff will never learn how to be a knight until he encounters "four horrible boot thieves."
- Mister Magnolia
picture-book · 1980
Even though Mister Magnolia is very talented and owns many amazing things, he has only one boot.
- The Story of the Dancing Frog
picture-book · 1984
- Quentin Blake's ABC
picture-book · 1989
Rhyming text and illustrations depict objects for each letter of the alphabet, from apples and breakfast in bed to a hairy yak and plenty of zippers.
- All Join In
picture-book · 1990
'And if Ferdinand decides to make a chocolate fudge banana cake What do we do? For goodness sake! We ALL JOIN IN!' This book is a rumbustious, rollicking and above all noisy collection of seven exuberant poems, perfect for chanting aloud,…
- Cockatoos
picture-book · 1992
The reader may find Professor Dupont's hiding cockatoos in the illustrations of his house, but the professor needs to correct the problem that caused his ten pets to hide in the first place.
- Simpkin
picture-book · 1993
- Dix Grenouilles (Ten Frogs)
picture-book · 1997
- The Green Ship
picture-book · 1998
- Zagazoo
picture-book · 1998
The postman brings George and Bella a delightful pink creature, who suddenly turns into a vulture, a warthog, a dragon, a hairy monster, and other destructive and annoying creatures.
- Fantastic Daisy Artichoke
picture-book · 1999
- Un Bateau dans le Ciel
picture-book · 2000
- Loveykins
picture-book · 2002
A woman rescues a baby bird blown from his nest in a storm and proceeds to care for him with gourmet food, cozy blankets, and walks in a stroller, but eventually her "loveykins" is ready to try his wings.
- Angelica Sprocket's Pockets
picture-book · 2010
Angelica Sprocket lives next door. Her overcoat has pockets galore! And you'll never guess what's in them... Prepare to be surprised, thrilled and tickled pink by Angelica Sprocket's never-ending pockets, and the marvellous things she…
- The Five of Us
picture-book · 2014
"Angie, Ollie, Simona, Mario and Eric are five fantastic friends, each of whom has an unusual ability. Disaster strikes on a day out to the countryside but, working together and combining their individual powers, the Fantastic Five save…
- Liliana the Strong
picture-book · 2025
Poetry (1)
- Quentin Blake's Nursery Rhyme Book
poetry collection · 1983
An illustrated selection of some less familiar nursery rhymes, including those about Gregory Griggs of the twenty-seven wigs and Terence McDiddler the three-stringed fiddler.
Edited works (3)
- The Quentin Blake Book of Nonsense Verse
edited poetry anthology · 1994
- Promenade de Quentin Blake au pays de la poésie française
edited poetry anthology · 2003
- Fifty Fables of La Fontaine
edited poetry and fable anthology · 2013
Other (31)
- A Band of Angels
graphic work · 1969
- Quentin Blake Agenda
illustrated ephemera · 1994
- Clown
graphic work · 1995
After being discarded, Clown makes his way through town having a series of adventures as he tries to find a home for himself and his other toy friends.
- La Vie de la Page
graphic work · 1995
- Woman with a Book
graphic work · 1999
- The Laureate's Party
illustrated work · 2000
- Laureate's Progress
illustrated work · 2002
- Angel Pavement
graphic work · 2004
- The Life of Birds
art book · 2005
- Quentin Blake et les Demoiselles des Bords de Seine
art book · 2005
- In All Directions: Travel and Illustration
exhibition catalogue · 2005
- Vive Nos Vieux Jours!
graphic work · 2007
- Il Mondo di Quentin Blake
exhibition catalogue · 2009
- Quentin Blake: As Large as Life
exhibition catalogue · 2011
- Beyond the Page
art book · 2012
- Drawn by Hand
art book · 2013
- Nos Compagnons
art book · 2014
- Arrows of Love
art book · 2018
- Pens Ink and Places
art book · 2018
- The World of Hats
art book · 2018
- Moonlight Travellers
graphic work · 2019
- An Anthology of Readers
graphic work · 2019
- The Weed
graphic work · 2020
- Sennelier Portraits / Portraits Sennelier
art book · 2020
- Mr Filkins in the Desert
graphic work · 2021
- A Year of Drawings
art book · 2021
- Quentin Blake: Portraits in Ballpoint
art book · 2022
- The Art of the Ballpoint
art book · 2024
- Not for Art's Sake
art book · 2025
- The Illustrated Hospital
art book · 2025
- Fantastic Journeys
art book · 2025
Frequently asked questions about Quentin Blake
Who is Quentin Blake?
Quentin Blake is a British illustrator, cartoonist, author, and teacher, born in Sidcup, Kent, in 1932. He is especially known for his collaborations with children’s writers, most famously Roald Dahl, and for his own distinctive characters.
Sources: quentinblake.com (opens in a new tab)booktrust.org.uk (opens in a new tab)
How did Quentin Blake begin his career?
His first published drawings appeared in Punch when he was 16 and still at school. He studied English at Downing College, Cambridge, attended Chelsea Art School part-time, and later taught illustration at the Royal College of Art, heading its department from 1978 to 1986.
Sources: quentinblake.com (opens in a new tab)quentinblake.com (opens in a new tab)
What influenced Quentin Blake’s drawing style?
Blake has credited his school English teacher, J. H. Walsh, with inspiring him. The University of Kent’s British Cartoon Archive also identifies the French illustrator André François as a strong influence on Blake’s scratchy style and zany humour.
Sources: quentinblake.com (opens in a new tab)research.kent.ac.uk (opens in a new tab)
What awards and honours has Quentin Blake received?
His major honours include the 2002 Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration, the Kate Greenaway Medal, a 2013 knighthood for services to illustration, and appointment as a Companion of Honour in 2022. He was also the first British Children’s Laureate, serving from 1999 to 2001.
Sources: ibby.org (opens in a new tab)gov.uk (opens in a new tab)quentinblake.com (opens in a new tab)
What is Quentin Blake’s legacy?
Blake’s legacy combines influential children’s-book illustration with long-standing advocacy for the art form. As the first Children’s Laureate, he promoted illustration nationally, and he founded the organisation that became the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration.
Sources: booktrust.org.uk (opens in a new tab)qbcentre.org.uk (opens in a new tab)news.oxfordshire.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)