Some years ago, I worked on illustrating a book for an American author. We were offered a publishing contract but - for various reasons - we were forced to decline it. Some months later I felt I'd like to do my own books but I was keen on making them factual and focusing on the natural world; I felt there were too many 'fantastical' titles available for young kids keen to learn about the real world around them. Influence-wise, I am very fond of Neal Layton's work because it is highly irreverent as well as frequently informative. His illustations are impressively well observed imitations of the drawings of children with just enough grown-up consistency and clarity to be explicable.