Colin and Jacqui Hawkins

As a child

Colin and Jacqui Hawkins grew up in farms a few miles from each other, but it was not until they were in their mid-teens that they actually met.

As an adult

Colin went to art school in the north of England and then worked as an illustrator/designer for the Daily Express before working as a freelance illustrator on magazines and in advertising. Jacqui was also trained as a graphic designer. The two married in 1968 and in 1979, a few years after their first child was born, the two had the idea to begin illustrating children’s books together. They live in Cork, Ireland

As an artist

Colin and Jacqui Hawkins are one of the most prolific and successful author/illustrator partnerships in the world of children's books. They have achieved much acclaim for their classic retellings and inventive novelty books, including Fairytale News, Dance of the Dinosaurs and the Fingerwiggles series.