MEET THE ARTIST: Edward CAREY

The UK-born, Texas-based author and illustrator on shifty birds, the perfect pencil and his drawing hero.

- REBECCA BRADBURY

Like many kids, I drew all the time. I would scribble on anything. I would sometimes draw on the walls and it would drive people mad.

I illustrate every book I write. It makes no difference if it’s for kids or adults. I can’t know my characters until I can see them, so I need to draw them.

The drawing and the writing always argue with each other. I like to do them both in tandem, so I’ll do some writing, then draw the character. But then the drawing will contradict the writing and push it in a new direction.