Meet the shortlist 2025: Fred Blunt

Let’s get to know our first shortlistee! And that shortlistee is Fred Blunt, an award-winning author and illustrator. Humour has always been top of Fred’s list when it comes to drawing. Right from those early (rather unflattering) portraits of teachers, Fred knew he wanted to entertain with his work. As well as writing and illustrating his own very silly picture books, Fred has collaborated with some of the best authors of the moment and also works in animation as a character designer. Fred lives in West Wales, with his wife, two children and their retired Greyhound, Olive.

Who or what do you think the cat’s favourite picture book character would be, and why?

 Definitely a cat! 

Maybe Judith Kerr’s Mog?

Definitely not the Tiger that came to tea though, Cat has a bit of a phobia of tigers!

How did you come up with the idea for writing this story?

I’d been wrestling with the idea of a dog book for a long time , but struggled to make it work.

That was until one day I drew a cat in my sketchbook sarcastically  running dogs down,  which just sort of ignited the story.

What is your favourite picture book of all time, and who would you read it with?

SOO hard to choose!!

I think maybe ’Not Now Bernard’ by one of my heroes David McKee.

It’s really a story for grown ups, reminding us not to ignore our kids and spend our time better - but it’s funny and has a monster, so kids love it too. 

used to read it to my kids but they are a bit too old for bedtime stories now, so maybe I would read it to my greyhound Orla - she likes snuggling up while I read.