Beatrix Potter’s tale of a black cat with a secret double life remained as an unillustrated text in the archive of her publisher for over 100 years. Quentin Blake was commissioned to illustrate the story in 2016, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of her birth - and in this picture Kitty demonstrates that she is not quite the skilled poacher she would like to be.

‘The Twits’ was first published in 1980, with illustrations Quentin had drawn using a very hard nib - perfect for capturing the spiky quality of Mr Twit’s beard. Quentin also experimented with the grim spikiness of the Twits’ house and garden in this drawing, though it was not included in the final set for the book. The original drawing formed part of the inaugural exhibition at House of Illustration in 2014 - ‘Quentin Blake: Inside Stories’.

In 2016, Quentin was commissioned by the Museum of Zoology in Cambridge to produce a series of drawings to liven up some sun blinds in their galleries, as part of a refurbishment project. ‘Punnett’s Butterflies’ and the other works in the set celebrate items in the Museum’s collection.

Roald Dahl's 'The BFG' celebrated his 30th anniversary in 2012, with a special 'anniversary' edition (Puffin Books, 2012) sporting a new jubilee-inspired cover by Quentin Blake.

This colour illustration was produced for the cover of the French edition of Roald Dahl’s classic story, ‘The Witches’ (in French, titled ‘Sacrees Sorcieres’).

Anthology of poetry by former Children's Laureate Michael Rosen, consisting of the collections ‘Don’t Put Mustard in the Custard’ and ‘You Can’t Catch Me’.

Purchase a print of this image from our online shop:

This preliminary drawing was one of several attempts Quentin had to get the work exactly as he wanted it. He said that the picture of Michael "being sad but trying to look happy" is the most difficult drawing he's ever done... "a moving experience."
The original artwork is currently in the exhibition ‘Quentin Blake: Inside Stories’, which is touring the UK until late 2017.

Used on the cover of the 1999 edition, this colour image shows James and his friends atop the giant peach. Though the book was first published in 1961, Quentin did not illustrate the story until 1995, after Roald Dahl had died.

Roald Dahl's Mr and Mrs Twit are now playing their vile tricks on each other in a specially-tinted colour edtion, published by Puffin Books in 2010.

Original artwork from the book features in the exhibition ‘Quentin Blake: Inside Stories’, which is touring the UK until 2017.

Quentin first illustrated ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ in 1995, several years after Roald Dahl’s death, and over 20 years after it was first published. Charlie, Willy Wonka and the children are rowed down a river of chocolate in a giant boiled sweet, hollowed out to make it into a boat.

When this artwork of Roald Dahl’s BFG was enlarged to wall size in the Family Pavilion at Buckingham Palace (2016), a specially-positioned seat was placed at the same level as his hand - allowing young visitors to appear to be sitting there, like Sophie in the story.
Quentin gave the original drawing to the Royal Collection.