Black background with white ASCII art of a dragon

series

Illustration of a happy, smiling gray bear standing on its head on an orange background. Text reads 'The Big Trip' at the top and 'Alex Willmore' at the bottom.
A cartoon character with a red, rounded body, googly eyes, and a big smile holding a paintbrush, standing next to the title 'The Great Paint' by Alex Willmore, with a teal background.
Book cover titled 'The Very Special Thing' by Alex Willmore, featuring a cartoon squirrel holding an acorn against a purple background.
Colorful cartoon animals wearing glasses and party hats on a black background with multicolored confetti, titled 'The Party Animals!' by Alex Willmore.
Book cover titled "Moose on the Loose" by Alex Willmore, featuring a cartoon moose with a flower crown on a light green background.

THE BIG TRIP

Bear thinks that he is the coolest guy in the forest. He loves to strut his stuff, he loves to do whatever he wants and he never worries about a thing! One day, Bear is strutting his stuff as usual in the forest, not minding where he is going, when he runs into Moose. Moose tries to help him realise that he should take care and mind others and where he is going, but he doesn't care - he does whatever he wants! Will Bear listen or is he about to learn the hard way?

THE GREAT PAINT

Frog thinks he’s pretty artistic and that the rest of the forest could do with a little bit of inventive improvement. From painting to sculpture, to performance art and origami, Frog gets to work on beautifying everything around him... but will his friends appreciate his creativity? And how will Frog show them he’s sorry and that true creative inspiration lies in the friendship of others?

Selected for Marvellous Makers: The Summer Reading Challenge 2024

THE VERY SPECIAL THING

The Very Special Thing is a brilliantly funny tale about what can happen when we forget to think of others and get carried away with our hobbies ... Squirrel loves to collect things around the forest. She really has the eye for it! But when she starts to take the other animals possessions, the mood turns sour and the others aren’t very happy. As Squirrel’s collection grows and grows, her very favourite thing, her special acorn, is in danger of getting lost in all the mess. Will the other animals be able to help?

Book Trust Storytime prize 2023 - Longlisted

THE PARTY ANIMALS

Back in the forest, more crazy animals are having adventures, causing havoc and helping us to learn whilst having fun! A group of party-loving tarsiers have moved into the forest and are keeping the other animals up all night! How will everyone learn to get along and will the tarsiers be able to keep the music down? A lesson in acceptance, and learning to understand and celebrate our differences.

James Reckitt Hull Children's Book Award 2025 - Longlisted

MOOSE ON THE LOOSE

Moose is back, but is this his final journey? A heartwarming tale of new adventures and embracing change. The fifth instalment in Alex Willmore's beloved series sees Moose leave his Forest Friends behind to embark on an exciting journey of self-discovery. Moose loves his friends and his home in the forest, but it's time for a change. He decides to embark on an exciting adventure to see the world, meet new people, and perhaps find a new place to call home. A reassuring tale about embracing change and the positive things that can come from stepping into the unknown.

Illustrated children's storybook showing a bear's journey through a landscape at sunset. Includes a blue bear, a red fox, a snake, and mountains with trees in the background. Text on the pages reads: "It didn't matter who was in Bear's way. He barged past fox..." "Stepped on tortoise..." "and sent snake flying through the air!"
Illustration of a blue animal crashing into a bird's nest, with debris and yellow splashes, among cacti and desert plants, depicting a chaotic scene with speech bubbles saying "BLAFF!", "OOF!", and "ROLLed through a patch of VERY spicy plants."

Some animations I did that sparked the idea.

My questionably rough thumbnails.

Sketches of various animals, including a moose, and some handwritten notes on a printed sheet.
Hand-drawn comic strip sketches on lined paper featuring various cartoon animals and characters, with some deer, bears, foxes, and other creatures depicted with expressive faces, arranged in panels and scenes.

Pencils.

Sketch of a forest scene with trees and flowers, featuring various cartoon bears, some smiling and some with humorous expressions.
Sketch of various forest animals, including bears, a snake, and a frog, in a wooded area with trees and a tree stump.
Line drawing of various animals, including a snake, giraffe, moose, fox, rabbit, bear, and bird, in a natural outdoor setting with trees and mountains in the background.
Hand-drawn sketches of animals such as dogs and cats on white paper, with a red pencil resting on the paper, placed on a white keyboard.
Hand-drawn sketch of a snake and a frog on white paper
Close-up of a computer keyboard, a black marker, a black and white Starbucks mug, and a printed sheet with doodles and scattered letters on a desk.

Rough colour plan.

Cover of the book titled "The Big Trip" by Alex Willmore, featuring a blue bear and a yellow fox walking together. The comic-style illustrations depict the animals' adventure across various scenic backgrounds.
Illustration of various animals, including a bear, a fox, a giraffe, and others, with a caption about the bear liking to strut his stuff everywhere and ignoring others in his way.

Colour.

Proofs.

A sheet of paper with illustrations of dancing bears in a row, attached to a gray background with foam corner protectors.
Illustration of various animals including a pink axolotl, a blue wolf, a red fox, and a yellow tiger, with text that reads "Because Bear liked to strut his stuff everywhere and he didn't care who was in his way."
Illustration of cartoon bears in a forest, with some holding logs or trees. The scene appears to have a humorous tone with speech bubbles saying things like 'Excuse me, Croc!', 'Just right!', 'Comfy?', and 'There we go!'.
A poster featuring cartoon animals including a ladybug, bear, rabbit, moose, snake, fox, and others, with some animals wearing accessories or exhibiting playful poses.
Illustration of a yellow and black spotted snake with a smiling face, drinking from a small red cup, in a whimsical, cartoonish style, set against a background with dark trees and purple sky.
A cartoonish drawing of a happy blue bear with closed eyes, a smiling mouth, and one arm extended outward.

Ta-Da! All finished.