Biography

Rebecca is an award winning, internationally published visual artist, author and maker of books. Her titles have been shortlisted for Kate Greenaway CILIP Medal, the Portsmouth Book Award, the Sheffield Book Award, the Stockport Children’s Book Award, the Hillingdon Picture Book Award. She gained 1st Prize for the Derby Children’s Picture Book Award in 2024.

Passionate about the teaching of art and visual literacy, Rebecca runs regular workshops exploring innovative and inclusive approaches to creativity. She works with ReConnect Gloucestershire, designing and delivering online weekly art classes for people suffering from long term health conditions.

CONTACT

Represented by Millie van Grutten at Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency.

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EDUCATION

  • Central Saint Martins MA Communication Design & Illustration

  • Westminster University Illustration (First Class) BA (Hons)

  • Norwich School Of Art Foundation in Art & Design

AWARDS & NEWS

  • 2024 Derby Children’s Picture Book Award 1st Prize winner for 'Thunderboots’ Naomi Jones/Rebecca Ashdown, OUP

  • 2023 Derby Children’s Picture Book Award Shortlisted for 'My Granny is a Queen’ Madeleine Cook/Rebecca Ashdown, OUP

  • 2021 Arts Council England Awarded DYCP grant (‘Developing Your Creative Practice’)

  • 2020 Authors’ Foundation / SoA Awarded continuation grant for ‘Works In Progress’

  • 2017-19 Live action/animation feature film Optioned for ‘The Whopper’ Rebecca Ashdown, Templar

  • 2017 Sheffield Book Award Shortlisted for ‘Odd Socks’ Michelle Robinson/Rebecca Ashdown, Andersen Press

  • 2017 Hillingdon Picture Book of the Year Shortlisted for ‘Odd Socks’ Michelle Robinson/Rebecca Ashdown, Andersen Press

  • 2017 The Society of Illustrators Selected for The Original Art Show for ‘Even Fairies Fart’ Jennifer Stinson/Rebecca Ashdown, HarperCollins USA

  • 2016 The Portsmouth Book Award Shortlisted for ‘The Whopper,’ Templar

  • 2015 Kate Greenaway CILIP Award Shortlisted for ‘Bob and Flo’ - hide and seek OUP

  • 2015 The Sheffield Children’s Book Award Shortlisted for ‘Bob and Flo’ - the missing bucket, OUP

Publishers

  • UK Faber & Faber : Templar : Andersen Press : Frances Lincoln/Otter-Barry Books : Oxford University Press : Rising Stars

  • US Houghton Mifflin Harcourt : HarperCollins : Candlewick Press : Random House : Little Bee : Holiday House : Kar-Ben : Sterling

Co-editions

  • Thunderboots:

    • Finland Kustannus Makela

  • My Granny is a Queen:

    • Germany DTV Verlagsgesellschaft

  • Odd Socks:

    • USA Holiday House

    • Korea Dadam Education

  • Whopper:

    • USA Candlewick Press

    • Turkey Tuerkiye Is Bankasi Kueltuer Yayinlari

  • Bob and Flo and the missing Bucket & Bob and Flo play Hide and Seek:

    • USA HMH

    • China Dolphin Media Group

    • Korea Kizm Education Group

    • Norway, Sweden, Finland Sandviks AS

    • Australia Learning Discovery PTY LTD

  • How the Library (NOT the Prince) Saved Rapunzel:

    • Lo Stampatello (Italy)

  • How To Train the Perfect Parents

    • Sterling Children's Books (USA)

Books 2014 - 2025

  • The Hug Button Naomi Jones & Rebecca Ashdown, Oxford University Press UK 2024

  • Thunderboots Naomi Jones & Rebecca Ashdown, Oxford University Press UK 2023

  • My Granny is a Queen Madeleine Cook & Rebecca Ashdown, Oxford University Press UK 2022

  • Kugel for Hanukkah? Gretchen M Everin & Rebecca Ashdown, Kar-Ben Publishing USA 2019

  • How to Train the Perfect Parents Rebecca Ashdown, Templar UK 2018

  • A Gift for Grandpa Rebecca Ashdown, Rising Stars UK 2018

  • Vanya the Viking Rebecca Ashdown, Rising Stars UK 2018

  • Even Fairies Fart Jennifer Stinson & Rebecca Ashdown, HarperCollins USA 2017

  • Wally Wants to Hug Barbara Joosse & Rebecca Ashdown, Little Bee USA 2017

  • Zoo Boy and the Jewel Thieves Sophie Thompson & Rebecca Ashdown, Faber & Faber UK 2017

  • Seed Mix Rebecca Ashdown, Rising Stars UK 2017

  • Bob and Flo - Hide and Seek Rebecca Ashdown Oxford University Press UK 2016

  • Odd Socks Michelle Robinson & Rebecca Ashdown, Andersen Press UK 2016

  • The Glump and the Peeble Wendy Meddour & Rebecca Ashdown, Frances Lincoln UK 2016

  • The Whopper Rebecca Ashdown, Templar UK 2015

  • Zoo Boy Sophie Thompson & Rebecca Ashdown, Faber & Faber UK 2015

  • Bob and Flo - The Missing Bucket Rebecca Ashdown, Oxford University Press UK 2014

  • How the Library (NOT the Prince) Saved Rapunzel Wendy Meddour & Rebecca Ashdown, Frances Lincoln UK 2014

  • Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats TS Eliot & Rebecca Ashdown, Faber & Faber UK 2014

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Photo credit Hannah Dyson