The Brief: A self-authored, illustrated, and designed picture book project that introduces readers to Missy Moo the Highland Coo, a fluffy cow who isn’t afraid to embrace exactly who she is.
The Problem: As a debut author-illustrator, the challenge was to build a brand-new children’s book property from scratch that could compete with established characters on crowded bookstore shelves. From a design standpoint, Highland cows have famously thick, long fur that can easily obscure facial features; I needed to create a highly expressive, recognizable character while maintaining her iconic, fluffy textures, while balancing a tight layout grid that allowed my rhyming text to flow perfectly.
The Solution: I developed Missy Moo using a signature mix of bold, clean shapes and rich, digitally painted fur textures that keep her looking incredibly soft and lovable while preserving her expressive features. To make the entire book feel like a cohesive piece of art, I leaned heavily into my background in surface pattern design, framing the pages with whimsical, florals, repeating nature motifs, and custom textures.
The Impact:Missy Moo became a massive breakout indie success, selling over 5,000 copies in its first 18 months and winning the prestigious Silver Moonbeam Children's Book Award (Pre-School Category). Its success launched an expanding brand, including Missy Moo and Friends (Colouring Book) and Peek-a-Boo Missy Moo!, which was honoured as a CCBC Starred Choice in Board Books.
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