Theo loves being outside. One day, at school, Theo’s class have a visitor who gives all the children an acorn and tells them how to care for it – the children even get to bring it home after school.

Theo loves his tiny ‘tree-to-be’. He gives it a name, Oakie, and he makes sure to look after Oakie, taking it everywhere with him.

Isla McGuckin is a dreamer and a writer and the proud mother of daughters. Born and raised in urban Yorkshire, Isla is now based in rural Donegal.

Isla’s first picture book, April’s Garden, has garnered international success, with inclusion in the White Raven catalogue and shortlistings for a number of awards.

Circle Yuen is an author-illustrator and a quiet seeker of stories.

Born in Hong Kong and now living in the UK, Circle is drawn to the emotions that often go unspoken. She believes picture books can hold space for children navigating change — offering comfort, courage and a gentle sense of home.

With a background in social innovation and an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art, Circle brings together art and advocacy in her storytelling. Her first picture book, Our Dance, also published by Graffeg, sensitively explored the experience of Child Contact Centres from a child’s perspective and was longlisted for the prestigious 2026 Klaus Flugge Prize.

A finalist in the Bologna Illustrators Exhibition, Circle continues to develop new picture books rooted in lived experience, exploring themes of resilience, belonging and family with emotional honesty and quiet strength.

www.circleyuenlokling.com