Illustrator Spotlight: Chris Mould on The Iron Man

At Literacy Counts, we are passionate about the power of illustrations to spark imagination and inspire reading for pleasure. In our first ever Illustrator Spotlight, we are thrilled to feature award-winning illustrator Chris Mould, whose illustrated edition of The Iron Man by Ted Hughes is a core text in our Year 3 Ready Steady Write units. 

This blog is perfect for class teachers to share with their Year 3 class when working on this Ready Steady Write unit. Chris’ reflections offer a rare behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, while showing children how much thought goes into bringing a story to life through art. 

In this special feature, Chris shares his insights on the power of visual storytelling, his connection to The Iron Man and how illustrations can encourage a lifelong love of reading. 

“Illustrations are little milestones for the walk you take through a story.” 
What makes illustrations so powerful in engaging young readers? 

 Chris: “When I was younger, reaching an illustration in a book felt like a little reward. Illustrations are little milestones for the walk you take through a story. But that's not its sole purpose of course. Illustrations help you realise a narrative more clearly. Your own vision of something in your head, when you read it, is probably a series of foggy, blurred, half-formed images. Good illustration with well-formed characters and environments helps to enrich a narrative and clarify the world around it.” 

How do you approach creating illustrations that spark imagination and curiosity? 

 Chris: “I think what children really want in those moments is good drawing. They want to be assured and further informed by what they're presented with visually. So, it's all about being convinced by what they see. That's what will give them those 'wow' moments. So, if it's a dragon, a giant robot, a sea monster, a school playground in the rain on a dreary Monday, a magical white forest in winter, it's always about being able to portray those things well. I think if you can immerse people in environments and make characters feel real it will do its job.” 

“Coming back to it in this way had always been an absolute dream of mine.” 
What was your experience like illustrating The Iron Man? 

 Chris: “I'd first found this book as a young boy at school. So, coming back to it in this way had always been an absolute dream of mine. In some ways it was quite emotive. It had a deeper meaning than just illustrating a book. It had meant so much to me and at a difficult time. Many other illustrators had also worked on this text, so this in itself was quite daunting. It meant I had to really think about what I had to offer to the story. What did I have to say that no one else had?” 

Were there specific aspects of the story that you felt illustrations could really enhance? 

 Chris: “In many ways I looked for elements that hadn't visually been picked up on before. But also, for moments that felt quite surreal in terms of imagery. So, for example, when he walks out into the sea, I loved the idea of what that must have looked like from underwater. And when he is taken apart and all the engineers are removing nuts and bolts and panels with cranes and chains etc. He becomes quite vulnerable when he's only half built, and we see him differently. Also, when he's buried under the earth. There was something very eerie about that too.” 

Did you have young readers in mind when illustrating the book? 

 Chris: “It might sound strange, but I never really think of the age of viewers to the story. I think that's because I just want to show the story as it's visualised in my head. That means I have to trust in the process and hope that what I see is what other people want. Sometimes I have to be reined in—usually if an image is a little dark and too scary. But I prefer to test it out first and see what the reaction is at rough stage.” 

“We’re competing for interest here.” 
How can visual storytelling help address the decline in reading for pleasure? 

 Chris: “I think about this a lot. Everything is so much more visual these days in every part of our lives. If we go on holiday, we've seen the journey, beach, hotel somewhere online before we arrive. If we're going out for a meal, we've seen the menu before we leave the house and decided what we like the look of. Whatever we do these days, for the most part, pictures are taken during the process—going to the park, eating out, going for a walk. And so much else of what we do is visually led. Computer games, apps, interactive screens in all walks of life. So visual storytelling is essential because storytelling has to tag along with everything else we do and we're competing for interest here. 

 In short, we want people to put down their computer games to read our books.” 

Do you have any advice for educators and parents on using illustrations to encourage reading? 

 Chris: “I think the popularity of the graphic novel is a really good example of how we are adapting to the current climate whereby reading is struggling to engage young people. A graphic novel gives that visual reassurance and guidance that readers need now. I feel they're actually looking for that confirmation from a story and if they don't have it, they begin to disengage. I think we need to accept that and deal with it. More graphic novels and more visual content (said the illustrator… Ha)!” 

“One day it might happen to them. And there’s no reason why not.” 

Chris’ illustrated edition of The Iron Man is a central part of our Year 3 Ready Steady Write curriculum. Across our schools, his work has inspired children to write with confidence and purpose, explore deep ideas and bring their own stories to life. 

Chris: “I just love that The Iron Man has been a big part of my own life and that I was able to come back and make my own contribution to the story and share it. It has been a key text to so many young people and for so long and it always inspires so much imagination in them. 

 The work they produce is incredible and you can tell how much they love spending their time being creative. I always tell the children that when I was younger, I could not have imagined that one day I would get to illustrate a book I found on the shelf in the library. 

 And I explain that one day it might happen to them. And there's no reason why not.” 

Where to find Chris’ books 

Chris has illustrated a wide range of titles, including: 

• A Boy Called Christmas series by Matt Haig (Canongate) 

• War of the Worlds (graphic novel) 

• Animal Farm by George Orwell (Faber) 

• Pirates’n’Pistols, Dust’n’Bones and Fangs’n’Fire (Hachette) 

Chris: “I always look to support indie bookshops where I can and visit my local ones as much as possible to sign their stock—so anywhere in Halifax, West Yorkshire will definitely always have signed stock from me. But generally, I think you can find me in most places. And if not, people can give me a shout online.” You can find Chris on Instagram here: @chrismouldink.

We are so grateful to Chris for his time, honesty and inspiration. Throughout this blog, we are proud to share some of the incredible writing and artwork created by children across our Ready Steady Write schools—each one a reflection of the power of combining great stories with unforgettable illustrations. 

Would you like to bring The Iron Man into your curriculum with Ready Steady Write? 

 Get in touch for free samples and bespoke costings today. Find out more about Ready Steady Write here.