Introduction
Experiment with methods, explore ideas and critically reflect on your practice to develop your own personal visual vocabulary. Create original children’s book projects, supported by a team of internationally-recognised illustrators.
Already have an ARU degree? You may be eligible for our Alumni Scholarship and/or our Mark Wood CBE Art and Design Scholarship for students starting postgraduate courses.
The first course of its kind, MA Children’s Book Illustration was established at Cambridge School of Art in 2001 and is led by Course Leader Shelley Jackson. Over the last twenty years, we’ve seen hundreds of graduates publish children’s books around the world, many to critical acclaim. Students and graduates often dominate national and international awards too, as well as having the chance to win our own Sebastian Walker Prize, run in conjunction with Walker Books.
This taught, studio-based postgraduate degree is offered full-time or part-time. You’ll develop your practice in the art of children’s book illustration in a supportive, open and friendly studio environment with leading practitioners, including Alexis Deacon, Sophie Burrows, Birgitta Sif, Juliet Docherty, Charles Shearer, Dave Barrow, Arthur Vergani, Flavia Drago, Ella Beech and Marina Ruiz.
See more of our students' work and exhibitions on Instagram.
Course options
Key facts
Student experience
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Macmillan Prize 2025
Graduate Marguerite Davidson took first place with fellow alumnus Carol Law named runner-up. 14 of 20 Highly Commended awards went to students or graduates from the course.
Find out more
Batsford Prize 2025
Will Knight won the Children’s Illustration category, with Vannysha Chang taking runner-up. 2024 winner Naomi Tipping and Georgia Lumley were also shortlisted.
Find out more about the 2025 Batsford Prize
Graduate show 2025
See photos from our annual Children's Book Illustration exhibition at the Ruskin Gallery and explore the full catalogue of work by graduating students.
Explore our 2025 show
Kate Winter
MA Children's Book Illustration graduate Kate won the 2024 Klaus Flugge Prize for her first authored picturebook, and now teaches on our Illustration BA (Hons).
Read Kate Winter's Spotlight interview
V&A Illustration Awards 2024
Aditi Anand was named Emerging Illustrator of 2024 in these prestigious awards, with fellow alumni Ella Beech, Bethan Welby, Lisa Sheehan and Olivia Daw also shortlisted.
Find out more about Aditi's success
Klaus Flugge Prize 2024
Kate Winter – now a lecturer at ARU – won the £5,000 top prize for her book "Fossil Hunter". Fellow graduates Angela Vives and Bia Melo also made the six-person shortlist.
Find out more about Kate's success
Macmillan Prize for Illustration 2024
Our students took the top three prizes in this prestigious competition, with Abi Bi (pictured) taking first place, and Claire Lemp and Antara Raman second and third.
Find out more about our Macmillan Prize successes
Charlotte Durance
Charlotte won the Children's Illustration category in the Batsford Prize 2024 for "Fishy Friday"
Read more about Charlotte's winning project
Naomi Tipping
Naomi won the Illustration category in the Batsford Prize 2024 for "Oh Crumbs"
Read more about Naomi's winning project
Golden Pinwheel Competition 2023
Graduates Thea Lu, Roozeboos (Anne Roos Kleiss), and Narisa Togo, and current student Hu Huizi were selected as four of 100 finalists and now go on to show their work at China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair 2023.
Read more about the Golden Pinwheel Competition 2023
Picture This! competition 2023
Graduate Chia Hsieh, and students Aditi Anand and Charlotte Durance, were the winners of Walker Books' Picture This! competition.
Discover more of our recent successes
Mariajo Ilustrajo
Mariajo won the 2023 Klaus Flugge Prize - one of four of our graduates to make the shortlist for the competition.
Read more about Mariajo's success
Simona Massa
Simona won the New Talent category in the AOI World Illustration Awards 2023 for her book "Gino", developed on the course.
Read more about Simona's winning project
Forest Xiao
Student Forest Xiao won the Children’s Illustration category of the Batsford Prize 2023 for "How To Catch An Idea".
See more of our award-winning students
Flora Delargy
Flora has been shortlisted for the 2023 Yoto-Carnegie Medal for Illustration for her book "Rescuing Titanic", about the rescue vessel Carpathia that saved hundreds of Titanic passengers”
Find out more about Flora’s success
Aining Wen
Aining won ARU’s Alumni Rising Star Award 2023. Since graduating, she has worked as a children’s book editor with Daylight Publishing House, and also published several picturebooks of her own.
Read our interview with Aining
Justin Worsley
Justin was awarded the 2023 Sebastian Walker Award by Walker Books. The judges praised him as “a stylish artist who completely understands colour and composition, but makes art that’s utterly kid-friendly at heart.”
See Justin’s profile on our graduate showcase site
Shelley Jackson
Shelley Jackson is Course Leader for our MA Children's Book Illustration, and an author, illustrator and designer of children’s books.
Read Shelley's Spotlight interview
Bo Yang
Since graduating from our MA, Bo has published many picturebooks as well as teaching illustration at Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology.
Read Bo's Spotlight interview
Joseph Hollis
Joseph won the 2022 Klaus Flugge Prize for his book "Pierre’s New Hair", the fourth graduate from our course to win the award in five years
Find out more about Joseph’s success
Lauren Emmons
Lauren illustrated 'Prak Fills The House', written by Donna L. Washington, published by Peachtree
Discover more of our Awards and Successes
Emilie Gill
Emilie illustrated 'All By Myself', written by Stephanie Shaw and published by Peachtree
Melissa
"Since 2015, I have been a full-time freelance illustrator, illustrating for book covers, picture books, editorial, textiles, packaging and stationery. It’s what I hoped and dreamed of doing."
Drawing inspiration with MelissaEntry Requirements
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Fees and Paying for University
JONAH HELLER
"I've witnessed first hand how the children's illustration program at Cambridge School of Art is absolutely dedicated to connecting its students to publishing professionals worldwide... I love finding US artists in their program, and I can't wait to hire more!"
JONAH HELLEREditor, Peachtree Publishing Company Inc., Atlanta
Discover our awards and successesFacilities
Studios and workshops
As well as our dedicated illustration studio, you’ll have use of the following facilities:
- a specialist printmaking studio with facilities for etching, screenprinting, relief printing, plate lithography, risograph and letterpress
- a life drawing studio
- a 3D workshop with facilities for wood/metal work, laser cutting, 3D printing and an annexe for 'wet' work including plaster, clay and mould making
- photography studios and darkrooms
- Mac suites for digital imaging and book design.
Industry-standard equipment
All our Illustration students have access to facilities including:
- the full Adobe Creative suite
- Macs
- scanners and wide-format printers
- printmaking workshop
- letterpress workshop
- photography and video equipment, including digital cameras and lighting kits.
Lecturers
Elys Dolan
Lecturer
Careers
Many graduates of our MA Children’s Book Illustration degree now enjoy careers as freelance authors and illustrators for children. Among them are Paula Metcalf, Marta Altés, Nadia Shireen, Birgitta Sif, Steve Antony, Matt Robertson, Flavia C Drago, Matty Long, Melissa Castrillon, Taylor Dolan, Nicola Kent, Emily Haworth Booth and Eva Eland.
You may choose to show your work to leading publishing companies and literary agencies at our optional annual graduation exhibition held in London before returning to our own Ruskin Gallery in Cambridge. The graduation exhibition also includes a catalogue of student work shared with publishers, a website (cambridgemashow.com), and social media campaign, all organised and funded by students separate of the course.
Upon completion of the course, you may also choose to take part in our student stand at the annual Bologna Children’s Book Fair, where tutors will show your work to publishers from around the globe. Like the graduation exhibition, this professional development event is available only to our course graduates, requires an additional fee, and is separate of the course. Many students also attend the fair in-person in order to participate in lectures and workshops or volunteer on our stand.
Graduation doesn’t have to be the end of your time with us. You could choose to continue your academic career with a research programme at ARU such as our PhD Children’s Book Illustration. Take advantage of our Alumni Scholarship and save £400 on your fees.
Life in Cambridge
Our friendly, bustling campus is a stone’s throw from the centre of Cambridge, often described as the perfect student city.
Our favourite places in Cambridge Did you know...? Facts about Cambridge Watch: Our Cambridge
Benefits of postgraduate study
Improve your employability, progress in your career, and take on an intellectual challenge with our flexible postgraduate degrees.
Postgraduate study at ARU