The only hint of tension in Fred Gets Dressed comes when Fred’s parents walk into their room to find him dressed up like his mother.


I subtly heightened the tension by using the book gutter to separate the characters. This creates a physical, tangible distance between them, but is there any emotional distance? I didn’t want to tell readers what to think, so I made this a wordless spread, and readers can only wonder what’s going on inside each of the characters. However, the characters don’t give much away because I illustrated them with no expressions or body language. This scene is like a blank canvas upon which readers can project their own feelings. Some readers might see nothing unusual here and feel no tension at all. Other readers might feel slightly uncomfortable at the sight of a boy in a dress. My hope is that by following Fred, step-by-step, on his little journey, all readers will feel a sense of understanding and connection with him. Empathy is the focus of most of my books, these days, and this book is no exception.


I like the idea that readers might linger on this illustration, briefly examining whatever feelings it stirs up. And then, when they’re ready, they can simply turn the page to see what happens next.


Fred Gets Dressed is published by Templar Books, 978-1787419506, £6.99 pbk


Books for Keeps No.248 May 2021 7


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