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many featuring characters from favourite children’s books including the Mr Men and Roald Dahl.
It’s a clever and innovative way to create further public profile for books and reading and encourage new ways to encourage engagement and participation in the imaginative worlds that books and stories can unfold.
Ben Reed, Head of Creative
Development for Wild in Art says: “Public art is hugely important, and Manchester especially is a city packed full of it.” Just as the book bench project worked with libraries across Manchester, The Wendy’s House project has partnered with libraries. The project is based on an idea by Alex Strick, and is led by Jo Williams. It was set up as a legacy project in memory of reading and children’s book expert Wendy Cooling to offer children a special place to curl up with a book. “The initial houses were erected in a school library in Sikkim, India and a public library in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia (Borneo) to reflect Wendy’s international connections. These were soon followed by the first UK Wendy’s House, developed with Bromley Libraries. Each site features a fun fabric ‘Wendy House’ and a selection of books to discover inside.”
Ensuring children have a sense of involvement and ownership of the spaces is key. “One way of achieving this has been to involve children themselves in personalising them. In Bromley, local school children came together to decorate their new Wendy House with their own colourful artwork. Award-winning illustrator Steve Antony also helped with the design, adorning it with a huge ‘Rainbowsaurus’ and the official Wendy’s House logo.”
This method helps ensure that every Wendy’s House has a unique appearance which reflects the local community and the creativity and interests of the children who live there.
Alex and Jo describe the impact of the project, saying: “The Wendy’s Houses have been an instant hit, offering an out- of-the-ordinary haven to escape with a book. Their portability allows them to be moved freely. In Bromley, the Wendy’s House is based primarily in Orpington Library, where it can often be found in the Sensory Room, providing a popular attraction for children with additional needs to explore.”
One of the great things about the Autumn-Winter 2025 Steve Antony with Wendy’s House.
The Wendy’s Houses have been an instant hit, offering an out-of-the-ordinary haven to escape with a book.
Wendy’s House Project with Jo Williams, Alex Strick and Jenny Hawke (YLG).
Wendy’s House project is that it’s relatively low-cost. Jo and Alex are keen to hear from anyone interested in hosting or sponsoring one. “The dream is to procure funding to have Wendy’s Houses in as many places as possible around not only the UK but also the many countries where Wendy shared her passion for children’s books and reading to continue her legacy discovering the joy of books and creativity.”
Jenny Hawke, Chair of YLG and librarian at Orpington Library in Bromley, talks about the creation of the space. “We asked a local primary school to bring a group of children to decorate the house with felt tip pens drawing beautiful
butterflies, bees, flowers, plants and other designs which reflected the beauty of the natural world.
“Steve Antony launched the House in the library after he ‘d painted a fantastically colourful Rainbowsaurus on its roof. Steve followed this by reading the book to a very excited audience of children and their families!.” The Wendy’s House now gets used regularly by children and families. “It is easy to move around, so is very flexible and is often used in our Sensory Room by families and school groups who have children with additional needs.” The House has been made a special setting for storytimes and activities in the library. “It was an honour and a privilege to participate in such an innovative project. Bromley has a long and established history with the Bookstart programme and we have seen firsthand the joy which the Bookstart packs have brought to families over the years, thus it feels fitting to remember Wendy Cooling, the founder of Bookstart and to house one of the wonderful Wendy’s Houses at Orpington Library.”
Working with illustrators to create dynamic artwork can create excitement and new ways to engage with audiences. It can also reflect local culture, heritage and the environment building a sense of ownership and pride in the locality. PEN&INC.
PEN&INC. 15
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