Master cozy illustration of Jill Barklem and her cute mouse tale

Inspired by the observations of the countryside around Epping in Essex, where she grew up, Jill Barklem came up with a series of illustrations on the subway. When she went on a course at the School of arts of St. Martin's in Central London, she often had to use a subway. Hating crowded train, she was mentally transported to a magical world, full of space and filled it with mouse society.

Beautiful detailed illustrations of the book series "bramblepoint" (Brambly Hedge) reprinted for many years. Their heroes — charming anthropomorphic mice who live in the roots and trunks of trees and hedgerows.

The first four books were published in 1980. They invited readers into the world of the mouse and were divided according to the seasons: "Spring story, Summer story, Autumn story and Winter story". The book became very popular and were followed by seven more.

Jill Barklem, the author of these books, was born in 1951 in the small town of Epping, in the English County of Essex. The town is protected from urban sprawl of London, the ancient forest of Epping forest. Around was very picturesque countryside and little Jill spent a lot of time observing nature.

At the age of thirteen years, Jill retinal detachment, and this led to the fact that she was no longer able to play sports in school. Instead, she spent time in the drawing room or flipping through books in the library. Jill found immense pleasure in painting flowers and branches, the pleasure that determined her future.

Jill grew up and wanted to study illustration at the School of arts of St. Martin in London, the oldest English-language University (founded in 1854 in London) design in the world, and the first such institution in the UK.

London underground accidentally played a key role in the development of the "BlackBerry Polyany" in the minds of Jill. After a quiet life, she went to art College metro station on the Central line from Epping, and...

During these trips, Jill disconnected from reality and was in his fictional world with hedges and its inhabitants mice. These moments of escape from underground to the bustle gradually evolved into what is known worldwide as "the bramblepoint".

The illustrations were visually created in the tradition of stories by Beatrix Potter and Alison Uttle for little kids, but they soon became just as popular among adults, who loved the magical world of Jill. The books have been translated into 13 languages, and sales have reached more than 7 million copies.

One of the reasons for the success of the call what books have appeared on the wave of unemployment, when people were looking for what was offered Jill a safe and friendly place, where everyone would be happy and cared about each other.

Jill was completely immersed in the world she has created. She was absorbed by the tiny details of everything, from flowers on the tree before the mechanisms of the machines. Her office and the kitchen was littered with dried flowers, shells, nuts, feathers — all that she could collect and use in the world: Chicken of the clearing.

Being a great chef, she was sure that every recipe that used a mouse at picnics and feasts were indeed present from available ingredients. She applied the same approach to machine guns, which she created Brambly Hedge; all machines in the rat mill and dairy industries has been tested Jill in miniature working models.

Jill Barklem, children's writer and Illustrator, born may 23, 1951; died 15 November 2017