Family Workshop: The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland

The Night Before Christmasin Wonderland (Macmillan Children’s Books, 2019) has been translated into ten languages and adapted into an animated Christmas musical feature voiced by Gerard Butler, Emilia Clarke and Simone Ashley (Lupus Films/Sky Universal). Her other titles include Hot Cross Bunny (Happy Yak), illustrated by Mark Chambers, which was chosen as the CBeebies Easter Sunday Bedtime Story 2025 and read by Reverend Kate Bottley. Carys’ forthcoming books include The Night Before Christmas in Neverland – also illustrated by Kate Hindley – publishing in October 2025, and Nik-Nak Bunny, a new novelty board book series illustrated by Jenny Wren and launching with Simon & Schuster in March 2026. Her heartfelt characters and whimsical worlds have resonated with readers worldwide, establishing her as a beloved author in contemporary children’s literature. She lives in London with her two dogs Luna and Pippin.

Kate went on to work for two years as a print designer at a studio in Northampton, whilst working freelance on children’s books and greetings cards. She has exhibited with her good chums Girls Who Draw and Inkygoodness across the UK, and had a jolly good time painting up a totem pole for the Pictoplasma Character Walk exhibition 2011. Kate’s first picture book The Great Snortle Hunt, written by Claire Freedman, was longlisted for the 2013 Kate Greenaway Medal. Since then Kate has illustrated picture books including How to Wash a Woolly Mammoth, You Must Bring a Hat, The Same But Different Too and The Night Before Christmas in Wonderland, as well as books for older children like The Royal Rabbits series and The Girl With the Lost Smile by Miranda Hart.