About Matt

Matt Buckingham is an internationally published author, illustrator, educator and designer with specialisms in children’s publications and picture books.

After completing his degree at Loughborough University and his Masters in Illustration at Falmouth School of Art, Matt moved to London and established himself as a successful children’s book author and illustrator. Matt now lives in Cheshire with his wife, two children, a big dog called Otto and a naughty tortoise. He shares his time illustrating and writing as the creative director of Muddy Publishing Ltd and teaches part time as a senior lecturer on the BA Hons Illustration award at Staffordshire University. Matt is a Higher Education Academy Fellow.

Matt Painting

Matt works with a wide variety of media including inks and watercolour as well as creating combined traditional and digital artwork. His books have sold in excess of half a million copies world wide, where he has created some charming characters in pre-school novelty books such as Peek-a-Boo Penguins to the best selling picture book character series Bright Stanley (With a title nominated for the Kate Greenaway Award). He has also illustrated poetry books and historical non-fiction.

Matt has worked for a wide variety of clients from the BBC, The Royal Collection, Birmingham Museum Trust, Little Tiger Press, Caterpillar Books, Lion Children’s Books, Orchard Books, Wayland Books, Hachette Children’s Books, Macmillian Books, Oxford University Press, Collins (Big Cat Books), Rigby, Harcourt, Scholastic and MENCAP. Matt is excellent at solving creative problems for challenging and sensitive subject matters.


Matt’s Published Work

2024 – Quack, Quack Take Two Steps Back: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham in partnership with the Canal and River Trust (Muddy Publishing Ltd)

2022 – Big Fish Little Fish: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Muddy Publishing Ltd)

2020 – Duck!: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Muddy Publishing Ltd)

2020 – Kristen and the Crow “Kristen’s Adventure at Squirrel Wood”: Written by Christine Johnson, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Muddy Publishing Ltd)

2020 – Kristen and the Crow “The Cabbage Patch”: Written by Christine Johnson, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Muddy Publishing Ltd)

2018 – The Magic Rocking Horse: Written by Christine Johnson, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Muddy Publishing Ltd)

2018 – Max, Mouse and the Doll’s House: Written by Christine Johnson, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Austin Macauley Publishers)

2017 – Bright Stanley and the Mermaid Tale: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Muddy Publishing Ltd)

2016 – Max, Mole and the Dinosaurs: Written by Christine Johnson, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Novum Publishing)

2014 – Wimpy Shrimpy: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Little Tiger Press)

2014 – Bible People Factfile: Written by Peter Martin, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Lion Children’s Books)

2013 – Tug: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Collins Educational)

2012 – Bright Stanley Double Trouble: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Little Tiger Press)

2012 – Way to Go! – Beyond 2: Written by Amy MacDonald, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Topla – Chunjae Educational Inc.)

2012 – Fairy Tale Twists – The Big Bad Werewolf: Written by Katie Dale, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Orchard Books)

2012 – Fairy Tale Twists – The Not-so-evil Stepmother: Written by Katie Dale, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Orchard Books)

2012 – Fairy Tale Twists -The Wickedest Witch: Written by Katie Dale, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Orchard Books)

2012 – Fairy Tale Twists – Goldilocks and the Pea: Written by Katie Dale, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Orchard Books)

2012 – Fairy Tale Twists – Prince Charming’s Princess Quest: Written by Katie Dale, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Orchard Books)

2012 – Fairy Tale Twists – The Unfair-y Godmother: Written by Katie Dale, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Orchard Books)

2012 – Fairy Tale Twists – Jack to the Rescue!: Written by Katie Dale, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Orchard Books)

2012 – Fairy Tale Twists – Three Magic Mice: Written by Katie Dale, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Orchard Books)

2011 – The Poor Pirates – Pirate Pants: Written by Tom Easton, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2011 – The Poor Pirates – Bangers And Crash: Written by Tom Easton, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2011 – The Poor Pirates – The Pirate Code: Written by Tom Easton, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2011 – The Poor Pirates – Fishfingers And Leaks: Written by Tom Easton, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2011 – Can Rory and Maisie Save the School Fete?: Written by Andrew Corcoran, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (The Blueberry Press)

2011 – Miss von der Stropp’s Fizz Bang Sweet Shop: Written by Andrew Corcoran, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (The Blueberry Press)

2010 – The Gruesome Truth about the Vikings: Written by Jillian Powell, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2010 – The Gruesome Truth about the Victorians: Written by Jillian Powell, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2010 – The Gruesome Truth about the Tudors: Written by Jillian Powell, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2010 – The Gruesome Truth about the Middle Ages: Written by Jillian Powell, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2010 -Bright Stanley and the Cave Monster: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Little Tiger Press)

2009 – Help Your Child Develop Emotional Literacy: The Parents’ Guide to Happy Children: Written by Betty K Rudd, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Continuum Education)

2009 – The Best Nest: Written by Laura Datta, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Caterpillar books)

2008 – The Gruesome Truth about the Aztecs: Written by Jillian Powell, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2008 – The Gruesome Truth about the Greeks: Written by Jillian Powell, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2008 – The Gruesome Truth about the Egyptians: Written by Jillian Powell, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2008 – The Gruesome Truth about the Romans: Written by Jillian Powell, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Wayland)

2008 – Where Whale Went: Written by Laura Datta, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Caterpillar books)

2007 – Pirates: Written by Julia Donaldson, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Oxford University Press)

2007 – Pirate Poems: Written by David Harmer, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Macmillian)

2007 – Peek-a-boo Penguins: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Caterpillar books)

2006 – Save the Whales: Written by Linda Barr, Illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Harcourt)

2006 – Bright Stanley: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Little Tiger Press)

2005 – The Not So Abominable Snowman: Written and illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Little Tiger Press)

2005 – Pat and Nat: Written by Monica Hughes, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Rigby Star)

2005 – Nobody Laughs at a Lion: Written by Paul Bright, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Little Tiger Press)

2000 – Football Fever: Written by John Foster, illustrated by Matt Buckingham (Oxford University Press)