2011
The Birth of Horace and Hattie
One day, while Lucy watched her two young daughters play in the garden greenhouse, Horace and Hattie were born.
The girls liked pottering about making mud pies, while Lucy sat on a log trying to come up with new characters for greeting cards. She decided to draw some hedgehogs, as they're actually very hard to get right. When she showed them to her husband Steve that evening, he said they were too good just to go on cards and they deserved a story of their own…
And just like that, Hedgehugs was born!
2012
Incorporating Baby Clothes
Over the next few days, Lucy and Steve discussed the little characters (who would eventually become known as Horace and Hattie) and came up with the beautiful story which is so popular today. They had a great story on their hands but knew they needed something unique to give Hedgehugs that extra boost - they found it in the loft!
Their girls were growing up fast, and the loft was full of bags filled with baby clothes. Knowing they had to go, but being unable to throw them away due to the memories attached to them, Lucy decided to use her creativity to solve the problem.
She began scanning each little, tiny item of clothing into her computer, creating a virtual memory bank of patterns and colours. She then used those scans to create little moments in the scenes – many of the outfits, flowers and critters which appear in the Hedgehugs picture books feature snippets of the girls’ baby clothes, forever capturing those early memories in an adorable picture book.
2014
Hedgehugs gets published
The next step was finding a publisher. Lucy and Steve received their fair amount of rejections, but they just needed that one magic yes, which as it turns out, evolved from a no!
After another unsuccessful meeting, they received a call from someone who had attended that earlier presentation, who said he would like to send our book to his friend at Maverick Arts Publishing.
Lucy and Steve appreciated the gesture but thought nothing would probably come of it until… the very next day they took a call from Maverick and the rest is history!
2014
Awards and TV
As if having a children’s book published wasn’t exciting enough, in the very same year Lucy and Steve heard that their story had been selected to appear on Cbeebies Bedtime Stories.
More good news followed as Hedgehugs also became shortlisted for the Heart Of Hawick Awards, the Evening Standard's Oscars' First Book Prize, and The People's Book Prize.
2015-2016
More adventures for Horace and Hattie
Once Hedgehugs was published, things just kept progressing. The second story in the picture book series, Horace and Hattiepillar, was published in May 2015, followed by board book adaptations of both stories. Hopping Hot and Hide and Squeak completed the range, both published in 2016.
The Hedgehugs Woodland Activity Book was launched a year later, which would bring much-needed joy once again to hundreds of children when Steve and Lucy donated activity books to each pupil in every primary school in their local area during the pandemic.
2015
Horace and Hattie travel the world
Henry Holt and Company, a division of Macmillan Publishers, took on the Hedgehugs book series in 2015 and introduced them to the USA, where Horace and Hattie are still much loved to this day.
The books are now sold throughout the world and translated into multiple languages and have received thousands of 5* reviews!
2016
A Hedgehugs animation
Hedgehugs has been developed into an animated series written by Emma Hogan and developed by King Rollo Films Ltd.
Although they are still awaiting a channel to commission it, Lucy is keeping Horace and Hattie's wardrobes up to date just in case Hollywood calls!
2016-2025
A year of Hedgehugs
Horace and Hattie have graced the walls of houses across the UK throughout the last decade, starring in beautiful framed prints, greetings cards, calendars and family organisers.
Click here to purchase your copy of the Hedgehugs 2025 Family Organiser.
2024
Hedgehugs gets a facelift
Now, ten years later, Lucy and Steve have decided to revisit the book that started it all!
It is the same beautiful story, the same adorable characters and the same prickly problem, but the improved illustrations showcase all that Lucy has learned.
After illustrating over a hundred books since Hedgehugs, Lucy feels she has truly honed her craft. Horace and Hattie are the most cherished characters that she has ever created, and she has finally illustrated them in the way she imagined all those years ago, but just didn’t quite have the skills to achieve. Looking more adorable than ever, Steve and Lucy hope that the new illustrations will introduce them to a whole new generation!
Horace and Hattie have gone through a few changes since their debut a decade ago. They now have extra spiky little bodies, much more expressive eyes and they finally have ears!
Here’s to the next ten years of Horace and Hattie’s adventures!
The updated version of Hedgehugs will be available to purchase on 28th October 2024.