Hilary’s love of sparking intrigue, excitement and magic in the minds of the children reading her books shines through in her illustrations and stories. Her work is filled with magic dragons, fairies, toys, animals from the natural world, often with hidden details for children to discover on every page and inspire both children and adults alike.
Hilary is proud to say that all her books are produced and published in Great Britain. All the illustrative fine art is painted in fine brush work and Designer's Gouache, then wax varnished by hand for protection, like the Renaissance artists did.
‘She tempts animation through her characters, draws chaos in her patterning, charisma in her rationale, empathy in her stories and humour in her illustrations.’ - The Guardian
For purchase enquiries, email hilaryroper@hotmail.com
The Great Monster Hunt
The new edition (as the copyright fell back into Hilary's hands recently) is renamed The Great Monster Hunt . Matty is a water vole living on a barge on the canal. One day he decides to hunt for a dragon monster to bring to the gala day which will attract tourists to the village. So Matty and his friends go on a dragon monster hunt. Matty is a mischievous water vole who brings prosperity to the creatures of the forest. This hunt takes them through Autumn, Winter and Spring with creatures playing musical instruments in the forest to attract such a dragon, to Matty hunting in a circus or asking shop owners if they know where to find one. The story is based in the English countryside, in museums, circuses, canals, rivers and water meadows which leads out to the seashore. After many adventures, Matty eventually does find one out at sea. He flies high in an air balloon and sends a note down to the dragon monster begging him to come to the gala day. A dragon monster is hidden in every, full-page illustration for children to hunt for. Inside this highly detailed, illustrated book there are over 60 species of natural wildlife.
Hilary’s illustrations are vibrant in pattern and textures and kaleidoscopic in colour. She wanted a child to be able to turn each page and stroke the feathers of the tawny owl and it be so real, a child could almost feel it was alive. This set of illustrations was recommended by HRH Prince Charles for exhibition with the National Trust, at Sudbury Hall, Derbyshire and was valued highly by Sotheby’s of London. It was published by Quay Publishers and entered for The Children's Book of the Year Award by Lancashire Children's Librarian Association in 1991. It took ten years to complete as each illustration measures 14 inches by 21 inches.
Hilary studied in the archives of ten museums across the north of England to create this particular book, which diplays flamboyant antiquities.
Adventure genre. Ages 5 to 10 years. Landscape format. Some poetry within the story.
The Great Monster Hunt, second edition is waiting to go to print.
Surtsey the Cat
Surtsey is a striped, ginger Tom living with his master, the fisherman. He helps his master mend all the fishing nets and this is where we meet him by the harbour wall. One day though, against the fisherman's wishes, this intrepid cat creeps aboard the fishing boat and unbeknown to his master sails out to the Icelandic seas. Suddenly there is a vicious storm monster and Surtsey, who is sat on top of the fishing boat suddenly and frighteningly slips off into the sea. Like all traditional fairy tales, on the third page or so, we see fear as poor Surtsey cries out, 'Help! I cannot swim.' Slowly, he sinks past the sharks to the bottom of the sea, there to suddenly find a mermaid. They become big friends and after many adventures, she helps him find the nets belonging to his master's boat.
This book has over 24 species of natural wildlife in it. It is a warm-hearted adventure.
Ages 2 to 6 yrs. Hand painted. Portrait Format, full colour and a glossy hardback. Adventure genre.
£20 for signed copy
Sashka the Snow Princess and All the Creatures of the Frozen North
We find Sashka lying down on the snow playing with a glass ball, bored and lonely. Sashka is keen to play but there are no friends to play with in the frozen north. There are no other snow children living in the Frozen North so Sashka feels sad and alone. But it is not that long before the creatures of the frozen north start poking their noses in at the palace, becoming nuisances and coaxing her to come out to play. Together they get up to all sorts of tricks; this brave, fun-loving princess with glassy slippers who can slide and fly. She has many adventures swimming with Narwhal, riding reindeer and learning to fly. With all the creatures of the frozen north she turns her life around; friends for a lifetime and she learns to care for them too.
Ages 4 to 9. Glossy hardback. Hand painted. A story with some poetry. Adventure genre.
£20 for signed copy
Between Land and Light Nature Through the Eyes of Two Artists
This book displays over 150 species of natural wildlife: birds, animals, reptiles, butterflies, wild flowers and fish. From leaping salmon at Stainforth Falls, to mountain passes, braided rivers, gnarled trees and eagles, it is a combination of Hilary's paintings, illustrations and poetry and Peter Smith's (BBC wildlife photographer Awardee) photos. Hilary designed all the layout and there are hidden fairies too. This books starts in Winter high up above the mountains, then working down the mountains to the river valleys in spring, winding its way through to summer and the water meadows and we leave it in Autumn out at sea.
Coffee table book for children and all ages. This is a beautiful book full of action and colour interaction. Soft back. Nature Genre.
£25 for signed copy
My Wacky Witchy Hum Mum
Black and white with intricate detailed drawing, this book is about a little boy called Leo, age eight at the time when little children tend to lose their two front teeth. We meet Leo in the car with his Mum driving him back home, across the moors in the black of night after taking him to his trumpet lesson. This book is based on comedy within the story. We meet Mum telling Leo off for not practising his trumpet, albeit for good reason as Leo has two missing front teeth. However the moors turn black with an almighty rain storm and the car is forced to stop by a ditch. The heather-clad moors are freaking out, saturated with rain spilling down, planes taking off on the distant hillside, beetles awash, croaking toads, geese a flying, lizards flapping and comets flashing. Orion is sighted in the blackness of the scary night. Mum is so cross and tired and she needs to get home. She transports all the children to various classes and nurseries but on this occasion, think she loses the plot and so does Leo. She begins to recite spells. She finds an empty cauldron. It fills with rain. Her nose grows like a parsnip. She recites a spell. Leo joins in. The wind rails and the rain pelts down faster. Hares dance amidst the disaster. Leo rings dad on his mobile amidst the chaos but dad believes in Mum and Mum's strength and tells Leo not to worry. After lots of reciting spells within poetry tied up in this fun story, the car engine eventually starts and they get home. The whole family on the Saturday end up at a fun, witchy fairground.
Ages 5 to 10yrs. Portrait format. Poetry within a story. Burlesque humour. Adventure genre.
£20 for signed copy
Little Christmas Reindeer
This is a fantastic fairytale for Christmas. Hilary wrote and illustrated it basing it on her two children, Arthur and Holly. It is Christmas Eve and all is quiet. Suddenly out of one of the children's bedroom windows, the children spot a baby reindeer. It is shivering and cold out in the snow, so they sneak downstairs and let the baby reindeer into the house. They give it a biscuit and end up calling this baby reindeer, Biscuit. The very next day is Christmas day. All is busy. The children persuade Mum and Dad to keep their newly found friend. Adventures throughout the year follow. But soon the next Christmas Eve arrives and they are so upset as Biscuit has grown and is about to find it's rightful owner but not before more adventure.
Age 2 to 5 years. Portrait format. Hand painted. Adventure genre.
£20 for signed copy