As well as playscripts, Hilary has several picture books out in the world, all published by NewSouth Books. They are available in most bookshops, or can be purchased directly from the publisher.
To know more about upcoming publications, as well as school and library visits, workshops, festival readings and appearances etc, you can follow Hilary’s collaborations with Antonia Pesenti here. Contact her directly regarding events by leaving a message.
This is our Sydney, the brightest and best of it, North to the south to the east and the west of it. Bats and cicadas, lawn bowls and the zoo, This is our town. Let us share it with you.
A playful and vibrantly illustrated picture book that celebrates Sydney in all its diversity – from A to Z.
“This instant classic should be on the bookshelf of every Sydney child.”
Delia Falconer, Sydney Morning Herald
Count as you walk up Numerical Street.
Every page has a numerical treat.
Get your pants altered, get your keys cut,
Open the book before the shops shut.
From the creators of bestselling Alphabetical Sydney comes a walk up busy Numerical Street, past its laundromats, cake shops, panel beaters and hair salons. A fresh look at familiar shops and businesses, the vibrant illustrations and playful verse of Numerical Street celebrate the jostle and chaos of suburban streetscapes.
“The verbal humour of the rhyming text is matched by the collage illustrations, each resonating with visual jokes and intriguing details… Hilary Bell and Antonia Pesenti have once again created that rare thing: a children’s book that is truly for children of all ages, and one that adults will also enjoy.”
Books + Publishing
Summer is here, put your school shoes away, The long lazy days can begin. Magpies and mangoes, municipal pools... Take a deep breath and dive in.
Summer Time, Hilary Bell and Antonia Pesenti’s third picture book collaboration, explores ideas of time within the grand nostalgic mythology of Australian summer.
“The rhyming verse is rich and evocative, making good use of both rhythm and imagery—it is particularly effective at conjuring familiar summer sense-memories… Pesenti’s pleasing collage-style illustrations complement Bell’s linguistic portraits; a colour palette both bright and gentle evokes the harsh Australian light and the haze of memory.”
Books + Publishing
This is a story of Sydney In order of who did what first: The incidents, places and people, All illustrated and versed. Who first pulled a tooth using ether? What started the first pistol fight? When were the first Chinese tearooms? Where was the first traffic light?
Through a series of (unexpected) ‘firsts’, Hilary Bell and Matthew Martin trace the events, people and places that have shaped their city, however unintentionally. Where else will you find Sydney’s first traffic light sharing pages with its first tightrope walk across Middle Harbour? (And just so you know, it was performed by the marvellous funambulist Henri L’Estrange in 1877.)
“This is a beautifully crafted and rather entertaining history of unexpected ‘firsts’ that have happened in Sydney. Written in witty short rhymes, …Matthew Martin’s illustrations add greatly to the charming style and the overall impression is something of a cross between Horrible Histories and Dr Seuss – all wrapped up with a particular Sydney flavour.”
Catie Gilchrist, Dictionary of Sydney
HILARY BELL 