The Propeller Man is a British-Peruvian collaboration between three creatives. Written by Lizzie Shannon-Little and Gerard Lewis, based in Oxfordshire in the UK, and illustrated by Alexandra Ricketts, who lives in Lima in Peru.

​

​​The book began in the depths of lockdown, as Lizzie and Gerard - trapped at home with a small baby - entertained themselves by writing a collection of poems inspired by their own separate experiences as children reading Dr Heinrich Hoffman's creepy collection of cautionary tales Der Struwwelpeter. 

​

As they wrote these poems, the dark illustrative style of their friend Alexandra Ricketts' work was always in their mind, having spied her drawings when visiting her and her family in Peru several years previously. 

​

Luckily for them, the stories were right up Alex's street, and she created an illustration to accompany each poem, visualising the dasterdly ends of every child in the book. 

​​​

In 2024, the trio launched a Crowdfunder to raise the funds to self-publish the book. Thanks to their wonderful supporters, they smashed their target! 

 

 The Child Who Lied or The Tale of the Propeller Man and other stories is due to publish in 2025.  ​​​

​

Watch this space for news on the launch, book readings, and more...