Once Upon a Storytime - Logo illustration for National Share-a-Story-Month 2026

In Winter 2025, I was commissioned to create the logo illustration for the reading initiative, National Share-a-Story-Month (NSSM) set up by the Federation of Children’s Book Groups. The theme for NSSM 2026 is Once Upon a Storytime and thoughout May, NSSM will shine a spotlight on the joy of reading aloud and the power of stories to bring people together. This nationwide celebration invites children, families, schools, and communities to connect through books, storytelling, and the spoken word.

The artwork was created using pastels, pencil, and liquid graphite, bringing a sense of subtle movement and atmosphere to the design. The brief was to create an illustration in a similar style to the Federation’s annual conference logo, so that this image felt like the next part of a story sequence.

More information on National Share-a-Story-Month and the work of the Federation can be found on their website: https://fcbg.org.uk