Author and illustrator of relatable yet magical children’s books, including The Worst Witch and Whatever Next!
The children’s author and illustrator Jill Murphy, who has died of cancer aged 72, was loved across generations for picture books that capture the essence of childhood in a realistic yet magical way.
Her career began at the age of 24 when her first book, The Worst Witch (1974), was published. An immediate success, it has consistently been on every list of top recommendations for seven-year-olds ever since. Equally successful have been her picture books about the everyday life of both the Bear family in Peace at Last in 1980 and the Large family in Five Minutes’ Peace in 1986. They and their sequels have been go-to books for children and parents alike with their humorous interpretations of the trials of parenthood.