Meet the illustrator Binny Talib

Image Source: Telerah Public School Instagram

Binny Talib has illustrated over 30 books here and internationally, ranging from picture, baby board, non-fictions and chapters. She is an award-winning children’s book illustrator. Binny was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Awards for her illustration of Hark, It’s Me, Ruby Lee by Lisa Shanahan and this book also received an honour award by the CBCA. Binny has illustrated picture books for a range of publishers, including Scholastic, Hachette, Ladybird, Allen and Unwin, YoYo Belgium, Auzou France, Little Tiger Press (Two Sides with Polly Ho-Yen) and Oxford University Press.

Bookseller blurb: Jasper has just moved to a new school and feels invisible. Next door Juniper is afraid of creatures lurking in the shadows at night. When Juniper writes a letter to the night creatures, it mysteriously lands on Jasper's bed. Jasper knows what he must do. A story of fears, friendship and a little bit of outer space.

I went to a book launch at Gleebooks for this new book - The Letter Writer - by Binny Talib.  Congratulations to Rachel Robson always works so hard to make these events exciting for the children who come along. This Saturday morning event was packed with enthusiastic readers. And there were fun craft activities for the children and colourful cupcakes too. 

I love receiving letters and posting greeting cards. Many years ago, I set up a pen pal activity for a Grade 3 class in my school and a class in Pennsylvania - it was terrific. And in my very first year of teaching, forty years ago, I sent a letter to each of the children in my own Grade 3 class at the end of our first term together. Many of the parents commented that this was the first letter their child had ever received - this was long long before the advent of email of course. 

Here is one of my favourite books about letter writing (apart from the Jolly Postman series by Allan Ahlberg):

A Letter for Leo

I left with a few unanswered questions about Binny Talib so I did some internet digging tonight.

Unanswered questions:

• Is her name Binny short for a longer name such as Benita?
• How did illustrating for other authors help you on your own journey to becoming an author/illustrator?
• Her early books just used the name Binny - why did she change this?
• Does she write letters herself and post them in envelopes? Do you think this is still a good form of communication? A project between school classes inspired by this book was mentioned this morning but I have not been able to find a web link about this to share. 
• Binny gave the children, who had their book signed, a gift bag with a 'real stamp' inside - was this a real stamp I did find an image (see below) but I cannot find any details on the Australia post page. 

Image Source: Binny Talib Instagram

Here are some things I discovered about Binny Talib:

• She also designs wallpaper, cushions, textiles, mugs, toys and greeting cards.
• Her studio is in Sydney - right in the CBD.
• She made tiny envelopes for the end papers in her new book.
• Her first book was Origami Heart. (She did do a small self-published book first)
• The Letter writer is her second book as author and illustrator.

 

This might seem odd but I didn't think of Binny Talib as an Australian illustrator until very recently but of course that was silly because I really enjoyed this book Hark it's me Ruby Lee which was a CBCA Honour Book.

Hark, It's me Ruby Lee!

I think I made this mistake because I also enjoyed this book from the Little Gems series which I am sure come from the UK.

Two Sides

Here is a 2019 interview with Binny Talib. And here is one from 2023 with Kids' Book Review. You can hear Binny talking about her work on the podcast Reading with a Chance of Tacos. 

Here are the teachers notes (published 2023)

Blurb: Shout-outs to 50 awesome Australian women with easy-to-read biographies of their incredible achievements. From Cathy Freeman to Turia Pitt, Edith Cowan to Julia Gillard, Mum Shirl to Vali Myers, plus rally car drivers, molecular biologists and more, this book is a celebration of women in all fields, from all walks of life, and from Australia’s past and present. (2018)