Did you know Hackney has its own mythologies?
Well, it does now!
Dad, writer and illustrator Ben Eady recently published The Hidden Creatures of Hackney – a beautiful collection of mythologies inspired by local places.
New Zealand-born Ben moved to London with his Greek wife Stella and their young son Kiran just before lockdown and set about exploring – with Kiran on the back of his bike.
Ben said: “We would go on daily explorations and, when we found Hackney Marshes, I really fell in love. As a family, we found these spots that felt magical and meaningful and we’d make up stories around the locations.
“The stories in the book are the ones I told Kiran when he was a toddler – they’re stories he helped to develop. It was a way of getting him involved and using his imagination.”
The book, which is available to buy in Know and Love as well as Stoke Newington Bookshop, focuses on beautiful historic locations – such as local canals, the River Lea, an old gas store, a stone circle and Nature’s Throne in Hackney Marshes.
Ben added: “In New Zealand, interacting with outdoors is part of our lifestyle. I’m one of five children and we had a house by Lake Taupo which inspired a lot of stories growing up – an old tree stump became a witch’s chopping block!”
The Hidden Creatures of Hackney begins with two children finding a map in their Granny’s attic and instructions for making an ‘Imagi-scope’ – when they use it, they can see and interact with otherwise invisible magical creatures which inhabit each location.
It features a squirrel druid, hairy Vikings, aquatic tigers, mischievous monkeys a devious fox, and a majestic gorilla and it features Ben and Stella’s young son Kiran (now aged six).
Ben, who worked as an Art Director in advertising before moving into marketing, trained in illustration and design. He is dyslexic so writing has been a challenge, but he learnt a lot from a former colleague.
The Hidden Creatures of Hackney is written in the form of a long-copy picture book. It’s a similar format to those regularly seen in Scandinavia. Ben decided to self-publish because the book’s format is so different to most UK children’s books. He raised £3,000 via a Kickstarter and quickly found a distributor to work with.
Now the book is sold online by most major retailers (Waterstones, Foyles, Amazon and via Browndog Books). It’s also going down a storm at local primary schools, where teachers are reading it in the class.
Ben added: “To know that the stories and the worlds we imagined are becoming part of local mythology for families here is really wonderful and very surreal. My dream is to see a family in one of the places in the book with a copy of the book!”
Learn more here.
