Book lovers gathered from across our area and beyond to meet a famous children’s illustrator and author as she launched her latest book in Hitchin.

Young fans travelled to Waterstones Hitchin to meet Harriet Muncaster as she launched her latest book in her highly acclaimed Isadora Moon series.

Harriet, 29 has been drawing, writing and creating for as long as she can remember and her career has really taken off over the last year with the highly-acclaimed Isadora Moon series.

She has two degrees, one in illustration from Norwich University of Arts and an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from Cambridge School of Art.

She was spotted by a publisher at Bologna Children’s fair shortly after completing her MA and secured her first book deal.

Harriet, said: “It was such pleasure to meet all these lovely young girls who’ve taken Isadora to their hearts and hear how the books go everywhere with them, even to bed.

“It’s also so rewarding to hear them say that she’s inspiring them to want to read, even an older girl with dyslexia who has never finished a book, has now done so – that’s fantastic.

“To learn also some had travelled from Liverpool as well as all points of Herts has been totally amazing – thank you to the parents, I feel quite humbled.”

The series of Isadora Moon first chapter books first published last autumn with four books has quickly inspired a fan club of wannabe Isadoras as young readers totally captivated by the heroine who is special because she is different.

With irresistible pink and black artwork throughout, Harriet creates a totally unique character who, half vampire, half fairy has an out-of-this-world family.

Each delightfully funny story is set in different situations where things don’t always go according to plan as Isadora goes about her daily yet unusual life with her oh-so-embarrassing parents.

At this Meet the Author event, the young Isadora Wannabes enjoyed creating pictures, eating star-shaped biscuits as well as listening to Harriet reading extracts from the 5th book Isadora Moon Gets in Trouble and having their books signed.

Isadora Moon is published by Oxford University Press.

The titles include: Isadora Moon Gets in Trouble, Isadora Moon goes to School, Isadora Moon goes Camping, Isadora Moon has a Birthday, Isadora Moon goes to the Ballet each costing £5.99 each.

Harriet is set to publish another title in October and is available at Waterstones, all good bookshops and on Amazon.