Meet the author

Ben Mantle.

Illustrator · United Kingdom

Ben Mantle: Brighton-based illustrator whose lively, big-hearted artwork brings Jenny McLachlan's bestselling Land of Roar to life — a natural fit for funny, fast-moving 8–12 adventures.

Ben Mantle is a British children's illustrator based in Brighton, whose warm, characterful line brings a wealth of stories to life for younger readers. He studied animation at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design and worked on Tim Burton's Corpse Bride before turning to book illustration in 2008. In this corpus he is the illustrator of Jenny McLachlan's bestselling Land of Roar series, where his lively black-and-white artwork populates a wild imaginary world of dragons, mermaids, ninja wizards and the scarecrow-crow villain Crowky; he continues to provide the striking cover art as the series moves into its dragon-school arc. Beyond Roar he has illustrated many picture books, including The Best Birthday Present Ever!. Mantle's energetic, big-hearted style is a natural fit for funny, fast-moving adventures that pull children into the page.