North Devon illustrator talks about his new children's book, Otter River

AS a keen landscape painter and wildlife artist Tudor Humphries has sat for many an hour on the banks of the River Torridge watching otters, herons and kingfishers and soaking up the valley's lights and atmospheres.

He hoped one day he might paint the magical places and the wildlife he encountered for a new version of Henry Williamson's Tarka The Otter.

Yet, having already illustrated many children's classics like Narnia, Dracula and King Arthur, two years ago he was asked to write and illustrate a completely different book about otters, aimed at younger children.

The result is Otter Moon, a beautifully illustrated hard back which took a year to complete. It tells the story of Flibbertigibbet, a young day-dreamy, easily distracted otter who is ordered by the King of the River to complete a difficult task, taking him far from home. As the moon rises over the river, Flibbertigibbet sets off on a mysterious, nocturnal journey in search of a fish and a silver dish, for the King's breakfast.

At first Tudor admits he was daunted by the task of writing the book, especially when North Devon already has one high-profile literary otter.

"I went and sat by the river and thought: 'I can't do this. How can I write a new book about otters?' The publisher had said: 'I want you to write a story about an otter and I replied: 'I'm an artist. I don't write very much and I am more of an illustrator. He said: 'Well there you are — go and do it'."

Tudor sat by the river, on and off for a month, and gradually the story took shape.

"I had most of the words for the story and most of the basic outline but I hadn't got something to really pull it all together. Then one night I got to the river and I was standing on the bridge and it was a full moon and I saw the moon reflected on the water and it all just fell into place."

Remarkably, on that night too, Tudor saw an otter.

"It came right in front of me. That happened at strategic points all through that year of doing the book. Every time there was some really big moment I saw an otter — literally it would be coming out of the water about four feet from where I was sitting."

Although otters are now back in full strength on the River Torridge after numbers crashed during the 1960s, it is still a rare and magic moment to spot one.

"People say how can I see one? And I say: you've got to put in the hours. You've got to sit there night after night and you may be lucky. I've had 20 close encounters this year but they were all before June. I think that's because we've had rains and floods since then and The Torridge has become murky."

That otters can be elusive is apparent even to those who know the area well.

"The farmer, who is in his late 80s and owns the stretch of the river where I like to sit, has never seen an otter or a kingfisher. I told him he had to put in more hours sitting by the river. Look at dawn or dusk. Unless you are really looking hard you are not going to see them after dark."

Tudor admits he spent much of his own childhood lost in books and he wants to encourage a similar love of words and pictures in young readers.

"I was a day dreamy child and one of the things I love about small children is their sense of awe and wonder. That goes as people get older."

He was delighted, therefore, when his publisher encouraged him to create a large book (it's 2ft by 1ft when you open it out).

"It's a huge visual space for a child. If you have a small child sitting on your lap and you are reading them a story that's just filling up their whole space. Hopefully, that encourages their sense of awe and they are right in there with the animals and getting the feel of being out at night."

Children, he hopes, will find comfort in the story.

"I want children to identify with Flibbertigibbet for those times when they feel they can't meet grown up demands. The whole point of the story is that with the help of your friends you can resolve most things."

The book has been very well received, particularly in America, where two reviews aimed at libraries have praised its lyrical touches and its magical images of night on the river.

"I just want lots and lots of children to have this story read to them and be enthralled by it," he said.

Above all though the book's inspiration has come from the wild, beautiful and atmospheric world of the Torridge Valley that Tudor adores.

"This has all grown out of wanting to illustrate Tarka and from my relationship with the Torridge Valley that I cycle up and down, that I sit by and that I just love as a landscape painter."

● Tudor is exhibiting illustrations from Otter Moon on the Artists Wall at the Plough Arts Centre, Torrington during November. A book launch and talk on the making and inspiration of the book takes place on Thursday, November 19 at 7.30pm. Tickets: £7 including a glass of wine. Box office: 01805 624624.