Liverpool designer launches new kids book inspired by her maternity-leave trips around the city

Graphic designer Sophie Green has launched a brand-new book to help young children learn about Liverpool and guide families around the city.

Liverpool Baby! Our Kid About Town is a picture storybook created by Sophie and her doctor husband Barry featuring a list of landmark destinations like St George’s Hall, the Albert Dock, Liverpool ONE, the Royal Liver Building, and more.

And it was inspired by her trips around town with her now two-year-old daughter, Rosanna.

Sophie, founder and creative director of Soka Studio in Jordan Street, explains: “I’m not from Liverpool originally, I’m from Lincolnshire, but I came here with Barry.

“He had studied medicine in Liverpool and absolutely loved the city and convinced me to move here.”

She goes on: “I was on maternity leave and so I had a lot of time on my hands to explore the city – which I fell in love with too.

“And, once Rosanna was born, I enjoyed the first year going round with her. That’s where the idea for the book came from.

“I had never written or illustrated a book before – I run a graphic design studio day to day – but I liked the thought of creating a book that would introduce young children to Liverpool, and which could create a guide for families about places that they might like to visit with their little ones.”

Barry, 34, is behind many of the words with Sophie, 35, the artist who’s brought them to life with fun and colourful illustrations.

It’s written in rhyming couplets and gets young children (Sophie recommends five or six and under) to look out for well-known tourist attractions and famous sights within the city.

About Albert Dock it says: “Seagulls swoop through boats and ships, Watch out or they’ll steal your chips!”

At Liverpool ONE it reads: “Shoppers shopping, go, go, go! Scouse girls get a curly blow.”

And young people are encouraged to count the lion statues outside St George’s Hall.

Sophie, who now lives in Woolton, goes on: “It’s based on my experiences and there are around 12 scenes, including my favourite place, Sefton Park, and places like Liverpool Football Club.

“It’s very light-hearted.

“I wanted to create it in celebration of the city for children who already live here and might want to learn about it, but also for anyone outside the city who might want to come and explore like I did.

“One of my friends used it as a way to have a day out and follow it as a trail.”

Liverpool Baby! Our Kid About Town is published by J.W. Ruddick and Sons Ltd. and is stocked by a host of city booksellers as well as being available on the website.

“There are about 11 stockists who have been selling the book for a month, and three of them have already sold out,” smiles Sophie. “So they are restocking which is really exciting.

“The response has been great. I gave Liverpool Central Library 15 books and when I went in the other day to see how it was doing, eight were currently out being borrowed.”

Sophie has also donated books to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital, The Big Little Library in Garston, and to the charity helping the victims of the Southport stabbings.

She is also doing author events and visiting nurseries cross the city for readings which will share the book even wider.

“It’s lovely to know it’s selling and, who knows, there might be a volume two, let’s wait and see how this one goes.

“We dedicated the book to our daughter so it’s something that’s really special for her as she gets older, to know that it was inspired by her.” 

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