Welcome to my Illustrated World
Tucked away among sketchbooks, watercolours, and scattered story ideas, Read Studios Publications is where Tanya Read writes and illustrates gentle stories for children.
The studio grew from a lifelong love of drawing, storytelling, and the quiet magic found in everyday moments. Many of the characters begin as tiny sketches in notebooks before slowly growing into the books you see here.
Some stories are inspired by nature, some by imagination, and others by memories of childhood, family, and the small adventures that shape us.
My Story
I grew up surrounded by nature, animals, and sketchbooks.
Born in Cornwall, I spent my early years exploring the moors and coastline before moving with my family to Brittany in France. The forests and countryside there felt wonderfully similar to Cornwall, and those landscapes still influence the quiet, natural worlds that appear in many of my stories.
Animals were always part of life too. My mum kept horses, and we always had dogs and cats nearby. Many of the creatures that appear in my books are inspired by the animals I’ve known and loved over the years.
I later studied illustration at the Arts University in Bournemouth, where I focused on storytelling and children’s illustration. During my final year at university I lost my mum, which was incredibly difficult. Finishing my degree and continuing to create art became a way of honouring the love of drawing we had always shared.
Since then I have continued to write and illustrate stories whenever ideas appear, building the small world of books that now live at Read Studios.
Today I live in rural France with my husband and our three boys, surrounded by lakes, forests, and the beginnings of a smallholding. Life here, along with the joy and chaos of family life, continues to inspire many of the stories I write.
My Vision
Stories have always lived in my imagination.
Sometimes they begin as a tiny sketch in a notebook. Sometimes they arrive suddenly as a dream or a thought that refuses to disappear until it finds its way onto paper.
My hope is simply to bring those ideas to life through gentle storytelling and illustration.
Many of my books are inspired by small moments, family memories, animals I’ve known, and the everyday magic children seem to see so easily. My own three boys often inspire the characters, adventures, and feelings that find their way into the stories.
In many ways these books are also a kind of creative diary, capturing moments of life, imagination, and wonder that I hope will live on long after they are written.
If the stories bring comfort, laughter, or a little bit of magic to children and families reading them together, then the studio has done its job.
A Little bit of History
The Read Studios Timeline
Welcome to the heart of our studio where every story is crafted with love and imagination.
The Story Behind the Studio
Every book begins somewhere, and for me that beginning stretches across many places and moments.
From the windswept coastlines of Cornwall to the forests of Brittany, from art school sketchbooks to family life with three energetic boys, the path that led around Read Studios has been shaped by nature, animals, imagination, and the people I love.
Some of my earliest stories were written under my maiden name, Stonely, long before Read Studios had a name.
But the ideas were already there, quietly growing in notebooks and sketchbooks.
Today our family has returned to France, where countryside life once again inspires many of the stories I create. The journey continues, and the studio sketchbooks are still filling with new characters, adventures, and ideas waiting to become books.
A Note for Parents and Families
Many of the stories from Read Studios are inspired by small moments from family life, the natural world, and the animals that have been part of our home over the years.
My hope is to create stories that feel gentle, imaginative, and comforting for young readers, stories that parents and children can enjoy sharing together.
Some books explore adventure and curiosity, others focus on friendship, courage, or the simple joy of discovering the world. Each one begins with a sketch, a thought, or a moment of inspiration that slowly grows into a story.
If these books become part of bedtime stories, quiet reading moments, or family memories, then they have found their true home.
The Read Studios World
My work takes many forms, from stories and illustrations to artwork and design, all created within the same small studio.
Read Studios Illustration & Art
Original paintings, canvas work, prints and illustrated pieces inspired by nature and imagination.
Read Studios Web Design
Holistic and thoughtful websites, design work and social media creation for small businesses and creative projects.
Read Studios Publications
Illustrated children’s books and storytelling projects created within the studio.
What Readers Are Saying
“My son asked to read it three times in a row. He absolutely loved it.”
~ Parent review
“Such a gentle, beautiful story. The illustrations are magical.”
~ Early reader feedback
“Our children loved recognising the characters and spotting little details on every page.”
~ Parent review
“A lovely book to read together at bedtime.”
~ Family reader
“The kind of story children want to come back to again and again.”
~ Family reader
Get in Touch
If you have a question about the stories, an idea for a commission, or simply wish to say hello, I’d be delighted to hear from you.
- 07511 477 959
- tanyaread@rocketmail.com
- Pont de Chatain, St Yrieix La Montagne, France