Milly McCarthy: The writer and illustrator behind Cork's answer to Wimpy Kid

Irish kid-lit's new sensation came from a throwaway remark asking why popular kids' books didn't feature Irish kids - Sara Colohan meets the author and illustrator who brought her to life

Milly McCarthy: Irrepressible Corkonian youngster is the protagonist of an emerging series of books for young readers, by Leona Forde and Karen Harte (centre).

It was a throwaway remark from her child that planted the seed. 

Why, Leona Forde’s daughter wondered, was there no Diary of a Wimpy Kid style story about Irish children? And just like that, Milly McCarthy was born.

Leona Forde, a teacher living in Kinsale, created Milly, a truly Irish character, with camogie training, Irish dancing competitions, and visits to Fota Wildlife Park all part of the narrative.

The story was written, but with Wimpy Kid aspirations, the drawings would also be central to Milly’s success. Enter Karen Harte, a designer, illustrator, and comic creator from Dublin.

Together, Forde and Harte created hit children’s title Milly McCarthy is a Complete Catastrophe and now its follow-up, Milly McCarthy and The Irish Dancing Disaster.

The collaboration between Forde and Harte, while feeling remarkably organic, was facilitated by their publisher at Gill Books. They first met in person on the launch night of Milly McCarthy is a Complete Catastrophe, in March 2023.

“We’re kind of a manufactured pop band, like the Spice Girls,” Harte jokes. “Myself and Leona just clicked right away, and I love working with her, doing the book events and workshops together.

“It’s also both of our first times in the publishing world, so we’re figuring it out and enjoying the new experiences together.”

Milly McCarthy's literary adventures to date: illustrated by Karen Harte

Forde’s writing journey saw her undertake various courses, including one run by Patricia Forde, current Laureate na nÓg. 

On the course, she wrote about an interaction between Milly and another character, Big Bow Rebecca.

“It was Milly who stood out as a clear favourite,” says the author.

“I was trying to create a character that was recognisable to a young person living in Ireland.

“Milly goes to Gaelscoil, she plays camogie, and she goes on a school tour to Fota Wildlife Park, where lots of Cork school kids visit every year. I wanted children to read about a character that reflected their own world back at them. Someone who was fun and outgoing and would give them a giggle,” she says.

Milly’s family is inspired by her own children; Asha 13, Rían 10, Isaac 7, and Indy 4. 

“Sometimes, if I am trying to think through a plot, I’ll ask the kids, ‘What do you think Milly would do if...’? They are truly my best critics, and they are quick to tell me if a scene isn’t up to scratch,” she says.

The illustrations help entice and engage less avid readers, says Harte. “Leona’s storylines and humour make the appeal very broad and enjoyable for a wide range of children’s ages and as a parent, enjoyable if you are doing the bedtime reading,” she says.

“I think combining the imagery with the text helps it resonate with younger audiences that may be more comfortable with picture books and haven’t quite transitioned to middle-grade books.

“I also think that slightly older kids that are confident readers enjoy the humour and relate to Milly and her shenanigans, but also they can enjoy the illustrations and try to replicate them.

“One of the loveliest things to come out of this project has been seeing the young readers’ interpretations of my illustrations and the characters and recreating them. It’s such a lovely thing to see as I would copy illustrations from famous picture books and comics as a child to practice drawing, hoping one day my drawings would be in a real book.”

Karen Harte, illustrator from Dublin and Leona Forde, author from Cork pictured at Cakeface Patisserie in Kilkenny. Pic: Dylan Vaughan

The books steer away from more traditional full-colour illustrations in favour of black and white ‘doodle style’.

“A lot of books and comics I loved when I was younger were illustrated in black and white; my earliest memories of falling in love with comics were my granddad’s cutouts of Garfield and Hagar the Horrible from the newspaper,” says Harte.

“Sequential artwork is a great way to get across the story and mood instantly, and I think it’s really helpful for new readers as they can see the story unfolding and not be as intimidated by pages of text without images. A lot of my personal work is black line art and I enjoy the simple, clean style.

“Also, the black and white doodle style means it’s a ready-made colouring book.”

Along with a comedic element, the books also convey life lessons and values.

“I think not giving up when things are a bit tough is a good lesson for everyone,” says Forde. 

“In the first book, Milly McCarthy is a Complete Catastrophe, Milly’s class takes part in a competition about climate change. I think one of the things I wanted readers to recognise is that no matter how small an action is, it can make a difference in the world. Milly’s class plants a wildflower meadow, and even though it’s just a mini meadow, it doesn’t matter; every small positive action can have a big impact on our world.”

“I think we both want to get across that Milly is learning and figuring things out as she goes along,” adds Harte. “Not being afraid to get things wrong, because mistakes just mean you’re learning and trying.”

• Milly McCarthy and the Irish Dancing Disaster is published by Gill. Leona Forde and Karen Harte will speak at this year’s Children’s Books Ireland Conference on Sunday, September 17.

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