Getting to know Alice & Emily Haworth-Booth

Where do you live and who do you share a house with?

We live a short walk from each other in South East London, with our respective pets and partners.

How do you describe what you do?

Emily is a writer, illustrator and educator, teaching at the Royal Drawing School in London. Alice is a writer and a graphic designer, working mainly for grassroots campaign groups. Protest! How People Have Come Together to Change the World is the first book we’ve made together and we hope to make more!

What is your inspiration?

Protests have always been inspired by the protests that came before, and we felt it was important to play our part in passing on the people’s history that is so easily lost. We’ve learned so much from the creativity, ingenuity and joy of past movements and we wanted to share this amazing storehouse of ideas with children, who are natural rebels. 

Could you give us three words that best sum you up?

Funny, creative and a bit weird.

What’s the best piece of advice you have ever been given?

If you don’t want to do something, set a timer for twenty minutes and make a start.

Is there a single piece of advice you’d give to someone else?

Read until you want to start writing, write until you can’t write any more and then start reading again.

If you could send your 16-year-old self a short message, what would it say?

Your weirdness is your superpower!

What do you do when you want to give yourself a little self-care?

Go for a walk together in our neighbourhood, or watch our favourite sitcoms.

What ethics are important to you and why?

Empathy, open-mindedness and care -- all qualities that are essential to writing and drawing as well as to being human. 

What are your favourite sustainable and ethical food brands?

Suma, because it’s a co-op, Booja-Booja ice cream because it’s vegan and refined sugar free, and Tres Hombres coffee, chocolate, wines and spirits which are shipped by wind power.

Can you point us in the direction of some of your favourite small businesses?

Lucy & Yak for sustainably made and vibrantly coloured clothing. Brighton Lace for beautiful hand-made ethical lingerie.

What’s the single best thing you’ve ever bought?

Writing classes and a bicycle.

Name the most essential item in your handbag, and tell us why it’s so vital.

The book we’re currently reading, because life without books isn’t worth living. And lip balm.

Where is your happy place?

Alice - in my kitchen with my two cats.

Emily - the stable where the horse I loan is kept. I go out there to see her three days a week and I feel my blood pressure dropping as soon as I walk through the gate. 

What are your plans for the future?

To get better at what we do and have fun doing it!

And lastly, what’s your favourite animal and why?

Alice - I always stop to say hello to the cats in my neighbourhood, and I love watching how my cats, siblings we adopted from Celia Hammond as kittens, interact with each other. Emily - I’ve loved horses since I was quite young and have recently got back into riding. I love everything about them - their sensitivity, their generosity, and even the way they smell!