Claire Mabey & Jill Calder
Cass and the Beast
A sweeping and original picture book about a girl who chooses not to be afraid
When a fearful beast arrives in the township, Cass finds her courage and is rewarded with a wild and magical journey. The creature takes her on a thundering ride through a forested landscape, leaving the town and people far behind. In the wilderness that is home to the beast, Cass finds adventure, ferocity, and gentleness. And the beast finds its name.
Atmospheric illustrations complement an original narrative voice in this collaboration between an author and illustrator from opposite sides of the world.
Gecko Press
Picture Book
Original title: Cass and the Beast
Age 4+
32 pp
hc | 222 x 273 mm
Publication: August 2026
Author: Claire Mabey
Illustrator: Jill Calder
All rights available, excl. Simplified Chinese & Turkish
- Adventure and emotion in a story that stays with you
- Vivid writing, original voice
Awards
- Claire Mabey is 2026 recipient of the Arts Foundation’s Lynley Dodd Children’s Writers Award
“Mabey has created a surreal tale of creatures from dreams and nightmares, and what it looks like when children choose not to be afraid. […] The free-flowing lines and layered textures increase the sense of wild motion throughout Cass’s journey with the beast. Calder predominantly uses blue, accented with orange, purple and pink, creating a pulsating palette that suggests thrills and excitement and boosts the reader’s courage to explore the illustrations.
Cass and the Beast is a picture book that affirms the introverted, misunderstood or compassionate child who relishes an imaginative adventure or is brave enough to take risks in real life.” – Books & Publishing, Joy Lawn
“There’s really lush, vivid watercolours that really complement the story. I think some kids are going to adore this. . .”—Lucy Black (writer, librarian, reviewer) on Radio New Zealand, 14 August 2026
“This is not a story that asks the wild to become tame. It asks us to look more carefully before we decide what we are seeing. . . . a picturebook that never rushes to explain itself because it believes young readers are capable of wondering.”—Mat Tobin (UK)
“A sweet tale about getting to know the unknown.”—Betsy Bird, A Fuse #8 Production, 22 July 2026
“This magical adventure about bravery, empathy, and looking beyond appearances is the perfect bedtime read, with stunning illustrations by Jill Calder.” Little Unity (NZ)
By the same author