Meet the illustrator: Five minutes with Maddie Davies

To mark 25 years since the passing of much-loved hockey goalkeeper Eddie Rosen, his former teammates, including Ollie Davies, have created Big Eddie’s Joke Book to raise awareness and funds for Meningitis Research Foundation.

The book is a joyful tribute to Eddie’s humour, with many jokes written by children and illustrations by Ollie’s daughter, Maddie, who was nine when she started illustrating the book.

Here, Maddie shares her experience of helping to bring the project to life.

How did you get involved in the joke book? 

I’ve always loved drawing, so when my dad and his friends started working on the joke book, he came to me and said, “You have to illustrate it!” It was a no-brainer.

It took quite a long time, though. I was nine years old when I started and now, I’m eleven – so it’s been a bit of a journey.

Did you enjoy working with your dad? 

It was a really fun experience working with my dad. I liked hearing all the stories about Eddie and the hockey team. It felt special to be part of something that meant so much to everyone

What kind of style did you use? 

I wanted it to look like a young kid had drawn it, because Eddie was still a child and far too young when he passed away. So, I used doodles that looked like something you’d find in a scrapbook or drawn on the pages of school child’s exercise book. I really like cartoonism and kawaii style, which is a cute East Asian way of drawing, so I used this style as inspiration.

What’s your favourite drawing in the book? 

I like the stack of books – it was really fun to draw. But my dad’s favourite is the front cover. It shows Eddie in his hockey kit, wearing the top he used to wear on the pitch. His pads were blue and white, so I made sure to include them. I drew it from a photo, and my dad says it looks just like him.

Do you want to keep drawing in the future? 

Yes! I love drawing and I’d really like to keep going. I’d love to go to art school one day and have a job that involves drawing because I enjoy it so much. This project has been really fun and special – I’m glad I got to be part of it.

What is your favourite joke from the book? 

My favourite joke in the book is, “I had a job as a potato farmer, but I got the sack!”

Learn more about Big Eddie’s Joke Book and how you can get yourself a copy here.