BaaBaa Blackshaw:
BaaBaa Blackshaw:
Middle Grade Writer & Illustrator
Embedded Files
Hi, I’m Mary Blackshaw, the writer and illustrator behind Baa Baa Blackshaw.
I create middle grade (9-12) fiction and art rooted in hidden history, finding the extraordinary wonder in the mundane and the secrets tucked away in museum corners. I am a firm believer in the messy magic of ink on paper. Currently based in North Oxfordshire, I have just finished my debut novel and am now working on another one!
WRITING
WRITING
The Puppy, the Witch, & the Vanishing Black
The Puppy, the Witch, & the Vanishing Black
To save their puppy from a huge spectral hound, twelve-year-old grieving fraternal twins Jo and Charlie must befriend a motley group of churchyard ghosts, face forgotten folklore, and journey into the afterlife itself.
CROOKED:
CROOKED:
THE CYPHER HEIST
THE CYPHER HEIST
When twelve-year-old "living ghost" Robin outsmarts a professional crew during a British Museum heist, she uncovers a WWII-tech conspiracy to rig the nation’s wealth. She isn’t out for revenge; she’s out for redistribution, and she’s going to break every rule in the book to get it.
ART
From raw minerals ground by hand to the fine lines of an ink pen, the portfolio showcases the intersection of natural materials and narrative art.
"Mary Blackshaw is a writer and illustrator whose stories explore the hidden ingenuity of childhood. Drawing on eighteen years of experience as a primary school and specialist advisory teacher, she writes for the resilient, the inventive, and all those children who navigate the world with more wit and imagination than the adults around them. Mary’s heroes aren’t ‘chosen ones’ or heirs to privilege; they are the children who have forged their own paths out of necessity and grit. Whether unravelling a high-stakes heist in the heart of London or weaving thoughtful stories with ink and folklore, Mary’s work is rooted in a love for hidden history and a search for wonder in the mundane. Often found scouting museums for secrets, she creates worlds where the children are always the smartest people in the room because that's usually true."
"Mary’s style and attention to detail really stood out to us. She provided an excellent workshop for refugees and asylum seekers, helping them produce meaningful art through her expert guidance. Her sculpture prompted stories and discussion across generations—the greatest feedback came from one participant who said: ‘Because of the horse, I feel I have made my mark.’"
- Kathryn Spence, Community Curator, North Lincolnshire Museum
"Her work is beautiful, thought provoking, and executed in a very conscientious and professional manner. It has been a pleasure to work with Mary."
-Deborah Balchin, Art Programme Lead at Sobell House Hospice Charity
Page updated
Report abuse