Jane Hissey is not only a great storyteller full of creativity, imagination and originality but an accomplished artist whose stunning illustrations adorn each page of this wonderful book. This captivating tale is one of friendship, love and fun that will delight as many children of today as it did myself in the nineties till now. I have always loved teddy bears and used to read many stories about them whilst keeping my special bear next to me, who was a good friend that still is cherished today even though he has been moved to the cupboard. The television series was something that I loved watching as a child as well as reading the stories, of the toys in the playroom from Duck to Rabbit and my favorite of them all the little bear with his red trousers.

I have to admit to shedding a tear or two when the most beautiful special collector’s limited edition copy of Old Bear came through the letterbox, which brought back so many memories and nostalgia as I gazed upon the golden cover. The Old Bear & Friends series has sold more than 7 million copies worldwide! Her illustrations are unique, using layers of colour pencil to build a more full & finely detailed finished image. Her tales of adventure and discovery are both heartwarming and fun, captivating the imaginations of children and adults alike. Inspired by a childhood teddy bear given to her by her grandmother, Jane has written and illustrated more than 20 picture books featuring Old Bear. Jane continued to nurture her passion through adulthood and studied illustration and design, later becoming an Art teacher and settling down with her husband Ivan and their 3 children Owen, Alison & Ralph. When she wasn’t doing this she would spend days at a time sitting in her favorite tree, reading the likes of Arthur Ransome and Enid Blyton. Her holidays were spent wandering fields and lanes, conjuring up fantastical worlds with pencil and sketchbook. First published in 1986, it later became the inspiration for BAFTA award winning TV series Old Bear Stories.Īs a child growing up in Norfolk, Jane developed a love for writing and drawing. Recognized in both publishing and TV, Jane Hissey is best known for her children’s book series Old Bear & Friends.

Jane hissey soft toys