Spotlight on… Vanessa Nicholson

Why did you decide to start producing bespoke books for children starting school and nursery?

I used to work in the finance department of a charity, although I’ve always been more comfortable with words. It was really one of those times when your passion for something grows because it doesn’t really fit your day job. I wrote my dissertation on children’s fiction and studied the power of words in psychology and education. The idea of creating bespoke children’s books had always interested me, so I quit to set up Honeycomb.

How do the books help children starting nursery or school?

The books help welcome the child and build their resilience, so answer questions like ‘who is going to look after me?’, ‘will it be fun?’ or ‘will it be safe?’. Nurseries and schools can engage with the content and adapt as they want, so each book is personalised. There is a real educational culture of well-being, resilience and nurturing emotions, and I think books can be a brilliant tool for developing this.

How did you decide on content?

It has been very consultative the whole way through. I write the books but I have had input from at least 30 other people. I am definitely not going to turn down feedback from someone with years of experience working in the sector. I approached people at B2B events, suppliers’ fairs and nursery shows to get advice. What truly amazed me was how helpful everyone was, they seemed to engage with the idea and really like it. It feels like everyone in the early years sector really wants to see others do well.