Big Book of Feelings

James O’Brien uses potatoes to make marvelous, bold, animal characters--with attitude--who star in this brilliant debut picture book.

Get ready for a kaleidoscope of big, bright, bold colors, as James O’Brien’s distinctive potato-printed illustrations and funny quips help children navigate a range of feelings and emotions’ from fabulous and joyful to bored and vain.

These great characters explore feelings with humor and pathos, building self-awareness and knowledge of the world. Each feeling is explored through the eyes of a particular animal, providing much scope for discussion between caregiver and child.

James O’Brien is the founder of Potato Printer. He’s an artist, an illustrator, and a comedy writer who uses humor (and potatoes) to create a daft world of funny animals who are trying their best at life. James has worked with the likes of H&M, IKEA, and Woodmansterne Greeting Cards to create very silly things for very silly people.

James was a part of the Atelier100 programme--an initiative established by the Ingka Group (the largest IKEA franchisee) to help inspire people to bring their innovative ideas to life. James was commissioned to create a range of upcycled potato-printed dinner plates to help launch in their flagship Hammersmith store in 2022. James likes to engage with his local community. As part of the E17 Art Trail, James conducted a 24-hour potato printing portrait challenge to raise money for Walthamstow food bank Heat or Eat. James kept all his fingers and raised over £800, potato printing 76 15-minute portraits. 


O’Brien is based in Kent, UK. Visit his website at potatoprinter.com