Mairi Hedderwick

(born 1939 -) - Gourock, near Glasgow

Although she was born in Gourock, and attended the Edinburgh College of Art, the highlands and islands of Scotland have always been Mairi Hedderwick's true home. She took her first job, as a mother's help, on the Isle of Coll in the Hebrides aged just 17. In 1962 she settled on Coll, where she raised her family and taught art at primary school. Her first home on Coll had no electricity or running water, and the nearest neighbour was 2 miles away.

Mairi Hedderwick is the author and illustrator of the much loved Katie Morag series of children's books. The first Katie Morag book, Katie Morag Delivers the Mail, was published in 1984. Although Katie lives on the fictional island of Struay, it is clearly inspired by Coll, and Katie's adventures come from Mairi's own experiences. The Katie Morag stories are now being animated for a children's TV series.

Hedderwick has also written and illustrated several travel books, including Highland Journey and An Eye on the Hebrides.

Key titles

The Big Katie Morag Storybook
This is a fabulous gift book to delight Katie Morag fans old and new. This bumper collection contains brand-new stories, along with sea-shanties and recipes, painting a wonderful picture of daily life on Katie Morag's island of Struay.
Highland Journey: A Sketching Tour Of Scotland
In 1876 the Victorian artist John Reid travelled around the Highlands and created a pictorial record of his journey. In this text, Mairi Hedderwick follows in his footsteps and creates her own pictorial record of the same journey.
Katie Morag And The Birthdays
Katie Morag is desperate for it to be her birthday, but as she soon discovers, there are plenty of other birthdays to be celebrated on Struay both before and after hers.
Katie Morag And The Dancing Class
Katie Morag has better things to do on a Saturday morning than go to dancing class, but Grannie Island says ballet will be good for her coordination and Granma Mainland longs to see her in a pretty dress and her new pink pumps, instead of those dreadful wellies.
Katie Morag And The Two Grandmothers
Grannie Island and Granma Mainland are like chalk and cheese - but ever resourceful Katie Morag finds an un-ewe-sual way of helping them understand each other better.
Katie Morag Delivers The Mail
When Katie Morag delivers the mail, the mail gets in a bit of a muddle. It's a good job Grannie Island's around to help sort it out!
More Katie Morag Island Stories
Katie Morag is back! Whether she is getting excited about the new pier, trying to cheer up Grannie Island in time for Granma Mainland's big day, singing naughty songs at the Grand Concert or solving riddles to get back in everyone's good books, Katie Morag is always up to something!