Shortlisted for Illustrator of the Year – British Book Awards 2025 
 
From the award-winning creator of I (Hate) Love Books comes a humorous and heartfelt tale about the value of kindness and the magic of making new friends. Oh, Carrots! is the perfect choice for young children as they begin to navigate their first friendships.  
 
Mr Rabbit lives alone, and do you know what? He likes it! He enjoys peaceful moments spent reading, drinking cups of tea and gardening – but sometimes it can get a little too quiet . . . 
 
Luckily, Spring has arrived, and that means Mr Rabbit can plant his favourite vegetable – carrots!  
 
With some love, sunshine and a little bit of singing, the carrots begin to grow. But one day, Mr Rabbit spots something unusual – a wiggling carrot top! He pulls and pulls, and out pops a walking, talking carrot.  
 
Carrot only wants to be Mr Rabbit’s friend, but Mr Rabbit just wants to be left alone! From leaving soil all over the sofa to rummaging through books, Carrot's mischievous antics leave Mr Rabbit feeling a bit irritated.
 
Yet, as the day unfolds, Mr Rabbit finds himself starting to enjoy the company. He’s so used to being all alone that he’s never even considered having a friend. Maybe now is the perfect time for that to change. . .  
 
Mariajo Ilustrajo once again creates a story that children will want to revisit time and again. Following the prize-winning Flooded, Lost and I (Hate) Love Books, Oh, Carrots! confirms Mariajo as one of today's most exciting picture book creators.  

10 titles not to miss this April – “sweet and visually funny […] Oh, Carrots! would make a brilliant Easter present for a child.”

“Oh, Carrots is packed full of charm […] exquisite.” 

“provides young readers with a recipe for friendship: patience, warmth and care.”

“Oh, Carrots! is packed full of charm […] the drawings are exquisite”

Mariajo Ilustrajo is an award-winning Spanish illustrator based in the UK. She completed her MA in Children's Illustration from the prestigious Cambridge School of Art, before going on to be crowned the overall winner of the World Illustration Awards. Her debut picture book, Flooded, has been translated into 20 languages and won the Klaus Flugge Prize for Illustration.