Children 's picture books illustrator & author

Circle Yuen creates emotionally resonant picture books that accompany children as they rebuild a sense of home, belonging, and safety through change.

Circle, Lok Ling Yuen 阮絡伶

I am a UK-based author-illustrator devoted to the quiet art of emotional healing. Born in Hong Kong, my creative journey began not in a studio, but in the heart of social advocacy. For a decade, I served as a Community Organiser and Centre-in-charge at a specialist NGO—a decade spent listening to silent stories of trauma and resilience. This path, which led the South China Morning Post to recognise me as one of the 'Five Asian Women Rethinking Gender Equality,' continues to inform every stroke of my brush today.

Having navigated my own marriage storm, I now create picture books as safe harbours, accompanying children as they traverse the shifting landscapes of family and belonging.

My debut, Our Dance (Graffeg, 2025), was created in pioneering collaboration with the National Association of Child Contact Centres (NACCC). My forthcoming book with Lantana (2026) expands this exploration, bringing an 'Own Voice' East Asian perspective to the delicate process of reimagining home.

Rooted in research and lived experience, my work equips young readers with the emotional language to navigate transition. My practice has received international recognition, including the selection as a Bologna Illustrators Exhibition finalist and the FAB Prize Publisher’s Prize Winner.

I hold an MA in Children’s Book Illustration from the Cambridge School of Art and a BA in Cultural Studies with Distinction from Lingnan University. Beyond the studio, I explore the restorative power of art and "life-writing" through my reflections on Substack.

Each illustration, for me, is a step along the long,

hopeful path toward finding one’s way home.

CRITICAL ACCLAIM

"A strikingly thoughtful book which deals with family breakdown with such sensitivity and honesty. The narrative truly centres the child, deftly managing the trauma... stripping the story down to its emotional core."

— Letterbox Library, 2026