Publisher Turned Graphic Novelist
Ziggy Hanaor on Shushu and discovering illustrator Benjamin Phillips on Instagram
GraphicMemoir Blog: Creator Conversation #77
Shushu, the latest graphic novel by Ziggy Hanaor and Benjamin Phillips, is a tender story about an exhausted mother of a newborn and her challenging relationship with her mother-in-law. It is beautifully rendered, expertly paced, and comes highly recommended. Sometimes, graphic novels combine stunning artwork with minimalist storytelling and a relatively short narrative, yet linger long after reading. Other titles in this category and covered by this blog include A Visit to Moscow by Anna Olswanger and Yevgenia Nayberg, Victory Point by Owen Pomeroy, and Adrift on a Painted Sea by Tim Bird.
I was delighted to catch up with Hanoar, who is also the founder of Cicada Books, to discuss the craft of editing graphic novels, the evolution of her partnership with the illustrator Benjamin Phillips, and the different creative challenges behind writing for younger versus adult readers.
Background
Hanaor was born in Australia and spent part of her childhood in the United States before moving to Israel at the age of 13, eventually settling in London after university. “I grew up all over the place,” she says. Her varied upbringing has shaped her storytelling and perspective. In 2009, Ziggy founded Cicada Books, initially focusing on art and design publications, which allowed her to combine her editorial experience with a hands-on approach to publishing. Now based in Kentish Town, London, she is deeply embedded in the world of illustration and publishing, with a broad outlook on stories, audiences, and the nuances of culture and place.
From Publisher to Graphic Novelist
Ziggy’s move into graphic novels began with a personal challenge: stepping from her role as publisher and editor into creating a story herself, navigating both narrative and visual storytelling. To bring Alte Zachen to life, she sought out an illustrator and discovered Benjamin Phillips on Instagram, reflecting her direct approach to finding talent rather than going through agents. “It really changed the way you could access new illustration talent, building a community around people who live in caves and draw a lot,” she says. Phillips’s work is notable for being hand drawn, inked and coloured, giving it a warmth and texture that deeply complements Ziggy’s narrative style. Their partnership has now spanned two books — Alte Zachen and Shushu — allowing their creative collaboration to deepen with each project.
Central to Ziggy’s process is discovering and working with illustrators. “Most illustrators struggle with text, and most writers struggle with images. In my experience, keeping the roles separate can help each creator focus on their strengths,” she says, though she’s quick to add that many artists do both, and her point is simply about the practical advantages in her own collaborative process. “I let illustrators lead, and it’s a very positive, reciprocal process,” she explains.
Editorial Work Across Cicada Books
In her role as publisher at Cicada Books, Ziggy works on a variety of projects across children’s, YA, and graphic novels. For example, on Everything Amplified, a 300-page YA graphic novel illustrated by Sarah Lippett, she was deeply involved in discussions about narrative pacing, character movement, and emotional emphasis. “Discussing how sequences unfold and where emotional emphasis falls is critical,” she notes. Editing graphic novels, she stresses, is a distinct skill, not simply transferable from traditional book editing.
From New York to Cheltenham
Location plays a key role in Ziggy’s storytelling. Alte Zachen is set in New York and follows 11-year-old Benji and his grandmother, Bubbe Rosa, as they traverse Brooklyn and Manhattan gathering ingredients for a Friday night dinner. Bubbe feels alienated in the city, while Benji observes her and the world with clear-eyed acceptance. Glimpses of Bubbe’s childhood in Germany and young adulthood in 1950s Brooklyn gradually emerge, culminating in a poignant reunion with her first love. The story explores Jewish identity, intergenerational relationships, and connection across generations. Phillips’ illustrations for Alte Zachen have even been exhibited at the V&A, showcasing the artistry behind the project.
In contrast, Shushu takes place in Cheltenham, UK. “I wanted a sense of a woman who felt untethered, outside her comfort zone, without social or family structures around her. Cheltenham just seemed like the closest place,” she says. The story follows Miri, the exhausted mother of a screaming newborn and four-year-old Frances, who refuses to give up her shushu (pacifier). When her judgmental mother-in-law, Bella, arrives, she’s more of a burden than a help, criticizing mealtimes, bedtimes, and, of course, the ever-present shushu. Ziggy explains, “It’s about how women pass silences through generations… it’s a very small story, but I think it captures a truth about the way women inhabit their spaces and relationships.”
Through these stories, Ziggy demonstrates her skill in capturing both intergenerational relationships and the emotional textures of city life. In Alte Zachen, Bubbe Rosa’s navigation of memory, family, and urban change reflects cultural displacement and connection across generations. In Shushu, Miri’s domestic struggles highlight the often unspoken isolation of modern motherhood, rendered with tenderness and universality.
From Young Adult to Adult Graphic Novels
While Alte Zachen was aimed at a younger audience, Ziggy’s shift to Shushu marks her first foray into adult graphic novels. She explains that her work in children’s and YA publishing remains her comfort zone, allowing her to tell small, humorous, and emotionally resonant stories: “Shushu is a bit of an aberration in that sense. It’s a very personal story that I needed to tell, and Ben was up for bringing it to life.”
This move highlights her versatility as a writer and editor, showing her ability to navigate different audiences while maintaining a clear narrative voice.
Cicada Books and the Publishing Industry
As founder of Cicada Books, Ziggy wears many hats: publisher, editor, and writer. She publishes eight to nine books a year, collaborating with recurring writers and illustrators, and selling rights internationally. “Publishing is not an easy industry. It’s high risk, low return… books are generally down by about 20% in the UK right now. But I love it,” she says.
Cicada’s reach extends internationally: Alte Zachen received reviews in the New York Times and Wall Street Journal, and rights have been sold in Italy, Germany, and Taiwan. Alte Zachen was shortlisted for the V&A Illustration Awards 2024, the Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration 2023, and longlisted for the UKLA Book Awards 2023 — underscoring the strength of the story, the meticulous artistry of the illustrations, and the care in production.
Looking ahead, Ziggy hopes Shushu will reach a similarly engaged audience, resonating with readers through its intimate portrayal of motherhood while also highlighting the potential of adult graphic novels to tell personal, emotionally rich stories.
Article written by Jonathan Sandler, author of the Graphic Novel, THE ENGLISH GI: WORLD WAR II GRAPHIC MEMOIR OF A YORKSHIRE SCHOOLBOY’S ADVENTURES IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE , which was published in April 2022.
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