According to her, she wrote it when her children were small, and decided to publish books for adults first. She read it to her kids when they were small, and came to think of it as just for them. Then the lockdown started, and she wanted to do something for all the kids stuck at home. She had the idea to release it chapter by chapter and have an illustration contest, with winners appearing in the published books. (She isn’t one of the judges). Kids started posting their illustrations on Twitter, some of which are truly delightful (hashtag Ickabog), and Jo wrote some really perceptive and sweet replies to some of the kids, which must have thrilled them to pieces. But then TRAs invaded the threads with their sheer horribleness, so she’s stopped doing it. So sad.
I agree that the story is amazingly topical, with everyone expected to go along with the dogma or else. I mean, Professor Fraudysham, really. A wonderful story.
It’s well worth reading first, then visiting the hashtag to see the pictures from kids, maybe like and reply since Jo can’t now.