MICHAEL CL CHEUNG
designer illustrator - CEO of BO AND BEAN
I’m Michael Cheung, a UK-based designer and illustrator with over 25 years of experience creating artwork for a wide range of commercial clients.
My work is currently available on Funky Pigeon and Thortful, where I create simple, expressive illustrations designed to make people smile and connect with a story.
Over the years, I’ve developed a style rooted in clarity, warmth and storytelling—whether through a single illustration, a memorable character or a complete creative project.
Now, I’m bringing that experience to children’s books, creating playful stories and illustrations filled with imagination, humour and heart.
THE STORY
Alongside my freelance design work, I co-founded BO AND BEAN, a family-run bubble tea café during lockdown in Stoke-on-Trent. What started as a small venture grew into a second location in Chester, bringing together creativity, business and a strong connection with the local community — particularly its student community.
In 2025, life took an unexpected turn when I was diagnosed with cancer and stepped away from work for a while. Having the time to pause gave me the chance to reflect on what I wanted to create next.
When we eventually closed the Stoke café, I’ll never forget how emotional some of the children were and how they wished me well during my cancer treatment. It deeply moved both me and my daughter. We had always thought of the café as a place to have a bubble tea or coffee and meet friends, but we hadn’t realised that, for some of those children, it had become something more meaningful — a safe haven and a big part of their lives.
That experience stayed with me and made me want to create something lasting for children.
I found myself returning to something I had always loved... designing, telling stories and bringing ideas to life through illustration.
That was the beginning of THE TINY HERO & THE GIANT LION, my first children’s picture book — a rhyming story about resilience, perseverance and discovering that being small doesn’t mean you can’t do big things.
What began as one story has grown into GIANT LION PRESS — a new creative chapter built around stories, characters and illustrations that I hope will make children smile, laugh and believe in themselves.
The Tiny Hero may be the first... but he certainly won’t be the last. Watch this space!