When Susan is Smart illustration by Lilian Price Hacker

Lilian Price Hacker (often signing her work “L.P.H.”) was an early-20th-century British illustrator known for charming drawings used in children’s books, gift books, and postcard series. Her best-known work is the Susan series (1912), a collection of humorous illustrations depicting a mischievous young girl in different moods and activities. The images are characterized by soft color palettes, expressive gestures, and playful storytelling. Because of their charm and relatability, many of these drawings were later reproduced as popular postcards titled “When Susan…”, each showing the character behaving in a different way.

Hacker worked during a period when illustrated gift books and postcard art were extremely popular in Britain and Europe. Her style fits within the Edwardian children’s illustration tradition, emphasizing gentle humor, decorative composition, and lively character expression. Although not as widely documented as some major illustrators of the time, her work gained recognition through printed ephemera—especially postcards—which helped circulate her images widely. Today, her “Susan” illustrations remain collectible examples of early 20th-century children’s book and postcard art.