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Catherine
and Laurence Anholt are one of the today's leading author/illustrator
teams who have produced more than seventy highly successful
children's books, published in twenty-three countries around
the world. Imaginative, educational and fun, their books
are an essential part of every young library.
The
Anholts' titles have won numerous awards including the Smarties
Prize and the Kids' Club Network Award. In 1998
they were commissioned by the UK Government to advise and
produce material for the Sainsbury's sponsored Bookstart
scheme which is now given free of charge to all new parents.
So
who writes and who illustrates? Most of the words are by
Laurence for Catherine's illustrations, but Laurence has
written for many other illustrators including Tony Ross,
Arthur Robins, Martin Chatterton and Sheila Moxley. To make
things even more complicated, Laurence also illustrates
his own books, in particular, the bestselling series about
great artists published by Frances Lincoln which were described
by the Guardian as "enchanting and illuminating". These
books are currently being adapted as a major animation by
the creators of 'The Snowman'.
Catherine
comes from an Irish family. Her father was a potter and
she was one of eight brothers and sisters. She has the unusual
quality of total childhood recall - right back to being
swaddled in a hairy blanket as a baby! After a brief nursing
career, she found her true vocation as an artist at Falmouth
School of Art in Cornwall where she also met Laurence. She
went on to the Royal College of Art in London and was awarded
an M.A. Her work is acclaimed as having a uniquely personal
character - "It is difficult to define the magic of particular
books, but this positively shines and the light will not
go out... obtain a copy. You will never regret it." [Child
Education]
Laurence
has been described as "one of the most versatile authors
writing for children today". [William Watt] He was brought
up mainly in Holland where he developed a lasting passion
for Art - especially van Gogh. He claims to have a butterfly
mind and is happiest working on several diverse projects
at once; this might explain the rather confusing list of
early careers: Hotel-Night-Receptionist, Carpenter, School
Teacher and Art Lecturer; he has also sold encyclopaedias
and tropical fish! Laurence studied painting for eight years
and finished with a Master's Degree from the Royal Academy
of Art in London. His books range from poignant true adventures,
like Stone
Girl Bone Girl to the outrageously daft and
hugely popular Seriously Silly Stories, currently under
development by King Rollo Films as a proposed 26 part TV
series.
The
Anholts live and work in a rambling farmhouse, (haunted,
of course!) in the woods above the sea at Lyme Regis in
South West England. Many of their ideas come directly from
family life with their three children, who test every book.
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