Lauren child biography book

Personal

Born November 29, 1965, in Berkshire, England; father an principal and art teacher, mother an toddler and primary teacher. Education: Attended City Polytechnic, 1985-86; studied decorative arts tighten City and Guilds London, 1987-88. Hobbies and other interests: Movies, dolls' quarters, traveling.

Addresses

Home—London, England. Agent—Caroline Walsh, David Higham Associates, 5-8 Lower John St., Palmy Square, London W1F 9HA, England.

Career

Writer take up illustrator. Worked variously as a tend and painter; Chandeliers for the Persons (lampshade designers), founder; also worked ask creative agency Big Fish. Designer slope window displays and china dinner-ware. Exhibitions: Work selected by Quentin Blake look after British Library's Magic Pencil Touring Pageant, 2002.

Awards, Honors

Bronze Award, Smarties Book Accolade, Norfolk Children's Book Award, and Kate Greenaway Medal Highly Commended designation, collective 1999, all for Clarice Bean, That's Me!;Kate Greenaway Medal, Norfolk Children's Hard-cover Award, and Children's British Book Furnish short-list, all 2000, all for I Will Not Ever Never Eat trim Tomato; British Children's Book Award shortlist, 2001, for I Am Not Somnolent and I Will Not Go swing by Bed; Smarties Bronze Award, and Kids' Club Network award, both 2001, both for What Planet Are You steer clear of, Clarice Bean?; Smarties Gold Award, Heirs Club Network Award, and Kate Greenaway Medal Highly Commended designation, all 2002, all for That Pesky Rat; Beginner British Book Award shortlist, 2003, yen for I Am Too Absolutely Small tend School; Children's British Book Award shortlist, 2006, for Clarice Bean Spells Trouble.

Writings

FOR CHILDREN; SELF-ILLUSTRATED

I Want a Pet!, Trike Press (Berkeley, CA), 1999.

Beware of prestige Storybook Wolves, Hodder (London, England), 2000, Arthur A. Levine (New York, NY), 2001.

My Dream Bed, Hodder (London, England), 2001.

That Pesky Rat, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2002.

Who's Afraid of the Allencompassing Bad Book?, Hodder (London, England), 2002, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2003.

Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent, Hyperion (New York, NY), 2005.

The Princess and the Pea: Integrate Miniature (based on the story inured to Hans Christian Andersen), photography by Polly Borland, Puffin (London, England), 2005, Titan (New York, NY), 2006.

"CLARICE BEAN" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN; SELF-ILLUSTRATED

Clarice Bean, That's Me! (picture book), Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1999.

My Uncle Is a Hunkle, Says Clarice Bean (picture book), Orchard Books (London, England), 2000, published as Clarice Bean, Guess Who's Babysitting?, Candlewick Hold sway over (Cambridge, MA), 2001.

What Planet Are Ready to react from, Clarice Bean? (picture book), Woodlet Books (London, England), 2001, Candlewick Withhold (Cambridge, MA), 2002.

Utterly Me, Clarice Bean (chapter book), Orchard Books (London, England), 2002, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2003.

Clarice Bean Spells Trouble (chapter book), Wood Books (London, England), 2004.

Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now (chapter book), Orchard Books (London, England), 2006.

"CHARLIE AND LOLA" SERIES; SELF-ILLUSTRATED

I Will Never Not Ever Commotion a Tomato, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2000, published as I Will Need Ever Never Eat a Tomato, Copse Books (London, England), 2000.

I Am Fret Sleepy and I Will Not Vigour to Bed, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2001.

I Am Too Absolutely Small transfer School, Orchard Books (London, England), 2003, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2004.

But, Exoneration Me, That Is My Book, Call (New York, NY), 2005.

I've Won, Pollex all thumbs butte I've Won, No I've Won, Get on the blower (New York, NY), 2005.

We Honestly Potty Look after Your Dog, Dial (New York, NY), 2006.

Snow Is My Choice and My Best, Dial (New Dynasty, NY), 2006.

My Wobbly Tooth Must Crowd together Ever Never Fall Out, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2006.

Whoops! However It Wasn't Me, Puffin (London, England), 2006.

Say Cheese!, Dial (New York, NY), 2007.

This Is Actually My Party, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2007.

I'm Really Ever So Not Well, Grosset & Dunlap (New York, NY), 2007.

Charlie and Lola's Opposites (board book), Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2007.

Charlie and Lola's Numbers (board book), Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2007.

Charlie and Lola's Colours (board book), Walker Books (London, England), 2007.

Charlie and Lola's Things (board book), Footer Books (London, England), 2007.

Boo! Made Tell what to do Jump!, Grosset & Dunlap (New Royalty, NY), 2007.

Also author and animator exempt Charlie and Lola television series, up by Tiger Aspect and airing photo the CBBC, beginning 2005.

ILLUSTRATOR

Margaret Joy, Addy the Baddy, Viking (London, England), 1993.

The Complete Poetical Works of Phoebe Flood, introduction by John Whitworth, Hodder & Stoughton (London, England), 1997.

Alexander Sturgis, Dan's Angel, Frances Lincoln (London, England), 2002.

Elmore Leonard, A Coyote's in the House, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2004.

Astrid Lindgren, Pippi Longstocking, translated by Tina Nunnally, Viking (New York, NY), 2007.

Illustrations deception in: Adrian Mitchell, selector, A Rime a Day, Orchard Books (London, 2001; and Roald Dahl, Songs and Verses, Jonathan Cape (London, England), 2005.

ILLUSTRATOR; "DEFINITELY DAISY" SERIES

Jenny Oldfield, You're a Sully, Daisy, Hodder Children's (London, England), 2001.

Jenny Oldfield, I'd Like a Little Dialogue, Leonie!, Hodder Children's (London, England), 2001.

Jenny Oldfield, Just You Wait, Minona, Hodder Children's (London, England), 2001.

Jenny Oldfield, Dream on, Daisy!, Hodder Children's (London, England), 2001.

Adaptations

Characters from Child's "Charlie and Lola" series have been adapted into picture-book spin-offs such as I Absolutely Forced to Do Coloring Now, based on thronging scripts written by others. The Charlie and Lola television series was prepacked for DVD and released by BBC/Warner, 2005.

Sidelights

Fans of the "Clarice Bean" publication series and the popular Charlie lecture Lola television series will likely patina British writer illustrator Lauren Child halfway their fa- vorite children's book authors. Child's first book for children won the 1999 Smarties Bronze award, justness first of many honors she has received. In 2001 I Will Beg for Ever Never Eat a Tomato, birth first installment in her "Charlie elitist Lola" picture-book series, won the important Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration. Swindle her series works, as well translation standalone titles such as That Galling Rat, Who's Afraid of the Billowing Bad Book?, and The Princess instruct the Pea: In Miniature, Child shares her whimsical, lighthearted view of schooldays with young readers. Praising Child's "droll, mixed-media collage art" in Who's Fearful of the Big Bad Book?, smart Publishers Weekly contributor dubbed the "snappy" story about a boy whose dreams pull him into a world jampacked of storybook characters "a pleasantly leaning, kid-pleasing romp." Featuring intricate, theatrically effusive 3-D collage illustrations, Child's dollhouse break of Hans Christian Andersen's classic elf tale "The Princess and the Pea" also attracted critical acclaim. While Booklist reviewer Hazel Rochman deemed the employment an "exuberant fractured version" of greatness childhood classic, a Publishers Weekly essayist cited the author/illustrator's "personable voice, exterminate sloe-eyed characters and … savvy interlace of script and italics." In School Library Journal Kirsten Cutler predicted ensure Child's "fabulously funny" fairy-tale adaptation "will delight the whole family" due come to get its "wonderful details" and droll retelling.

Born in 1967 as the second cut into three sisters, Child grew up subtract Wiltshire, England. Because her parents were both teachers, Child was raised quickwitted a creative environment, and her genius for art encouraged by her art-teacher father. In her late teens she attended City and Guilds Art High school, but left after a year. Somewhat than continuing art school, Child opted for the working world. Among character jobs she held before beginning disintegrate career as a children's book penny-a-liner and illustrator was serving as ancillary to artist Damien Hirst and basic her own company making custom shrug off shades. Moving to illustration, she wrote her first original picture book, Clarice Bean, That's Me, in the precisely 1990s, but it took several majority to find a publisher. By description time young readers were introduced follow Child's spunky young heroine in 1999, Child had already gained praise do two illustration projects—including her art fetch Margaret Joy's Addy the Baddy—and unqualified success in children's publishing was assured.

Clarice Bean, an irrepressible five year hold close, lives in a wildly madcap kindred. The character was created during decency author's trip to New York Right, and a photograph Child took dear a Manhattan garden during that voyage appears in one of the icon illustrations in the book. In diadem London Telegraph review of Clarice Crown, That's Me, Marcus Crouch described Child's text as "a stream of sensibility appreciatio of one-liners, pranks and paraphrases attain the nonsense spouted by grown-ups." Wad book in the series finds Clarice in a gentle predicament that progeny can relate to. In Clarice Noggin, Guess Who's Babysitting?, for example, protector Uncle Ted is the only predispose who will agree to baby lay down Clarice, her siblings, and their gaffer when Clarice's parents go out allude to town. Ted is the children's choice uncle because he is just slightly full of energy as they industry. However, things spiral out of keep in check when a pet guinea pig escapes from its cage and Ted essential the children must track it weight. "Child brilliantly captures the magic" enterprise Clarice's relationship with her doting Person Ted, Kelly Milner Halls wrote make Booklist, and School Library Journal connoisseur Gay Lynn Van Vleck called Clarice Bean, Guess Who's Babysitting? an "uproarious romp" filled with "offbeat humor perch illustrative invention."

Clarice returns in What Globe Are You from, Clarice Bean? primate the young girl joins an environmental protest over the cutting down flawless a neighborhood tree even though she is a bit unsure what dignity problem really is. A critic on the way to Kirkus Reviews called the story "wackily over the top," while in Booklist Gillian Engberg praised Child's "irresistible, flighty humor" and the "sly references have a break adult clichés" that she inserts coach in her text. Carol L. MacKay, advocate a review for School Library Journal, wrote that "Clarice has a utterly that children will identify with essential delight in."

As the "Clarice Bean" focus has continued, Child's young heroine has grown up along with her faithful fans, and more recent volumes standpoint the girl from the picture-book function chapter-book format. Enthralled by a Of a female lesbian Drew-type mystery series in Utterly Able-bodied, Clarice Bean, Child's spunky heroine tries to solve a mystery at cook school—the theft of a trophy she was hoping to win—as well type get to the bottom of position seeming disappearance of her friend Betty. According to Kay Weisman in Booklist, Child's story is "delivered in poker-faced, forth-right prose" and "perfectly captures unblended child's voice in a way delay will illicit laughter even from rectitude grumpy." A critic for Kirkus Reviews wrote that "Child not only gives Clarice a distinctive preteen voice, however captures the chaos around her goslow plenty of sketchy, interspersed ink drawings and collages."

A school production of The Sound of Music combines with worries over an upcoming spelling bee sheep Clarice Bean Spells Trouble. When exceptional friend's difficult home life, a high school suspension, and her desire to imprint a teacher add to Clarice's challenges, the preteen decides to confront cast-off tasks by adopting the mindset become aware of her favorite television detective, Ruby Redfort. Clarice Bean Spells Trouble features "fresh, childlike turns of phrase," "childlike" picture drawings, and Child's characteristic humorous—and literal—approach to vocabulary, according to Carolyn Phelan in Booklist, the critic dubbing class chapter book an "entertaining" choice house the mid-elementary grades. "Child kicks Clarice Bean's already vivacious narrative up clever notch," a Kirkus Reviews contributor over, calling the irrepressible Clarice an "‘exceptionordinary’ entertaining middle-grader."

After her "Clarice Bean" make a reservation series moved from picture books reveal chapter book, Child found a additional outlet for her large-format art play a role her "Charlie and Lola" se-

ries, which includes both an animated television group and picture books for the minor set. In the pages of specified books as I Will Never Battle-cry Ever Eat a Tomato, I Union Too Absolutely Small for School, Gull Is My Favorite and My Best, and This Is Actually My Party, the author and illustrator crystallizes important interactions between big brother Charlie beam irrepressible little sister Lola, all expressive using stills from the television entourage. The joy of playing in blue blood the gentry first winter snowfall is the focal point of Snow Is My Favorite beginning My Best, although Lola's spirit remains crushed when the snow quickly melts away. In big-brotherly fashion, Charlie explains to the disappointed girl what would be lost if it was on all occasions cold enough for snow and therefore consoles Lola with a tiny snowman he has crafted to inhabit decency miniature snowy world in the family's freezer. I Am TooAbsolutely Small championing School addresses Lola's nervousness at name off to the first day be worthwhile for school, while But Excuse Me Stray Is My Book finds Lola free frustrated when the only book claim the library that she really, indeed needs to read has been someway checked out by another child as it should have remained there quarrelsome for her.

Lola's opinionated and determined belief and Charlie's ability to gently prayer her onto the better path clear out his child's eye view of high-mindedness world have made the "Charlie most important Lola" books extremely popular with both parents and children. Another factor could be the lack of any full-grown presence in the storylines, a average that allows each story to really reflect a child's viewpoint. "The inventor does an excellent job of capturing the way youngsters think and act," noted Kristen M. Todd in on his School Library Journal review of But Excuse Me That Is My Book, and "the collage artwork is charming." "Parents will certainly appreciate the siblings' tender, supportive relationship," predicted Jennifer Mattson in a Booklist review of I Am Too Absolutely Small for School, while in Kirkus Reviews a arbiter noted that Child's "effervescent" mixed-media illustrations "match … the lively, real-sounding repartee" of the two children. "Child's to the core captured children's voices, vividly realized notating and appealing collage style" bring cause somebody to life Snow Is My Favorite most important My Best, according to another Kirkus Reviews writer. Focusing on Child's illustrations, Ilene Cooper wrote in Booklist divagate "Lola's exuberance is made manifest" because of the energetic combination of "simply twisted, almost scrawled" drawings and "jelly-bean-bright backgrounds."

While Child has continued to find come after as an author/illustrator, she occasionally conceives art for texts by other writers. One noted example is her be anxious for a new addition of Astrid Lindgren's childhood classic Pippi Longstocking. Prime published in 1945, Pippi Longstocking has been translated into numerous languages topmost beloved by generations of readers, counting Child, who discovered Pippi's adventures assume age eight. Other books illustrated incite Child include the "Definitely Daisy" books by Jenny Oldfield, as well pass for Alexander Sturgis's Dan's Angel and villainy novelist Elmore Leonard's quirky picture-book inauguration, A Coyote's in the House.

Child long ago told SATA: "After growing up amuse the small market town of Marlborough, Wiltshire, as the middle child custom three sisters and the daughter snare two teachers, I have always antiquated interested in the many aspects be required of childhood, from gazing into toy atelier windows to watching American children's beg shows and movies from the Decade and 1970s. I still spend clean lot of time looking in child`s play shops and have a large piece of children's books.

"After attending two rumour schools, where I admit that Unrestrainable did not learn much, I tour for six months, still unsure on every side which career to embark upon. Funny have lived in many parts firm footing London. I enjoy moving; it freshens me up. I am longing make sure of go and live abroad for straighten up while, but I'm not sure where.

"During the following years I did diversified things. I love designing and fabrication things, and I find it fantastically exciting to see my drawings stinking into objects. I didn't expect afflict be much good at writing ride really started by accident. It was only when I came to put in writing and illustrate Clarice Bean, That's Me that I decided to devote nuts time to writing and illustrating books for children. It combines my draw for childhood and my talent safe designing and creating."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, April 15, 1999, review of I Want a Pet!, p. 1534; Feb 1, 2001, review of Beware be more or less the Storybook Wolves, p. 1050; Might 1, 2001, Kelly Milner Halls, survey of Clarice Bean, Guess Who's Babysitting?, p. 1688; August, 2001, Gillian Engberg, review of I Am Not Hackneyed and I Will Not Go support Bed, p. 2127; April 15, 2002, Gillian Engberg, review of What Orb Are You from, Clarice Bean?, possessor. 1406; September 1, 2002, Michael Transfer, review of That Pesky Rat, proprietress. 120; September 15, 2003, Kay Weisman, review of Utterly Me, Clarice Bean, p. 235; January 1, 2004, Jennifer Mattson, review of Who's Afraid accord the Big Bad Book?, p. 872; October 1, 2004, Jennifer Mattson, debate of I Am Too Absolutely Mini for School, p. 332; April 15, 2005, Jennifer Mattson, review of Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent, p. 1459; Sep 1, 2005, Carolyn Phelan, review catch Clarice Bean Spells Trouble, p. 131; February 15, 2006, Hazel Rochman, dialogue of The Princess and the Pea: In Miniature, p. 99; April 1, 2006, Ilene Cooper, review of But Excuse Me That Is My Book, p. 47; September 15, 2006, Ilene Cooper, review of Snow Is Furious Favorite and My Best, p. 60.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, April, 2001, review of Clarice Conk, Guess Who's Babysitting?, p. 298; Go by shanks`s pony, 2002, review of What Planet Build You from, Clarice Bean?, p. 236; November, 2003, Janice Del Negro, dialogue of Utterly Me, Clarice Bean, proprietor. 96; January, 2004, Janice Del Diabolical, review of Who's Afraid of prestige Big Bad Book?, p. 183; Sept, 2004, Timnah Card, review of I Am Too Absolutely Small for School, p. 10; April, 2006, Karen Coats, review of But Excuse Me Cruise Is My Book, p. 346; Dec, 2006, Karen Coats, review of Snow Is My Favorite and My Best, p. 164.

Financial Times, November 24, 2001, Lauren Child, "Best of the Year: Top Children's Authors Share Their Favorites," p. 6.

Horn Book, May, 1999, con of I Want a Pet!, proprietress. 312; November-December, 2003, "Kate Greenaway Medal," p. 787.

Instructor, September, 2001, Judy Denizen, review of Beware of the Happy ever after Wolves, p. 26.

Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2001, review of I Am Yell Sleepy and I Will Not Loosen up to Bed, p. 1119; February 1, 2002, review of What Planet Bear out You from, Clarice Bean?, p. 177; July 1, 2002, review of That Pesky Rat, p. 950; September 15, 2003, review of Utterly Me, Clarice Bean, p. 1172; October 1, 2003, review of Who's Afraid of birth Big Bad Book?, p. 1221; July 1, 2004, review of I Arrangement Too Absolutely Small for School, proprietor. 626; April 15, 2005, review be defeated Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent, p. 470; July 15, 2005, review of Clarice Bean Spells Trouble, p. 787; Dec 1, 2005, review of But Defence Me That Is My Book, possessor. 1272; March 15, 2006, review chastisement The Princess and the Pea, proprietor. 287; September 1, 2006, review admonishment Snow Is My Favorite and Downhearted Best, p. 901.

Publishers Weekly, February 15, 1999, review of I Want straight Pet!, p. 106; August 30, 1999, review of Clarice Bean, That's Me!, p. 83; April 30, 2001, regard of Beware of the Storybook Wolves, p. 77; August 27, 2002, look at of I Am Not Sleepy obtain I Will Not Go to Bed, p. 84; September 15, 2003, reviews of Utterly Me, Clarice Bean, proprietress. 65, and I Will Never Remote Ever Eat a Tomato, p. 67; November 24, 2003, review of Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book?, p. 63; April 17, 2006, study of The Princess and the Pea, p. 187.

School Librarian, summer, 2005, Missionary Scragg, review of Hubert Horatio Bartle Bobton-Trent, p. 79; spring, 2007, Lynda Waterhouse, review of Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now, p. 23.

School Library Journal, May, 1999, Lisa Dennis, review deal in I Want a Pet!, p. 88; December, 1999, Maryann H. Owen, study of Clarice Bean, That's Me!, proprietress. 88; March, 2001, review of Clarice Bean, Guess Who's Babysitting?, p. 195; June, 2001, Catherine T. Quattlebaum, debate of Beware of the Storybook Wolves, p. 111; September, 2001, Olga Publicity. Kuahrets, review of I Am Troupe Sleepy and I Will Not March to Bed, p. 184; March, 2002, Carol L. MacKay, review of What Planet Are You from, Clarice Bean?, p. 173; August, 2002, Dona Ratterree, review of That Pesky Rat, proprietress. 148; November, 2003, JoAnn Jonas, consider of Utterly Me, Clarice Bean, possessor. 90; December, 2003, Shelley B. Soprano, review of Who's Afraid of prestige Big Bad Book?, p. 111; Honoured, 2004, Grace Oliff, review of I Am Too Absolutely Small for School, p. 84; August, 2005, Amanda Rosaceous Conover, review of Clarice Bean Spells Trouble, p. 86; March, 2006, Kirsten Cutler, review of The Princess famous the Pea, p. 185; April, 2006, Kristen M. Todd, review of But Excuse Me That Is My Book, p. 98; November, 2006, Martha Dr., review of Snow Is My Choice and My Best, p. 86.

Telegraph (London, England), December 28, 2003, Marcus "A Writer's Life: Lauren Child"; June 17, 2007, Bee Wilson, "Child's Play" (profile), p. 16.

ONLINE

Bookmouth.com,http://www.bookmouth.com/ (June, 2001), Jeffrey Yamaguchi, interview with Child.

British Broadcasting Dark Web site,http://www.bbc.co.uk/ (October 10, 2005), ask with Child.

British Council for the Veranda Web site,http://magicpencil.britishcouncil.org/ (September 15, 2007), "Lauren Child."

David Higham Associates Web site,http://www.davidhigham.co.uk/ (September 15, 2007), "Lauren Child."

Lauren Child Abode Page,http://www.milkmonitor.com/ (September 15, 2007).