SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: A BOY, HIS DOG, AND THE SEA
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.anthonybrownebooks.com/
CITY: Kent
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: English
LAST VOLUME: SATA 370
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born September 11, 1946, in Sheffield, England; son of Jack Holgate and Doris May Browne; married Jane Franklin (a violin teacher), July 26, 1980; children: Joseph, Ellen.
EDUCATION:Leeds College of Art, B.A. (with honours), 1967.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer, artist, illustrator, and designer. Victoria University of Manchester, Manchester, England, medical artist at Royal Infirmary, 1968-70; Gordon Fraser Greeting Cards, London, England, designer, 1971-88; author and illustrator of children’s books, 1975—. Judge and spokesperson for Booktrust Best New Illustrators Award, 2011. Exhibitions: Illustrations from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland were exhibited at the Barbican, London, England, 1988. Other work has been represented in exhibitions in Mexico City and Guadalajara, Mexico; Caracas, Venezuela; Bógota, Colombia; Paris, France; The Hague, Netherlands; and in Japan.
AVOCATIONS:Reading, music, theater, films, swimming, tennis, squash, cricket.
AWARDS:Kate Greenaway Medal commendation, British Library Association, 1982, and International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) Award for Illustration in Great Britain, 1984, both for Hansel and Gretel; Kate Greenaway Medal and Kurt Maschler/“Emil” Award, British Book Trust, 1983, New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books selection, 1985, Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Book selection for illustration and Child Study Association of America Best Children’s Books designation, both 1986, and Silver Pencil Award (Netherlands), 1989, all for Gorilla; Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis (Germany) and Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies selection, National Council for the Social Studies/Children’s Book Council, both 1985, both for The Visitors Who Came to Stay by Annalena McAfee; Parents’ Choice Award, Parents’ Choice Foundation, 1987, for Piggybook, and 1988, for Look What I’ve Got!; Kate Greenaway Medal Highly Commended selection, 1988, and Kurt Maschler/“Emil” Award and Parents’ Choice Award, both 1989, all for Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll; Silver Pencil Award, 1989, for The Tunnel; Kate Greenaway Medal, 1992, for Zoo; Silver Medal, Society of Illustrators, 1995, for King Kong; Kurt Maschler Award, 1998, and Notable Books for Children designation, American Library Association, 1999, both for Voices in the Park; Hans Christian Andersen Illustration Award, 2000; Kate Greenaway Medal shortlist and Boston Globe/Horn Book Award Honor selection, both 2004, both for The Shape Game; Hon. D.Ed. from Kingston University, 2005; named Waterstones Children’s Laureate, 2009-11.
WRITINGS
Bear Hunt was adapted for a filmstrip by Weston Woods, 1982.
SIDELIGHTS
English author and illustrator Anthony Browne has been acclaimed as a gifted artist as well as an incisive social critic who helped to define the modern picture book. Celebrated for creating unconventional, often provocative works that challenge and delight both young readers and adults, Browne uses spare texts and symbolic pictures filled with surrealistic details and humorous visual puns to address serious themes about personal relationships, social conventions, human behavior, and the thin line between perception and reality. He is perhaps best known as the creator of Gorilla, a picture book that features a lonely girl infatuated with apes who, after receiving a toy gorilla from her often-absent father, dreams that it turns into a real animal. In 1983 Gorilla earned Browne his first Kate Greenaway Medal as well as Germany’s Kurt Maschler Award.
Browne grew up Sheffield, Yorkshire, in the north of England, in the years following World War II. Noting that books and reading were an important part of that childhood, he also once recalled to SATA that he was “a kid with terrors—people coming after me, things under the bed, in the wardrobe.” He captured these childhood fears in his picture book Willy the Wimp, in which a skinny, refined young chimp ultimately triumphs over various gorilla tormentors.
When he was seven years old, Browne and his family moved to Wyke, near the industrial town of Bradford. This relocation proved particularly difficult for a small urban boy who enjoyed drawing and writing as much as rambunctious outdoor games. Throughout his school years, Browne continued drawing, mostly detailed sketches of battles based on the comic books he read, and by age sixteen he had decided to become an artist. During his first year as a graphic-design major at Leeds College of Art, Browne’s father passed away of a heart attack, and the illustrator’s later picture book My Dad would pay loving homage to the man.
After a stint as a medical artist and a long career as a greeting-card designer, Browne made his first contribution to children’s literature when Hamish Hamilton published Through the Magic Mirror. Released in 1976, the work finds a bored young lad named Toby entering a fantastic world through a looking glass before returning to his home. Through the Magic Mirror incorporates the stylistic touches that have since become characteristic of Browne’s work, and in Horn Book, Aidan Chambers wrote that it “firmly announces in an uncompromising way that Browne intends to bring into children’s books some of the twentieth-century art which has often been thought too difficult for children to understand.”
In 1981, a year after he married violin teacher Jane Franklin, Browne published his unusual retelling of the Grimm Brothers’ Hansel and Gretel. Rather than presenting the tale as a period piece, he set the story about the two siblings in the present day and his illustrations echo the subconscious imagining of young children. In her Signal review of Hansel and Gretel, Jane Doonan claimed that “Browne’s pictures supply a piece of visual storytelling, a psychological commentary, which interprets the folktale in a positive way” and “offers children a chance to recognize the nature of their deeper and truer feelings.”
Beginning with Willy the Wimp, Browne’s “Willy” series focuses on a chimp that lives in a world dominated by gorillas. A critic in Publishers Weekly described the popular character as “an earnest and endearing youngster, often lonely and sometimes bullied, but who wins out thanks to perseverance and pluck.” In Willy the Dreamer the charming little chimp imagines himself in a variety of settings and costumes, from a sumo wrestler to a dancer and a superhero. “What’s most compelling here isn’t Willy’s state of mind; it’s how Browne parodies well-known works of art to celebrate the world of possibilities that await the chimp,” according to Joanna Rudge Long in her Horn Book review.
After a fifteen year break from the “Willy” series, Browne revisited it with Willy’s Stories. The titular chimpanzee protagonist finds himself in scenes from ten classic literary works. The books from which Browne draws scenes from are Peter Pan, Robin Hood, Treasure Island, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Tinderbox, Rapunzel, The Adventures of Pinocchio, The Wind in the Willows, Alice in Wonderland, and Robinson Crusoe. As a librarian, Willy loves to imagine himself in the action of the books he reads. When he transitions from scene to scene, Willy is shown walking through black doors. He excitedly anticipates what he will see on the other side. When he enters the world of The Tinderbox, Willy agrees to an old woman’s request that he look for the titular object in a tree trunk. In the world of Treasure Island, Willy is a stowaway eavesdropping on the dastardly plans of the pirate Long John Silver. Willy plays the role of Peter in the scene adapted from Peter Pan. He interacts with his nemesis, Captain Hook. In the Robinson Crusoe scene, Willy sees mysterious footprints on a sandy beach. The house he is in is ripped off the ground by a tornado in the scene from The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Discussing these classic novels, a Publishers Weekly reviewer referred to Willy’s Stories as “a doorway into these sometimes-intimidating works.” A contributor to Kirkus Reviews asserted: “This chimp is a worthwhile companion; young readers will no doubt answer his call.” “In a warm, saturated palette, Browne’s paintings are filled with charming visual hints,” suggested Annie Miller in Booklist, while a writer in Children’s Bookwatch called the book “beautifully illustrated.” In 2017 Browne continued the “Willy” series with Willy and the Cloud.
Browne released the self-illustrated title The Little Bear Book in 1988. Commenting in Horn Book, Sam Bloom stated, “His gorgeously detailed illustrations pace the story perfectly, alternating busy, wide forest shots with close-ups of Bear against a white background working his magic.” The story follows a little bear who carries a pencil that bestows him with unique abilities to draw whatever he needs. He sets out on an adventure through the forest. The bear first meets a gorilla, for whom he draws a small stuffed bear. The bear encounters many other animals in the book, too, including a lion, an elephant, and a crocodile, all well met by the bear, all gifted with a drawing come to life. Even when the bear comes across an impassible wall, the pencil is invaluable. He draws a hole in the wall and simply walks through. A contributor to Publishers Weekly concluded that The Little Bear Book is “Simultaneously tricky and simple, the book highlights Browne’s gift for distilling concepts into cool, crisp words, phrases and pictures.”
Browne also focuses on primates in One Gorilla: A Counting Book, a work described as “an arresting visual experience” by Caroline Ward in School Library Journal. Through his portrayal of humankind’s kinship with creatures such as macaques and lemurs, “Browne’s work exemplifies the way close observation of animals leads, for both artist and viewer, to deepened respect,” as a Publishers Weekly critic noted. Based on the real-life relationship between Koko, a gorilla who communicates in sign language, and a pet kitten, Little Beauty focuses on the unlikely relationship between a lonely gorilla and his new friend, a tiny feline that shares quarters at the zoo. “Browne melds fact and fiction into a story that reads simply, but offers layers,” Wendy Lukehart explained in a School Library Journal review of Little Beauty.
Browne’s self-illustrated Piggybook, a picture book that is often considered among his best works, introduces Mrs. Piggott, a harried wife and mother who is tired from doing housework in addition to her paid employment. Challenging male chauvinism and sexual stereotyping, the work was also acknowledged for its humorous but pointed look at male and female roles. Kathleen Brachmann, writing in School Library Journal, called Piggybook a “wickedly feminist tale if ever there was one,” adding that, in “terms of cleverness and style, this one brings home the bacon.” Doonan noted in the Times Literary Supplement that “Browne achieves a fine balance between the humour of the fantastic imagery and the seriousness of his message” in Piggybook .
Browne won a second Kate Greenaway Medal for Zoo, a picture book in which the doltish behavior of a family of zoo visitors is juxtaposed with the activities of the caged animals. At the end of the family’s visit—in which boorish dad and his impatient sons behave insensitively—the mother feels sympathy for the animal. Browne’s illustrations reflect this sentiment; paintings on opposite pages balance the family’s actions with the zoo’s animals and settings, and other zoo visitors are pictured humorously, some sporting flippers or tails beneath their clothes. Writing in Booklist, Stephanie Zvirin noted of Zoo that here Browne “brings the surreal and the real together to give us a world transformed.”
The family depicted in Zoo heads to the art museum in The Shape Game. While strolling through the halls of London’s Tate Gallery, Mom encourages her sons to make up stories about the paintings. Soon enough, various family members suddenly find themselves inside the works hanging on the Tate’s walls. The day at the museum culminates with a train ride home, during which the boys sketch random shapes and work them into recognizable pictures. The Shape Game was inspired by Browne’s work as an author/illustrator-in-residence at the Tate, as well as by his ongoing crusade to interest young children in fine art. Horn Book reviewer Roger Sutton recommended the book, writing that it offers an “important invitation to make the connection between art and life and back again.”
Among the most personal of Browne’s works, an illustrated retelling of the classic 1930s film King Kong, was based on the movie but features several uniquely personal twists. For example, the female lead (played by Fay Wray in the film) bears a striking resemblance to actress Marilyn Monroe. His dramatic, dreamlike illustrations here were cited for mastering crowd scenes and group movement, and the text of King Kong —considered both a love story and a tragedy by critics—was described by a reviewer in Publishers Weekly as “appropriately cinematic.” Discussing the work in Books for Keeps, Browne acknowledged that King Kong pays homage to his father. “He was a big man and I was a small boy,” he explained. “He was strong and physical. … Yet he was also artistic and sensitive. … It’s the dual nature of Kong which attracts me.”
My Dad was also inspired by Browne’s affection for his late father. With gentle pictures done in a bathrobe-plaid motif, the picture book celebrates a youngster’s fearless, loving, and sometimes silly father, who can send the Big Bad Wolf packing with a simple gesture and who sings tenor with opera stars Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo. GraceAnne A. DeCandido, writing in Booklist, found the mutual affection between son and father to be “genuinely moving as well as funny,” and a Publishers Weekly reviewer deemed My Dad “an endearing paean to patriarchs.”
Browne offers a tribute to another important family member in My Mom as a youngster extols the virtues of his mother by praising her skills as a cook, gardener, juggler, and more. A younger boy’s admiration for an older sibling propels the story in My Brother, and the love and respect between the two boys manifests itself in the smallest of details, from their mutual haircut to the same type of sandals they wear. The “honesty of the narrator’s emotions and Mom’s devotion shine through” Browne’s illustrations, observed Booklist critic Ilene Cooper in appraising My Mom, and Carolyn Phelan wrote in the same periodicals that Browne “takes this universal theme of sibling idolatry and interprets it visually with economy and verve” in My Brother.
In Me and You, Browne offers an inventive take on the classic story “Goldilocks and the Three Bears.” Set in a contemporary urban neighborhood and told from the alternating points of view of Baby Bear and Goldilocks, the work explores themes of inequality and classism. Goldilocks’ wordless adventure, which begins after she leaves home and becomes lost in a maze of abandoned buildings, is depicted in a series of small, sepia-toned panels; in contrast, Baby Bear’s narrative describing a day playing in the park with his parents is paired with expansive, brightly colored images. The tales converge when Goldilocks discovers a door open at the Bears’ inviting and well-kept home. In Horn Book, Martha V. Parravano remarked of Browne’s retelling that “the turned-on-its-head premise removes the recklessness from Goldilocks’s actions and renders them deeply poignant.”
With Into the Forest, Browne “considers the links between childhood fears and the imagination,” commented according to Long in another Horn Book review. A young boy awakens to find that his father is gone. Asked to visit his ailing grandmother and hoping to be back home when his father returns from work, he disregards his mother’s advice about taking the safe route home and instead opts for a menacing shortcut through the forest. Along the way he meets a number of fairytale characters, including Goldilocks and Hansel and Gretel, and receives a delightful surprise upon arriving home. “The power of the story is in the fearful detail that reveals the child’s nightmare of being forsaken,” commented Booklist reviewer Hazel Rochman in appraising Into the Forest.
Also focusing on childhood fears, What If … ? finds Joe growing increasingly anxious as he prepares to attend his first big party. Having lost the invitation containing the house number, Joe follows his mother as they walk down the street and pesters her with questions about the event. As he peers through the window of each home they pass, his imagination starts to work and he envisions the neighbors’ living rooms transformed into surreal tableaus inhabited by strange creatures. “With its sophisticated visual humor, this is Browne at his artistically weird and psychologically complex best,” remarked Horn Book contributor Kathleen T. Horning in her appraisal of What If … ?
In recognition of his accomplishments, Browne was named the sixth Waterstones Children’s Laureate in 2009. According to Julia Eccleshare in the London Guardian, his “surrealist illustrations bring an ironic commentary into the picture book form, showing how sophisticated picture books can be and how easily they can appeal to all ages.” “Children are more than capable of coping with all kinds of stories; it’s adults who are threatened by the darkness in children’s books,” Browne remarked to Sarah Crown in an interview for the same publication. “But it has a place: an essential place. If we insist on telling children that everything in the garden is lovely, we’re doing them a disservice.”
Hide and Seek, a standalone picture book written and illustrated by Browne, follows Cy and Poppy, a brother and sister who grieve for their dog, Goldie, who has gone missing. They decide to take their minds off their sadness by going to the forest to play a game of hide and seek. Browne depicts the siblings hiding in various locations in the woods. At the end of the book, Goldie reappears and runs excitedly toward Cy. A Kirkus Reviews critic described Hide and Seek as “engaging.” “A mixture of fantasy and realism will have readers poring over the paintings,” suggested Maryann Owen in Booklist.
With his 2019 picture book Little Frida: A Story of Frida Kahlo, Browne takes inspiration from the diary of this famed Mexican artist to explore Kahlo’s life following a bout of polio when she was six. Thereafter, she walked with a limp, but in her imagination and dreams she could fly. One such imaginary journey takes Frida to a girl dressed in white who can dance without the pain that Frida herself feels. This imaginary character was her constant friend and would ultimately find its way into the artwork of the mature Frida Kahlo. School Library Journal contributor Clara Hendricks had praise for Browne’s artwork in this book, commenting that “while maintaining his own style, Browne artfully captures the essence of Kahlo’s work in each illustration, with nods to her distinctive landscapes, clothing, and animal motifs.” Hendricks added: “This abstract adventure with lush illustrations will engage readers, and perhaps create new devotees of the artist.” A BookTrust website contributor was also impressed with Little Frida, noting: “This dreamy story reveals more, and rewards more, the longer you look at the illustrations. You feel like you have stepped into one of Frida Kahlo’s own paintings.” The contributor went on to predict that “not only will any grown-up Frida Kahlo fans love this book, but plenty of children will relate to its themes of bullying and belonging, imagination and hope.” An online Rebel Tribe reviewer dubbed this a “beautiful book focused on the childhood experiences of Frida Khalo.” The reviewer added that “the illustrations are absolutely outstanding, with bold colours and delicate depictions of Frida’s memories.” Similarly, a Books4YourKids website writer observed: “I have long loved Anthony Browne’s picture books, and this marks the eighth one I have reviewed here. … I appreciate his painterly illustrations and his passion for patterns and love the references to great works from Western art history. He also is one of the most sensitive, thoughtful authors when it comes to putting emotions on the page, especially in a way that young readers will recognize. With Little Frida, Browne seems to have found a kindred spirit in Kahlo, bringing an understanding of the way that the illness and injury of her childhood shaped her as a creative thinker and human being.”
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Browne, Anthony, and Joe Browne, Playing the Shape Game, Doubleday (London, England), 2011.
Children’s Literature Review, Volume 19, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1990.
Silvey, Anita, editor, Children’s Books and Their Creators, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1995, pp. 98-99.
Twentieth-Century Children’s Writers, 4th edition, St. James Press (Detroit, MI), 1995, p. 160.
PERIODICALS
Book, July, 2001, Kathleen Odean, review of My Dad, p. 81.
Booklist, January 15, 1986, review of Gorilla, p. 754; December 15, 1992, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Zoo, p. 730; May 15, 1994, Hazel Rochman, review of The Big Baby: A Little Joke, p. 1682; September 1, 1994, Hazel Rochman, review of The Daydreamer, p. 43; April 1, 1995, Hazel Rochman, review of The Topiary Garden, p. 1388; May 15, 1996, Hazel Rochman, review of Willy the Wizard, p. 1590; April, 1998, Lauren Peterson, review of Willy the Dreamer, p. 1319; September 15, 1998, Hazel Rochman, review of Voices in the Park, p. 234; February 1, 1999, Isabel Schon, review of Willy the Dreamer, p. 981; March 1, 2001, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of My Dad, p. 1286; September 15, 2003, Gillian Engberg, review of The Shape Game, p. 238; November 15, 2004, Hazel Rochman, review of Into the Forest, p. 580; March 1, 2005, Ilene Cooper, review of My Mom, p. 1201; October 15, 2006, Ilene Cooper, review of Silly Billy, p. 54; March 1, 2007, Carolyn Phelan, review of My Brother, p. 87; October 1, 2008, Hazel Rochman, review of Little Beauty, p. 43; September 15, 2010, Hazel Rochman, review of Me and You, p. 69; April 1, 2012, Angela Leeper, review of How Do You Feel?, p. 76; January 1, 2013, Hazel Rochman, review of One Gorilla: A Counting Book, p. 122; November 15, 2015, Annie Miller, review of Willy’s Stories, p. 59; October 1, 2018, Maryann Owen, review of Hide and Seek, p. 81.
Books for Keeps, May, 1987, Chris Powling, interview with Browne, pp. 16-17; November, 1988, Bernard Ashley, review of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, p. 28; November, 1994, Anthony Browne, “Capturing Kong,” pp. 24-25.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, October, 2010, Deborah Stevenson, review of Me and You, p. 65; January, 2013, Deborah Stevenson, review of One Gorilla, p. 236.
Children’s Bookwatch, January, 2016, review of Willy’s Stories; April, 2016, review of Willy’s Stories.
Guardian (London, England), July 4, 2009, Sarah Crowe, interview with Browne; June 13, 2009, Julia Eccleshare, author profile.
Horn Book, December, 1981, Aidan Chambers, review of Hansel and Gretel, p. 706; May-June, 1985, Ann A. Flowers, review of Willy the Wimp, p. 299; January-February, 1986, Kenneth Marantz, review of Gorilla, p. 46; March-April, 1989, Ann A. Flowers, review of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, p. 208; May-June, 1995, Ann A. Flowers, review of The Topiary Garden, p. 333; May-June, 1998, Joanna Rudge Long, review of Willy the Dreamer, p. 328; November, 1998, Joanna Rudge Long, review of Voices in the Park, p. 712; September-October, 2003, Roger Sutton, review of The Shape Game, p. 590; January-February, 2005, Joanna Rudge Long, review of Into the Forest, p. 71; January-February, 2009, Roger Sutton, review of Little Beauty, p. 75; November-December, 2010, Martha V. Parravano, review of Me and You, p. 72; March-April, 2013, Lolly Robinson, review of One Gorilla, p. 82; May-June, 2014, Sam Bloom, review of The Little Bear Book, p. 59; September-October, 2014, Kathleen T. Horning, review of What If … ? p. 78; November-December, 2018, Julie Roach, review of Hide and Seek, p. 58.
Junior Bookshelf, October, 1977, review of A Walk in the Park, p. 272; August, 1980, review of Look What I’ve Got!, p. 167; December, 1982, review of Bear Goes to Town, p. 218; August, 1983, review of Gorilla, p. 152; August, 1986, review of Willy the Champ, p. 139; February, 1989, Marcus Crouch, review of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, p. 19; August, 1995, Marcus Crouch, review of King Kong, pp. 125-126.
Kirkus Reviews, January 15, 1977, review of Through the Magic Mirror, p. 42; March 1, 1985, review of Willy the Wimp, p. J2; August 15, 1986, review of Piggybook, p. 1288; September 15, 2004, review of Into the Forest, p. 911; May 1, 2005, review of My Mom, p. 535; October 15, 2006, review of Silly Billy, p. 1066; March 1, 2007, review of My Brother, p. 217; October 15, 2008, review of Little Beauty; October 1, 2010, review of Me and You; March 15, 2012, review of How Do You Feel?; December 1, 2012, review of One Gorilla; June 15, 2014, review of What If … ?; October 1, 2015, review of Willy’s Stories; September 1, 2018, review of Hide and Seek.
Magpies, May, 1996, Julia MacRae, “Anthony Browne,” pp. 8-10.
New York Times, December 2, 1985, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, review of Gorilla, p. 21; December 4, 1986, Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, review of Piggybook, p. 25.
New York Times Book Review, May 1, 1977, George A. Woods, review of Through the Magic Mirror, p. 9; May 17, 1998, Robin Tzannes, review of Willy the Dreamer, p. 32.
Publishers Weekly, April 1, 1989, review of The Little Bear Book; February 23, 1990, review of Trail of Stones, p. 219; July 13, 1990, review of Bear Hunt, p. 53; February 22, 1991, review of Changes, p. 218; August 2, 1991, review of Willy and Hugh, p. 71; February 3, 1992, review of The Night Shimmy, p. 80; February 15, 1993, review of Zoo, p. 236; April 25, 1994, review of The Big Baby, p. 75; July 11, 1994, review of The Daydreamer, p. 79; November 7, 1994, review of King Kong, p. 76; December 19, 1994, review of The Topiary Garden, p. 55; December 18, 1995, review of Willy the Wizard, p. 54; June 1, 1998, review of Voices in the Park, p. 48; October 16, 2000, review of Willy’s Pictures, p. 75; February 12, 2001, review of My Dad, p. 209; July 28, 2003, review of The Shape Game, p. 94; October 18, 2004, review of Into the Forest, p. 64; October 16, 2006, review of Silly Billy, p. 51; October 13, 2008, review of Little Beauty, p. 53; October 11, 2010, review of Me and You, p. 43; March 19, 2012, review of How Do You Feel?, p. 86; December, 2012, review of One Gorilla, p. 73; May 12, 2014, review of What If … ?, p. 61; September 7, 2015, review of Willy’s Stories, p. 68.
School Librarian, February, 1993, Griselda Greaves, review of Zoo, p. 20; autumn, 2010, Jane Doonan, review of Me and You, p. 153; winter, 2010, Martin Axford, review of Bear’s Magic Pencil, p. 217; summer, 2011, Jane Doonan, review of Playing the Shape Game, p. 125; spring, 2014, Marzena Currie, review of What If … ?, p. 25.
School Library Journal, August, 1982, Patricia Dooley, review of Hansel and Gretel, p. 98; May, 1985, review of Willy the Wimp, p. 68; September, 1985, Trev Jones, review of Gorilla, p. 113; August, 1986, Carolyn Noah, review of Willy the Champ, p. 79; October, 1986, Kathleen Brachmann, review of Piggybook, p. 157; December, 2000, “Anthony Browne on Writing Willy’s Pictures,” p. 25; April, 2001, Beth Tegart, review of My Dad, p. 105; September, 2003, Wendy Lukehart, review of The Shape Game, p. 196; November, 2004, Robin L. Gibson, review of Into the Forest, p. 92; June, 2005, Wendy Lukehart, review of My Mom, p. 106; November, 2006, Kate McClelland, review of Silly Billy, p. 84; March, 2007, Marianne Saccardi, review of My Brother, p. 152; November, 2008, Wendy Lukehart, review of Little Beauty, p. 85; March, 2012, Linda L. Walkins, review of How Do You Feel?, p. 114; March, 2013, Caroline Ward, review of One Gorilla, p. 107.
Signal, September, 1983, Jane Doonan, “Talking Pictures: A New Look at ‘Hansel and Gretel,’” pp. 123-131.
Times Literary Supplement, December 14, 1979, review of Bear Hunt, p. 129; November 20, 1981, Tanya Harrod, “Illustrating Atmosphere,” p. 1360; November 26, 1982, review of Bear Goes to Town, p. 1305; November 28, 1986, Jane Doonan, review of Piggybook, p. 1345; November 25, 1988, Frances Spaulding, “Up-to-Date Embellishments,” p. 1320; August 3, 1990, review of The Tunnel, p. 833.
Tribune Books (Chicago, IL), April 14, 1991, review of Changes, p. 6.
Washington Post Book World, November 5, 1989, review of Bear Goes to Town, p. 25.
ONLINE
Anthony Browne website, http://www.anthonybrownebooks.com/ (February 2, 2021).
Books4YourKids, https://www.books4yourkids.com/ (October 9, 2019), review of Little Frida: A Story of Frida Kahlo.
BookTrust, http://www.booktrust.org.uk/ (June 1, 2011), author interview; (February 2, 2021), review of Little Frida.
British Council website, https://literature.britishcouncil.org/ (February 2, 2021), author profile.
English Association website, https://www2.le.ac.uk/ (February 2, 2021), Marcia Williams, author interview.
Macmillan website, http://us.macmillan.com/ (November 1, 2014), author profile.
Publishers Weekly, http://www.publishersweekly.com/ (July 22, 2014), Antonia Saxon, author interview.
Rebel Tribe, https://rebeltribeblog.com/ (February 2, 2021), review of Little Frida.
School Library Journal, https://www.slj.com/ (November 8, 2019), Clara Hendricks, review of Little Frida.
Walker Books website, https://www.walker.co.uk/ (February 12, 2019), author profile.
Waterstones Children’s Laureate website, http://www.childrenslaureate.org.uk/ (November 1, 2014), “Anthony Browne.”
Yonhap News, https://en.yna.co.kr/ (August 5, 2016), Woo Jae-yeon, author interview.*
"I was born in Sheffield and moved to a pub near Bradford when I was one. As I got older I apparently used to stand on a table in the bar and tell stories to customers about a character called Big Dumb Tackle (whoever he was). I spent much of my childhood playing sport, fighting and drawing with my older brother.
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My family (I'm the little boy on the left), 1951
I went to a grammar school in Cleckheaton, then studied graphic design at art college in Leeds. My father died suddenly and horrifically in front of me while I was there and this had a huge effect on me. I went through a rather dark period which didn’t sit very happily with the world of graphic design. After leaving college I heard about a job as a medical artist and thought that it sounded interesting - it was. I worked at Manchester Royal Infirmary for 3 years painting delicate watercolours of grotesque operations. It taught me a lot more about drawing than I ever learned at art college, and I believe it taught me how to tell stories in pictures. I thought that it was probably time to move on when strange little figures started appearing in these paintings, and so I began a career designing greetings cards. I continued to do this for many years working for the Gordon Fraser Gallery.
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Greetings card design for Gordon Fraser
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Greetings card design for Gordon Fraser
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Greetings card design for Gordon Fraser
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Greetings card design for Gordon Fraser
Gordon Fraser became a close friend and taught me a lot about card design which was to prove very useful when I came to do children’s books. I experimented with many styles and many subjects from snowmen to dogs with big eyes to gorillas. I sent some of my designs to various children’s book publishers and it was through one of these that I met Julia MacRae who was to become my editor for the next 20 years. She taught me much of what I know about writing and illustrating children’s books.
In 1976 I produced Through the Magic Mirror, a strange kind of book in which I painted many of the pictures before I wrote the story. I followed this with A Walk in the Park, a story I was to revisit 20 years later with Voices in the Park.
Probably my most successful book is Gorilla, published in 1983, and it was during this period that I was badly bitten by a gorilla whilst being filmed for television at my local zoo.
I have published 57 books, and amongst the awards that my books have won are the Kate Greenaway medal twice, and the Kurt Maschler ‘Emil” three times. In 2000 I was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal, an international award given to an illustrator for their body of work. I was the first British illustrator to receive the award. My books are translated into 26 languages and my illustrations have been exhibited in many countries - U.S.A., Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, France, Korea, Italy, Germany, Holland, Japan, and Taiwan, and I’ve had the pleasure of visiting these places and working with local children and meeting other illustrators.
In 2001-2002 I took a job as writer and illustrator at Tate Britain working with children using art as a stimulus to inspire visual literacy and creative writing activities. It was during this time that I conceived and produced The Shape Game.
From 2009-2011 I was the Children’s Laureate."
If you want to learn more about Anthony, why not read his biography?
If you want to learn more about Anthony, why not read his biography?
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Early drawing, age 6
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Art college project Man is an Animal Series, 1967
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Liver operation, 1970
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An illustration from The Elephant Book, 1974 (unpublished)
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An illustration from Gorilla, 1983
Anthony recently retired from making school visits and conference calls. He has been a keen speaker on children's books for over 40 years but now feels it is time to take a step back from public engagements, focusing solely on his studio work. If you would like to make contact with Anthony please follow this link to the Walker Books website
SHOPPING
How do I purchase books from the walker website?
WEBSITE HELP
What if I notice an error on the site?
Website Queries
BOOKS, AUTHORS AND ARTISTS
How can I arrange an author or illustrator event?
How can I contact an author or illustrator?
How can I get information on authors or illustrators for a homework project?
Can I buy a piece of original artwork from one of your illustrators?
Can I hire the Maisy or Wally character costume?
How can I get information on how to make pop-ups?
How can I search your website for books, gifts and/or author/illustrators?
Can I get a copy of your catalogue?
KEEPING IN TOUCH
How can I contact Walker?
How can I receive your newsletter?
How can I be sent a poster?
GENERAL
Can you provide financial assistance to our charity?
Where can I view current vacancies at Walker?
How can I contact the Permissions Department?
How do I submit a manuscript?
How can I illustrate books for you?
TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS
Can I download teaching resources?
Can you recommend other sites to encourage children to learn?
SHOPPING
How do I purchase books from the walker website?
We no longer sell books directly from the Walker Books website, as of March 2016.
On each book page, we've provided a number of online retailers who you can order the book from. Click on these retailers to visit them, and make your purchase there.
WEBSITE HELP
What if I notice an error on the site?
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Website Queries
If you have any queries regarding the website or if you notice any errors, please e-mail the Webmaster
BOOKS, AUTHORS AND ARTISTS
How can I arrange an author or illustrator event?
You can organize an author visit for your school or event as follows:
Inviting the Author
Write a letter to the author inviting them to your store, library or school. Send your letter c/o Walker Books so that we have a record of your author request. Please try and give as much notice as possible - at least three months is ideal. The more notice provided, the more likely it is that the author will be available for your event. Tell the author as much as possible about your proposed event. It is essential that you include the following:
- Date and time
- The venue
- Type of event (signing session, workshop, talk etc.). Please note, signing sessions can sometimes feel a bit awkward - sitting at a table with no queue can be a disheartening experience - so think carefully before you ask an author just to sign books. Sometimes ordering in the stock beforehand and getting the author to sign the books in advance can be a more successful method of selling the books, especially if the author is shy. The same can be true of public or open events. However, in general being able to guarantee an audience is a huge bonus, it will also help the author tailor their session to your audience's requirements.
- Details of the audience they will be talking to including numbers attending and age ranges.
- Whether the fee and expenses are to be reimbursed. It is important that you and the author are clear about expectations - including the number of sessions you would expect them to do in the time. Authors don't usually charge for events in bookshops but will expect a fee if they are asked to go into libraries or schools. The Society of Authors recommends £350 for a full day, with a maximum of two sessions per day, although this may vary depending on the author.
- Don't forget to include the details of your shop, library or school, including contact name, telephone number, fax number and email where possible.
When an event is confirmed
- Clarify payment method. Authors cover their own costs and appreciate prompt reimbursement.
- Ensure that the audience is well prepared for the event by supplying a certain number of book copies in advance. For school events, an audience that is familiar with the work of an author will have a much more rewarding time (as will the author!) than an unprepared one. A lively and enthusiastic audience asking many questions is ideal.
- Make sure details of the event are well advertised in advance. For bookshop events a window display and/or posters can work wonders. For school events, a notice in the staff room so other staff are aware can also be rewarding.
- Contact the local press for media coverage. If a journalist or photographer will attend the event, the author should also be forewarned.
- If you are selling books at the event, make sure they are ordered well in advance.
- Make sure the audience knows if books will be available to buy, (signed copies make a fabulous memento of an author visit), this can work well if organized beforehand but it will require a willing administrator. To receive one of our template letters that can be used to advertise an event and prep the audience then please e-mail Publicity.
You may also find the following useful:
Celebrate a Book: A DIY Guide to Planning a Book Event
This guide is available from Book Trust and is packed with advice, ideas and activities to help you make the most of your book event and includes advice about planning a book event for a range of age groups. To purchase this guide, go to www.booktrusted.com or contact them direct on 020 8516 2984.
Speaking of Books
This is a specialist agency that can organise author visits for a small fee - they will locate the author and coordinate the visit. Please write to Speaking of Books Ltd, 46 Vanbrugh Park London SE3 7J or telephone 020 8858 6616.
Book Events with Walker Books' Authors or Illustrators
Many authors and illustrators have very busy schedules, and need as much notice as possible to attend an event. We are only able to forward event requests to the author/illustrator, and generally do not become involved in organizing the actual event. I am afraid we do not accept requests sent in by email.
How can I contact an author or illustrator?
We cannot give out author or illustrator address details, but are delighted to forward your correspondence to them. Please write to them c/o Walker Books Ltd, 87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ.
How can I get information on authors or illustrators for a homework project?
In the Authors & Artists section of the website you can discover lots of information on a wide range of authors and illustrators.
Can I buy a piece of original artwork from one of your illustrators?
Walker Books has a reputation for working with the best artists to produce the finest children's books. Whilst we don't offer original artwork for sale, you can buy a range from our award-winning illustrators at www.childrensbookillustration.com and www.illustrationcupboard.com which sell some of the best original work by top contemporary children's book illustrators.
Walker Books' illustrators with artwork for sale include: Jez Alborough, Angela Barrett, Alison Bartlett, Jill Barton, Quentin Blake, Anthony Browne, Vanessa Caban, Helen Craig, Penny Dale, Belinda Downes, Polly Dunbar, Sara Fanelli, Cathie Felstead, Barbara Firth, Michael Foreman, Sue Heap, Petr Horacek, Paul Howard, Shirley Hughes, Robert Ingpen, Simon James, Anita Jeram, Julie Lacome, Stephen Lambert, John Lawrence, Francesca Martin, Katharine McEwen, Colin McNaughton, Jill Murphy, Jan Ormerod, Jane Ray, Chris Riddell, Axel Scheffler, Nick Sharratt, Charlotte Voake, Louise Voce, Colin West, Marcia Williams and many more.
Can I hire the Maisy or Wally character costume?
You can hire the Maisy character costume by contacting Rainbow Productions on 020 8254 5313 or by emailing stephanie@rainbowproductions.co.uk
Maisy Costume Hire
Rainbow Productions Ltd
Unit 3
Greenlea Park
Prince George's Road
London
SW19 2JD
Please note that there is a fee for hiring the Maisy costume.
Delivery within the M25 – £90
Delivery outside the M25 – £120
Delivery to Ireland – £250
We also have a number of Where's Wally? costumes available for hire, at a cost of £15 and one Walker Bear costume available for hire. If you’d like to hire any of these costumes you can contact our team by emailing Customer Services
How can I get information on how to make pop-up books?
We receive a great deal of requests asking for this type of information and due to the high volume are unable to answer them individually. We would recommend you purchase Pop-ups! A Guide to Novelty Books published by Book Trust. To purchase this guide, go to www.booktrusted.com or contact them directly on 020 8516 2984.
Other useful books are Paper Engineering for Pop-up Books and Cards by Mark Hiner, published by Tarquin and The Elements of Pop-Up by David A. Carter and James Diaz, published by Simon and Schuster.
How can I search your website for books, gifts and/or authors/illustrators?
To search for books and/or storytellers simply type in the book or author/illustrator you’re looking for (e.g. 'Stormbreaker' or 'Anthony Horowitz') in the Search bar at the top left hand of your screen. Then click on ‘Go’ and you’ll be taken to the books that we publish by that author and you can click through using the link to the author's page. If the book that you search for doesn't appear, check your spelling, or clear your cache - you can learn how to do that here
If you can’t find what you’re looking for you should try the Advanced Search or the Browse tools.
If you're not looking for anything specific, the best way to search for books is to use Advanced Search and search by category.
Can I get a copy of your catalogue?
Our catalogue is currently unavailable but all available titles can be viewed online in the Bookshelf section of the website.
KEEPING IN TOUCH
How can I contact Walker?
Contact details for Walker can be found in the Get in touch section of the website.
How can I receive your newsletter?
To receive our newsletter visit the Join our newsletter section of the website and simply fill in the necessary details.
How can I be sent a poster?
We have a range of posters available, although stock is limited. If you would like some posters, please send an indication of the age range of posters you require and a self-addressed A3 envelope with two first-class stamps enclosed to: Poster Request, Walker Books Ltd, 87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ.
GENERAL
Can you provide financial assistance to our charity?
Walker Books already make regular donations to a wide range of charities annually as decided by their employees who also make their own contributions with a variety of fundraising events throughout the year and who are also each encouraged to participate in the Give as you Earn scheme for tax free donations from their salaries, therefore we do not as a Company offer financial help for charitable organisations outside of these arrangements. If you have any other queries, please email the Marketing Department.
Where can I view current vacancies at Walker?
To view current vacancies visit the Work for Us page, which contains a list of the current jobs available at Walker, detailed job descriptions and information on how to apply.
How can I contact the Permissions Department?
If you wish to use content from our titles and/or this site, it is best to download and complete our Permissions Form or you can send a request in writing, via post, for the attention of the Permissions Department, Walker Books Ltd, 87 Vauxhall Walk, London SE11 5HJ, or by fax to 020 7587 1123.
We give priority to all requests submitted to us in this way. However, you can also make a request by emailing the Permissions Department or by telephoning us on 020 7793 0909. We estimate a minimum of six weeks from the date of submission for a response to be received to any request, but this estimation may be subject to variation. Please allow sufficient time for our response.
Walker Books reserves all rights in its publications - you may NOT assume if you have submitted a request that permission is granted to you unless and until we have sent you a formal permission licence. You should bear in mind that it takes time to process requests, and we do not always control all rights in the material being requested from us.
When contacting us for permission, please ensure to include the following information relevant to your request, together with your contact details, including a postal address:
* Exact material to be used - both text and illustrations - including page and/or figure numbers from our book (or please attach a copy of the exact material requested indicating its context).
* Commercial, educational or non-profitable - please indicate which category of usage is planned.
* Territory for distribution (e.g. local area, UK, Europe, Commonwealth, the World).
Please also supply details of the following depending on the proposed use of the material:
Publication - books
* Author name and title of your publication.
* Is your book to be published in hardback, paperback or both?
* Is your book for educational or trade distribution?
* Name of your publisher and probable publication date of your book.
* Estimated number of copies to be printed and proposed retail price for each format requested.
* Approximate number of pages in your book and percentage of that number taken up by our material.
* Territory in which your book will be published.
* Language(s) in which your book will be published.
* Do you plan to re-illustrate?
Publication - newspapers/magazines
* Publication date of the relevant issue of your newspaper/magazine.
* Approximate circulation of your newspaper/magazine.
* Territory in which your newspaper/magazine is distributed.
* Language(s) in which your newspaper/magazine is published.
* Retail price of your newspaper/magazine.
* One-off or serial usage (if latter give details as to frequency and dates for proposed usage)?
Website
* What is the proposed download/yearly license fee for your website?
* At what market is the website aimed?
* URL/website address on which our material will be used.
* Whether the website is password protected or generally available to all via the internet.
* How long will our material remain on your website?
Audio/Audio-visual recording (e.g. tape cassette, CD, video, DVD)
* Will this be a straight reading of the text and/or showing of illustrations? (Please specify.)
* If illustrations are to be used do you propose a partial or full dramatization?
* For what market is the recording planned (e.g. commercial, educational, disabled)?
* How many units do you plan to manufacture?
* Where do you plan to distribute the recording (e.g. local area, UK, Europe, Commonwealth, the World)?
* Approximate length of the recording and percentage of that length taken up by our material.
* Proposed retail price.
Public Performance/Dramatization
* On what date(s) will the performance(s) take place?
* Where is the performance venue and what is the seating capacity?
* How many performances are planned?
* What is the exact nature of the performance / how will the material be used?
* Will there be a musical accompaniment to the piece?
* How many tickets do you plan to sell and at what price?
Event Promotion
* In what ways will the material be used to promote the event?
* For how long is the event planned (1 week/month/year)?
Television or Radio
* Is a straight reading of the text and/or showing of illustrations planned? (Please specify.)
* If illustrations to be used, do you propose a partial or full dramatization?
* What is the proposed duration of the programme?
* Where will the programme be broadcast?
* What are the planned date(s) of broadcast?
* Approximate length of the programme and percentage of that length taken up by our material.
Teaching Aid
* In what context will the material be used?
* Will the material be sold as part of a teachers' pack?
* Do you plan to include photocopiable sheets?
* What is the proposed retail price of the teaching aid?
* Do you plan to re-illustrate?
IMPORTANT POINT TO NOTE
The above questions are intended as guidelines only to help with your permission request. They are not exhaustive and therefore we ask you to supply as much information as possible about your proposal.
How do I submit a manuscript/illustrate books for you?
While we do not accept fiction manuscript submissions, we are happy to accept illustrated picture-book stories and/or artwork samples via post or email.
POSTED SUBMISSIONS
ILLUSTRATED PICTURE-BOOK STORIES: Please send an illustrated dummy and/or a typed manuscript.
ILLUSTRATION SAMPLES: Please send eight to ten colour samples or a CD showing your work.
These should be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope for us to return your material to you if we decide not to pursue it. Material received without the appropriate SAE will be recycled. Please note, we can no longer return any material sent from outside the UK, even with international response postage coupons.
Please do not send original artwork or dummies, only copies, as Walker Books cannot accept liability for loss of or damage to material submitted.
We regret that we are unable to enter into any correspondence about submissions or discuss them on the telephone. As we receive a large number of submissions in the post each week, please allow up to three months for us to respond. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.
Please send your dummy/samples to:
Illustrator Submissions
The Art Department
Walker Books Ltd
87 Vauxhall Walk
London
SE11 5HJ
EMAIL SUBMISSIONS
Illustrated picture-book stories or illustration samples should be sent as a jpeg or PDF for images (5 MB size limit) and as a Word document for text. Unfortunately we are unable to reply to email submissions unless we are interested in your work.
Please send email submissions to: illustratorsubmissions@walker.co.uk editorial@walker.co.uk
For further information and advice, we suggest you check the following websites: http://www.writersadvice.co.uk; http://www.writersandartists.co.uk/
TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS
Can I download teaching resources?
Teaching resources are available for certain texts. For a complete list of Teaching Notes please email the Marketing Department.
Can you recommend other sites to encourage children to learn?
Yes, please visit out Links we like page which contains a list of websites we recommend and a special section on literacy and library groups. Our Grown-ups section also offers lots of advice on how to help children to read, as well as a list of common questions that you may have so please do have a look.
Browne, Anthony A BOY, HIS DOG, AND THE SEA Candlewick (Children's None) $18.99 6, 18 ISBN: 9781536234138
A dreary day at the beach takes an unexpected turn.
On this cloudy, overcast day, Danny's feeling out of sorts. His mother is preoccupied, and his older brother, Mick, is out of the house, hanging with his friends. At the behest of his mom, Danny reluctantly goes to the beach with his dog, Scruff. While Scruff excitedly fetches the stick Danny throws into the water, the boy observes a pile of rocks that resemble other objects: a face, a car, a dog's head. Noticing a crowd of people looking at something in the watery distance, Danny realizes that someone is in distress and, after a bout of self-doubt, sends Scruff into the water to help. Eventually, Danny sees Scruff swimming back with Mick. Mick calls Danny a hero, and the little boy puffs up with pride. As the reunited brothers and their canine companion walk home, the clouds part to reveal a bright, clear blue sky. Browne's textured watercolor illustrations capture the drab day with a palette of deep grays, greens, and purples. Much like Danny, readers will observe small details in the art that contribute to the overall tone of the story, such as the boarded-up houses near the beach that look like giant frowning faces. The brothers present white; background characters are diverse.
An illuminating and perceptive look at the quiet confidence in all of us. (Picture book. 4-7)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"Browne, Anthony: A BOY, HIS DOG, AND THE SEA." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Apr. 2024, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A788096693/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0039b283. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.
A Boy, His Dog, and the Sea
Anthony Browne. Candlewick, $18.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5362-3413-8
This dreamy tale by former U.K. children's laureate Browne starts in a minor key as young Danny, feeling "a little sad and bored" while his brother Mick is out with friends, is encouraged by their busy mother to take the pale-skinned family's dog Scruff for a walk on the beach. "Keep your eyes open," she says. "You never know what you might see." As Danny walks glumly along, hunched over, everything around him seems glum, too--the gray skies, the oddly human expressions of vacant beach huts, the corvid inexplicably holding a balloon in its beak. Then Danny persuades Scruff to fetch a stick thrown into the water, something Scruff has never done before. When Danny happens on a group of people onshore gesturing at something in the distance, he sees a waving figure and sends Scruff out to fetch it, with startling, dramatic results. A rescue tale with a cracking finale, it's also a story about learning to perceive, a theme pursued both in the story's narrative thread and in its delicately conceived and executed watercolor illustrations, in which elusive forms--animals, laces, and more--shift and change. Background characters are portrayed with various skin tones. Ages 3-7. (June)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2024 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
"A Boy, His Dog, and the Sea." Publishers Weekly, vol. 271, no. 10, 11 Mar. 2024, p. 59. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A787043946/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=696925e7. Accessed 7 Aug. 2024.