SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: The Lucky Bottle
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.chriswormell.com
CITY: London
STATE:
COUNTRY: United Kingdom
NATIONALITY: British
LAST VOLUME: SATA 259
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born September 1, 1955, in Gainsborough, England; son of John (an art lecturer) and Theresa (a teacher) Wormell; married Mary Carroll (an actress), March 20, 1982; children: Jack, Daisy, Eliza.
EDUCATION:Attended state school; studied painting and linoleum cutting with father, John Wormell.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Illlustrator and writer. Freelance illustrator in advertising, design, editorial, and children’s books, London, England, 1984—. Worked variously as a road-sweeper, trash collector, postal worker, and factory worker. Exhibitions: Solo exhibitions include Victoria & Albert Museum, London, England, 1988; Fouts & Fowler Gallery, London, 1990; Artworks Gallery, London, 1994; Richmond Literary Festival, 1996; and Open Eye Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1996.
MEMBER:Society of Illustrators (United Kingdom).
AWARDS:Graphics Prize, Bologna Children’s Book Fair, 1990, for An Alphabet of Animals; Best Illustrated Children’s Books selection, New York Times, 1993, for A Number of Animals; Best Illustrated Children’s Books selection, New York Times, for Teeth, Tails, and Tentacles; Red House Children’s Book Award shortlist, 2003, for George and the Dragon; Bronze Award, Nestlé Smarties’ Book Prize, 2003, and Kate Greenaway Medal shortlist, 2004, both for Two Frogs; Kate Greenaway Medal shortlist, 2008, for Molly and the Night Monster; Roald Dahl Funny Prize nomination, and British Booktrust Early Years Award, both 2010, both for One Smart Fish; Red House Children’s Book Award, 2012, for Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice; numerous honors for advertising illustrations.
WRITINGS
George and the Dragon was adapted as an audio book; The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit was adapted into a stage play.
SIDELIGHTS
A British artist, Christopher Wormell has earned recognition for his heartfelt and humorous children’s books, which feature his absorbing visual images. Early in his career, Wormell used his expertise in linoleum block print to create animal illustrations for several concept books geared for young readers. More recently, he has worked in mediums such as watercolor and pen-and-ink, as in Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice, winner of the Red House Children’s Book Award. “There is about a score of children’s books’ illustrators nowadays whose draughtsmanship is really distinguished. Wormell is one of them,” Nicolette Jones commented in the London Sunday Times.
(open new1)In an interview in the Artworks, Wormell described his creative process. He admitted that the first thing he would do is “read the brief carefully, make a sketch or sketches (more often than not, digitally as this allows more scope for adjustment and refinement – using erasure, transparency and multiple layers). Once the sketch is approved, make a start on the finished image – wood engraving or linocut or a digital version of either, or, if it’s one of my children’s books, a watercolour or ink drawing. Whatever the process of creation everything these days ends up as a digital file where final adjustments can be made.”(close new1)
Interestingly, Wormell had no formal training as an artist and before his first book was published his work experience included stints as a road-sweeper, garbage man, postman, and factory worker. He began pursuing art by painting landscapes between jobs, and in 1982 he took up wood engraving after purchasing a set of tools and teaching himself. Eventually creating a portfolio of works that captured the interest of publishers, Wormell was hired to create wood engravings for books of poetry and guides to wine. He then began creating artwork for children, influenced by illustrators such as Thomas Bewick, Beatrix Potter, and Edward Ardizzone.
Wormell had long been captivated by Victorian illustrators of children’s books, and in 1990 he released the first of his self-illustrated children’s books. In An Alphabet of Animals he creates linoleum-block prints that feature an animal for every letter of the alphabet. The left-hand page displays the letter itself and the name of the animal, while the opposite page depicts the animal, generally using earth tones framed by a thick black line. The book also includes an unusual table of contents and index, with smaller prints of the animals linked to the corresponding letter. Writing in School Library Journal, Mary Lou Budd found the illustrations “dramatic” and called An Alphabet of Animals “a handsome, highly useful choice.” While a contributor to Publishers Weekly referred to the prints as “masterfully executed,” the reviewer found the animals “staid and somber,” and felt the illustrations would be more appealing to an adult art enthusiast than a young child.
An Alphabet of Animals won Wormell the Bologna Graphics Prize, a huge honor for his first children’s book. In 2002 he expanded on his award-winning animal alphabet with twenty-four new prints in The New Alphabet of Animals. As part of this expanded animal repertoire, he includes creatures ranging from armadillos to zorillas, the last a relative of the skunk. A reviewer for Publishers Weekly noted that the “arrestingly beautiful wood engravings lift the book to a lofty level.”
In 1993 Wormell illustrated Kate Green’s A Number of Animals. In this counting book a chick goes through the barnyard in search of his mother. Along the way he enlists the help of two horses, three cows, four turkeys, and many other animals. The page layout is similar to An Alphabet of Animals, with the number and the animal’s name on the left, and a full-color, full-page linoleum block print of the animal in its habitat on the right. Janice Del Negro wrote in Booklist that “Wormell’s color engravings are what make the title such a standout … giving each picture a distinctive, arresting appearance.” Ann A. Flowers called the book “a sure winner” in a Horn Book review.
Wormell’s companion volumes Where I Live and What I Eat were published in 1996. As in the earlier books, Where I Live presents an animal on the left side of each double-page spread and the animal’s habitat on the right, while What I Eat similarly links each animal with its favorite food. In a Horn Book review, Mary M. Burns praised Where I Live for exhibiting a “stylish appeal rarely found in books for the very young.” In School Library Journal Kathy Piehl called Wormell “a master of the linoleum block print,” and a Publishers Weekly contributor referred to What I Eat as “austerely magnificent.”
In Through the Animals’ Eyes: A Story of the First Christmas Wormell offers his version of Jesus’s birth. The book’s “arresting woodcuts” drew praise from a Publishers Weekly contributor who further complimented the “dramatic, exquisitely crafted” illustrations. Wormell also provided the artwork for a second holiday-themed picture book, a rendition of Clement Clarke Moore’s ‘Twas the Night before Christmas. Eva Mitnick, writing in School Library Journal, cited the “stunning linoleum-block print illustrations” as a highlight of the work. Wormell also garnered plaudits for the linocut prints in Mice, Morals, and Monkey Business: Lively Lessons from Aesop’s Fables. Here “the subtle use of light and shadow adds clarity, expression, and often drama without extraneous detail,” as Luann Toth remarked in School Library Journal.
In Blue Rabbit and Friends the title character is tired of living in a cave which is drafty and dark. In setting out to find a new home, he discovers a teddy bear that has been living in a dish of water, a goose that has been living in a dog house, and a dog unhappy with his burrow in a hill. Blue Rabbit gives them the idea of switching residences, and soon all the animals are in their proper homes—except Blue Rabbit, who decides to bicycle around the countryside instead. “The open ending makes a refreshing alternative” to more traditional stories, noted John Peters in a review for Booklist. Blue Rabbit’s adventures continue in Blue Rabbit and the Runaway Wheel, in which a wayward bicycle tire causes trouble for local animals. Sue Sherif, writing in School Library Journal, predicted that Wormell’s “timeless, boldly outlined illustrations” are sure to please readers.
Described as “a beautifully drawn tale” by Lloyd Evans in the London Daily Telegraph, George and the Dragon concerns a fire-breathing creature with a nasty disposition that meets its match when a tiny mouse moves in next door. Evans further noted that Wormell’s watercolor “illustrations are full of sly, ironic details which adults will relish.” In George, the Dragon, and the Princess, a companion volume, the unassuming rodent earns a handsome reward when he saves a member of the royal family from a dragon’s clutches. Wormell’s pictures “have the elegance and texture of paintings but simple compositions, appropriate for his target audience,” observed a contributor in Kirkus Reviews of the second “George” picture book.
Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice follows the exploits of a heroic and sensitive bruin who uses his wits to protect a group of mice that wander into the woods. “The tale works as an adventure story, but it has all sorts of subtle undercurrents” about Scruffy Bear’s personality, explained School Librarian reviewer Margaret Mallett, the critic adding that Wormell’s pictures are “beautifully coloured and patterned.” In Scruffy Bear and the Lost Ball the helpful orsine protagonist climbs a tree for the very first time in order to retrieve a ball for some playful young rabbits. Writing in School Librarian, Andrea Rayner called Scruffy Bear and the Lost Ball “a charming picture book” that is “beautifully illustrated and with a simple story that is evocatively told.”
Puff-puff Chugga-chugga follows Mrs. Walrus, Mr. Bear, and Mrs. Elephant, who all intend to go shopping in town. This would not be a problem, except that the three gigantic animals must ride the same train and the conductor is more than a little nervous about the prospect. As each animal returns to the train, they balance precariously until Mrs. Elephant sneezes, forcing the overloaded vehicle off the tracks. According to a reviewer for Publishers Weekly, Wormell’s storyline reflects “a distinctly British brand of ingenuity and unflappability in the face of calamity” as Mrs. Elephant solves the problem. Kelly Milner Halls wrote in Booklist that the “charming blend of worry and wonder” in Puff-puff Chugga-chugga makes it “a good choice for bedtime sharing,” and School Library Journal contributor Patti Gonzales wrote that “Wormell’s characters are delightfully illustrated in clear, bright oil-pastel crayons.”
In The Wild Girl Wormell offers “an unexpected story of compassion,” in the words of Kirkus Reviews critic. The tale centers on a lonely, feral cave dweller who reunites a bear cub with its mother. “Expansively rendered full-spread paintings underscore [the protagonist’s] vulnerability, placing her in an indifferent, lunar-like wilderness,” observed a contributor in Publishers Weekly. Another of Wormell’s self-illustrated tales, The Saddest King, takes place in a land where misery is outlawed until a young boy unleashes his emotions. “The tone is lively, cheerful and surprising, even though the book considers grief and how to deal with it,” Jones remarked in London’s Sunday Times.
Emotions are also Wormell’s theme of The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit, in which an indescribably hideous creature longs for companionship. In Eric! a clumsy, misfit youngster faces his fears while facing down a monster that has troubles of its own. Amanda Craig, reviewing The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit for the London Times, remarked that “the wit and vigour of the drawings match this infinitely endearing tale about the triumph of the imagination at supplying natural deficiencies.” According to School Librarian critic Mallett, in Eric! “Wormell shows, with a lyrical text and affecting pictures, … that we are all vulnerable creatures.”
In Henry and the Fox a timid cockerel devises a clever plan to earn the respect of the other barnyard animals, only to find his bravery tested in an unusual manner. Another animal-centered story, Ferocious Wild Beasts!, finds a young boy ignoring his mother’s warnings and venturing into the forest where he encounters a host of surprisingly amiable animals. According to Mary Hazelton in School Library Journal, Wormell’s story for Henry and the Fox “is gorgeously illustrated and delightfully written,” while the artist’s illustrations for Ferocious Wild Beasts! “make the creatures realistic as animals, yet human in their attitudes and expressions,” according to Jones.
(open new2)Dinosaurium is a book in the “Welcome to the Museum” series, where dinosaurs are introduced in the format of a walk through the museum. Basic information about dinosaurs is covered along with a chronology of their time span on Earth. The book also discusses dinosaurs’ habitats, geographic range, behaviors, and their physical characteristics. Writing in School Library Journal, Erica Thorsen observed that the book “treats the subject matter with a seriousness dino aficionados will appreciate.”
La Belle Sauvage is the first novel of Philip Pullman’s trilogy of fantasy novel called “The Book of Dust.” Building on the “His Dark Materials” trilogy, the steampunk, alternative London setting where a flood threatens many, including the baby Lyra. In a review in School Librarian, Chris Lockwood stated: “As an object, the hardback is beautifully produced. As well as an excellent choice of paper and typeface, the illustrations by Chris Wormell make the book a pleasure to read.”
Planetarium is part of the “Welcome to the Museum” series. The book shows how people look at outer space, galaxies, the solar system, and the universe in general. A Publishers Weekly contributor called it “a mesmerizing resource for astronomy buffs young and old.”
The Treekeepers is set in the city of Arborven, whicb sits under the large Undentree. There, treekeepers, shapeshifters, mages, and others tap into the magical powers of the Undentree. The young trainee warrior and shapeshifter, Liska, warns the elders about a plot to take over the city but is dismissed. She enlists help from friends Lug, Elowen and Kittimew to help save it. In a review in School Librarian, Linda Nash insisted that “this is a wonderful adventure story.”
In Once upon a Time in the North, Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison are primary characters in Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy. This novella shows how they first met and became friends as they team up against a mayoral candidate named Poliakov. Writing in School Library Journal, Mandy Laferriere observed that “lovely, full-color artwork is interspersed every few pages of text and truly enhances the beautifully written story.”
The Lucky Bottle references Shakespeare’s The Tempest and the novel Treasure Island throughout the story. Robinson is a gentle giant who befriends the tiny Jack, who is homesick. The two go around an island meeting its inhabitants, digging into its history, and even solving a mystery. Reviewing the book in School Librarian, Jane Rew remarked that “this is a book that will have wide appeal to all ages.”(close new2)
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, January 15, 1994, Janice Del Negro, review of A Number of Animals, p. 934; January 1, 2000, John Peters, review of Blue Rabbit and Friends, p. 938; February 15, 2001, Kelly Milner Halls, review of Puff-puff, Chugga-chugga, p. 1142.
Birmingham Post, January 3, 2004, Jayne Howarth, review of The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit, p. 45.
Books for Keeps, January 1, 2011, “Chris Wormell Talks about Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice.”
Daily Telegraph (London, England), March 30, 2002, Lloyd Evans, review of George and the Dragon, p. 6.
Guardian (London, England), December 6, 2003, Julia Eccleshare, review of Two Frogs, p. 37.
Horn Book, March 1, 1994, Ann A. Flowers, review of A Number of Animals, pp. 193-94; November 1, 1996, Mary M. Burns, review of Where I Live, pp. 730-31; May 1, 2012, Martha V. Parravano, review of A Number of Animals, p. 128.
Independent on Sunday (London, England), December 4, 2005, Nicola Smyth, review of Mice, Morals, and Monkey Business: Lively Lessons from Aesop’s Fables, p. 22.
Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2005, review of Mice, Morals, and Monkey Business, p. 985; August 15, 2006, review of The Wild Girl, p. 854; November 1, 2006, review of Through the Animals’ Eyes: A Story of the First Christmas, p. 1135; August 1, 2008, review of George, the Dragon, and the Princess.
Publishers Weekly, November 9, 1990, review of An Alphabet of Animals, p. 56; October 14, 1996, review of What I Eat, p. 82; January 7, 2000, review of Blue Rabbit and Friends, p. 55; January 8, 2001, review of Puff-puff, Chugga-chugga, p. 65; August 12, 2002, review of The New Alphabet of Animals, p. 298; October 25, 2004, review of The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit, p. 48; August 29, 2005, review of Mice, Morals, and Monkey Business, p. 55; July 24, 2006, review of The Wild Girl, p. 57; September 25, 2006, review of Through the Animals’ Eyes, p. 71; April 8, 2019, review of Planetarium, p. 74.
School Librarian, June 22, 2011, Margaret Mallet, review of Scruffy Bear and the Six White Mice, p. 97; June 22, 2012, Margaret Mallet, review of Eric!, p. 109; June 22, 2013, Andrea Rayner, Margaret Mallet, review of Scruffy Bear and the Lost Ball, p. 98; March 22, 2018, Chris Lockwood, review of La Belle Sauvage, p. 48; March 22, 2023, Linda Nash, review of The Treekeepers, p. 48; December 22, 2023, Jane Rew, review of The Lucky Bottle, p. 57.
School Library Journal, February 1, 1991, Mary Lou Budd, review of An Alphabet of Animals, p. 76; November 1, 1996, Kathy Piehl, reviews of What I Eat and Where I Live, both p. 102; February 1, 2000, Kathleen M. Kelly MacMillan, review of Blue Rabbit and Friends, p. 106; December 1, 2000, review of Blue Rabbit and Friends, p. 56; February 1, 2001, Sue Sherif, review of Blue Rabbit and the Runaway Wheel, p. 108; April 1, 2001, Patti Gonzales, review of Puff-puff, Chugga-chugga, p. 128; November 1, 2005, Luann Toth, review of Mice, Morals, and Monkey Business, p. 122; November 1, 2006, Maryann H. Owen, review of The Wild Girl, p. 116; February 1, 2008, Mary Hazelton, review of Henry and the Fox, p. 98; October 1, 2010, Eva Mitnick, review of ‘Twas the Night before Christmas, p. 75; May 1, 2018, Erica Thorsten, review of Dinosaurium, p. 122; September 1, 2023, Mandy Laferriere, review of Once upon a Time in the North, p. 102.
Sunday Times (London, England), January 11, 2004, Nicolette Jones, review of The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit, p. 54; January 21, 2007, Nicolette Jones, review of The Saddest King, p. 48; February 22, 2009, Nicolette Jones, review of Ferocious Wild Beasts, p. 49.
Times (London, England), January 24, 2004, Amanda Craig, review of The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit, p. 17.
ONLINE
Artworks website, http://www.theartworksinc.com/ (September 25, 2020), author interview; (July 8, 2024), “Chris Wormell.”
Chris Wormell website, http://www.chriswormell.com (July 8, 2024).
Jersey Stamps, https://jerseystamps.com/ (November 8, 2023), author profile.
Mendola Artists website, https://mendolaart.com/ (July 8, 2024), author profile.
Red House website, http://my.redhouse.co.uk/ (March 12, 2012), “Chris Wormell: Author Q&A.”
Seven Impossible Things before Breakfast, http://blaine.org/sevenimpossiblethings/ (March 18, 2010), Julie Danielson, “Seven Questions over Breakfast with Chris Wormell.”
No bio.
About the author
Chris Wormell (born in 1955 in Gainsborough, Lincolnshire) is a self-taught artist, and the winner of the Ragazza Prize at Bologna in 1991. Two Frogs won the Nestlé Bronze Award in 2003 and Molly and the Night Monster was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2009.
His books include George and the Dragon and The Big Ugly Monster and the Little Stone Rabbit which was recently adapted into a stage play. In addition to his children's books, Chris undertakes other illustration work including advertising campaigns, packaging, a set of Royal Mail stamps and a collection of four covers for the same issue of Time Out magazine, featuring traditional British pub signs.
Chris lives in North London with his wife and children.
Chris Wormell’s illustrations are timeless, beautiful and inspiring. Unbelievably he is a self-taught artist. He works using two main methods, wood engraving and linocut, as well as writing and illustrating his own children’s books. Working for a diverse collection of clients worldwide, Chris’ unmistakable style has lent itself to some fantastic campaigns that have been highly commended throughout the industry. Chris excels in every area of illustration and has become one of the finest illustrators in Britain today.
Chris Wormell’s illustrations are timeless, beautiful and inspiring – unbelievably he is a self-taught artist. Chris never went to art college or had any formal training: “Which is probably why I hold the tools wrongly,” he explains – a fact that makes his obvious raw talent all the more enchanting.
Trying to consolidate Chris’ illustration work is a difficult task. He works using two main methods, wood engraving and linocut, as well as writing and illustrating his own children’s books.
Working for a diverse collection of clients worldwide, Chris’ unmistakable style has lent itself to some fantastic campaigns that have been highly commended throughout the industry.
Chris excels in every area of illustration and has become one of the finest illustrators in Britain today. Charmingly modest he has been with The Artworks since the mid- 1980’s and continues to pave the way in his field and to be a true ambassador for the craft of illustration.
Here is a very small selection of his extensive client list…
Marks and Spencer, Waitrose, Anchor Butter, Balvenie, Bells, Adnams, Ford, Jaguar, Volkwagen, Metropolitan Police, Victoria and Albert Museum, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, Royal Mail, Royal Opera House, The National Trust, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Observer, The Guardian, Jonathan Cape, Random House, HarperCollins
25 SEPTEMBER 2020
Meet the Artists – Chris Wormell
POSTED IN: ARTISTS, BRANDING, CHILDREN'S BOOKS, DESIGN, EDITORIAL, ILLUSTRATION, MEET THE ARTIST, PACKAGING, PUBLISHING
Chris Wormell’s illustrations are full of engrossing scenes, accentuated by dramatic use light and shadow that are both immersive and atmospheric. Throughout his career, whether using linocut, wood engravings or digital tools, Chris has illustrated countless memorable campaigns, book covers and editorial pieces that share his exquisite eye for detail, bold use of shadow and intricately carved marks.
Keen to push his masterful draughtsmanship, Chris has illustrated everything from characters to castles and constellations. His knack for finding the perfect method of rendering these subjects comes back to his intuition as a self-taught artist. His dedication to his way of mark-making has created a singular body of work that has evolved and adapted over the years while still maintaining a consistent voice, and has helped him secure work with clients like Marks & Spencer, Volkswagen and Scholastic.
We spoke to Chris about early starts, impossible questions and the job that is illustration…
Where do you live?
I live in North London with my wife, Mary.
Where is your studio located?
A room at the top of the house.
Can you describe your creative process?
Read the brief carefully, make a sketch or sketches (more often than not, digitally as this allows more scope for adjustment and refinement – using erasure, transparency and multiple layers). Once the sketch is approved, make a start on the finished image – wood engraving or linocut or a digital version of either, or, if it’s one of my children’s books, a watercolour or ink drawing. Whatever the process of creation everything these days ends up as a digital file where final adjustments can be made.
What does a typical working day look like?
I’m usually up early – 5, 5.30 – work until breakfast – 8, 8.30 – then back to the studio if I have a lot on – 9,9.30 (otherwise, potter about the garden for an hour with Mary) – work until 12ish, go for a swim, lunch at 1, back in the studio at 2 and after a post lunch nap, work until 5.30. Cook dinner then put in an hour or two’s work in the evening. Stop at 9, watch television for an hour or two then bed.
Do you listen to music or the radio whilst you work? If so, what’s on your playlist?
I listen to the news for an hour or two in the morning but not much else on the radio, unless there’s cricket on. I only listen to music in the evening, not sure why only then, habit I suppose. Some of the things I’m listening to are, Chopin, Mal Waldren, Penguin Café Orchestra, Alice Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Ravel, Peter Maxwell Davies, Shostakovich.
How long have you been with the Artworks for?
36 years.
What drew you to Artworks?
Great group of artists, excellent agents. The agency was set up at the end of 1983 with the idea that it would keep a small group of first-rate artists fully employed. It’s pretty much kept to those aims ever since. I was incredibly flattered when asked to join.
What books or programmes did you love as a child? Have they influenced your work in any way?
Some of the books I loved as a child were: the stories of Beatrix Potter, The Wind in the Willows, The William stories of Richmal Crompton, the Hobbit. There wasn’t an awful lot of television for children when I was young but some that stand out for me are the cartoons of Oliver Postgate; Noggin the Nog was a particular favourite. All these have influenced my work – especially my children’s books.
If you weren’t an artist, what would you be instead?
Impossible question – like saying, who would you be if you weren’t you? I do a bit of writing so if I was barred from earning a living as an artist, I’d do more of that. I’d still draw every day, however.
What was the most important lesson you learned at Art School, if you went!
I didn’t go to art school, but learned much of what I know about painting, drawing and printmaking from my father, who taught painting at Hornsey College of Art in the 60s and 70s. He’s still the wisest person I know when it comes to art.
What inspires you the most to create?
Hmm…money works for me. One must pay the bills. Though I’d still be drawing if the bills were paid.
Name three artists that you admire.
Another impossible question. There are hundreds I admire. Three printmakers who have influenced me are: Thomas Bewick, William Nicholson and Reynolds Stone.
What kind of commissions do you enjoy the most?
I’m tempted to say (being completely honest) those that pay the most. Illustration is just a job, after all. I take on almost every job that comes along and enjoy them all in different ways. I do particularly enjoy book illustration, however; one usually has a much freer brief.
What would your dream commission be?
I’ve recently been illustrating some of Philip Pullman’s books – a very exciting commission. I’d say illustrating my own stories is the ideal commission.
Do you have any pets? If so, what and what are they called?
No pets.
What 5 things could you not live without?
I assume people don’t count? There’s no thing I couldn’t live without, though I feel incredibly lucky to have a roof over my head when so many haven’t, and (especially in lockdown) a garden.
What is your very favourite meal?
I don’t really have a very favourite meal, or even just a favourite. Almost anything’s palatable with a good bottle of wine.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
Spare time? What’s that? Actually, I’m planning to take some time off this weekend; Mary and I are going to render some brickwork at the front of the house and do a bit of gardening. We used to enjoy going to the theatre, exhibitions, trips to European cities… Those were the days.
What is your current dream travel destination?
Getting across the channel seems an almost impossible dream at present. Every year we try to escape to the wilder extremities of the British Isles – Outer Hebrides, Orkney, The West of Ireland – The Isle of Skye was the plan this year, postponed until next.
Featured Artist: Chris Wormell
November 8, 2023
Chris Wormell British Illustrator
Interested in learning more about the British illustrator artist, Chris Wormell? Then read on to learn about his life as an artist and how we’ve worked with him to produce wonderful issues, such as ‘A History of Knitting in Jersey’.
Chris Wormell is a British illustrator artist, based in North London, who has always had a love of drawing. When we asked Chris if he’d always wanted to be an artist, his response was “I would draw all the time as a child and was encouraged by my mother and father.” His father is a painter who taught at Hornsey College of Art.
The illustrations Chris has completed for Jersey Post over the years wonderfully detailed and typified by his distinct style and use of colour. Being curious, as to why Chris chose to become an illustrator, he said; “A love of illustrated books. As a child I loved wood engravings of Thomas Berwick and would often copy his pictures of animals and birds. My brothers and sisters and I would make lino cut Christmas cards every Christmas and we’d often pinch ideas from Berwick. When I was older, I tried wood engravings for myself. It seemed to me the perfect way to illustrate a book.”
After sending his wood engraving prints to publishers over a course of a few months, Chris got his first commission as an earning artist in 1983. The commission was for an image of a run-down cottage, which was to go on the over of a Brian Friel play; The Communication Chord, published by Faber and Faber.
As a skilled self-taught wood engraver, we asked Chris if he had any favourite techniques to use, when creating a new piece of art. His response was: “I started as a wood engraver and still enjoy it just as much as I always did, and lino cuts too – I love the boldness and bright colours.”
Nowadays however, though working in the same style of engraving and lino cut, Chris says “I do a lot of work digitally. In the past, making changes to work would mean re-cutting and re-printing blocks, and took time and effort, very stressful when up against deadlines. Frequently I’d find myself working through the night to get things finished.”
Chris also added that, in more recent times wanting changes and adjustments to a project is generally the rule rather than an exception, adding; “Working digitally for most commercial jobs makes things a lot easier, though I do usually make wood engravings for book illustration.”
Having worked with Jersey Post for a number of issues, including The Great War 100 Years – Part 3 Battles (2016), Chris felt that this was a very powerful subject to work on. He enjoyed creating the more recent issue of 150 Years of Brewing in Jersey (2021), and though, he wasn’t quite sure what ‘A History of Knitting in Jersey’ would be like, he found that it turned out to be a lovely project. For ‘A History of Knitting in Jersey’ Chris found the biggest illustrating challenge was how to get the illustrations to work with demonstrating the theme and heritage. Regarding the issue, Chris said; “It’s why I’ll never tire of what I do. I enjoyed learning a bit about the history of knitting in Jersey too.”
Asked if he has a particular subject he enjoys illustrating, Chris responded “I’m not sure that I do. I find that I’m more often illustrating the past than the present if that counts as a subject. But that tends to be the client’s choice rather than mine and is probably due to the way I illustrate.”
Jersey Post always enjoys working with Chris and looks forward to collaborating with him on future issues. Make sure to follow Chris on Instagram at @christopherwormell. You can also see more of Chris’ artwork directly through his website: http://www.chriswormell.com/.
The six stamps and miniature sheet featured in our ‘A History of Knitting in Jersey’ were all illustrated by Chris and are available to order on our online store and your local post office.
Wormell, Christopher
The Lucky Bottle
David Fickling Books, 2023, pp304, [pounds sterling]9.99, 9781788451895
Adventure. Pirates. Magic
This may well be my "Book of the Year"! It bursts with adventure, sparkles with magic, captivates with incredible characters, and is dotted throughout with masterly drawings--all from the pen of Chris Wormell. It is also very clever, not to mention funny. There are references to the classic text Treasure Island, Shakespeare's The Tempest and even to the science of human/animal physiology and the practicalities of survival. The unlikely friendship between gentle giant Robinson and diminutive, homesick Jack is a joy; the history of their island's inhabitants (including Caliban the tortoise and two unnamed corpses) is a mystery waiting to be solved. This is a book that will have wide appeal to all ages, from those in key stage 1 who will soak up the story without necessarily 'getting' the references, to key stage 2 and above who will be hooked on the plot and, no doubt, will be a little bereft when the final page is turned and eager to read more from this author. It would make a good class read for, say, Year 5, especially if Shakespeare's The Tempest is being studied.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 The School Library Association
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Rew, Jane. "Wormell, Christopher The Lucky Bottle." School Librarian, vol. 71, no. 4, winter 2023, p. 57. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A775549535/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=b43d9b83. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
PULLMAN, Philip. Once Upon a Time in the North. illus. by Chris Wormell. 176p. (His Dark Materials). Knopf. Nov. 2023. Tr $25.99. ISBN 9780593652190.
Gr 5 Up--Two of the most beloved characters from Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, Lee Scoresby and Iorek Byrnison, get their own novella, giving readers a glimpse into their initial meeting and friendship. Set many years before the events of the original series, readers meet 24-year-old Lee, who has just won his first hot air balloon in a poker game. He and his daemon Hester have landed on an island called Novy Odense, and he's hoping to find work there. Lee quickly notices bears hanging about; some working, some sleeping, but the townspeople mostly ignore them. He's never seen such a thing, and after striking up a conversation with a stranger at lunch, learns that the town is abuzz with the impending mayoral election. The front-runner is a candidate named Poliakov who is running on an "anti-bear" platform, painting bears as a scourge on society. Poliakov sees that Lee carries a firearm, and offers him work protecting a piece of his property. But when Lee sees another of Poliakov's hired guns, he recognizes him from his past, and knows he needs to keep his guard up. A short but rip-roaring adventure follows as Lee and Iorek team up against Poliakov and lots of other bad guys. Lee's characteristic wry humor is on full display here, and Hester is as sassy and endearing as ever. Lovely, full-color artwork is interspersed every few pages of text and truly enhances the beautifully written story. VERDICT Pullman's "His Dark Materials" is a modern classic, and this is a sweet addition to that world. It's a must-have for libraries.--Mandy Laferriere
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Laferriere, Mandy. "PULLMAN, Philip. Once Upon a Time in the North." School Library Journal, vol. 69, no. 9, Sept. 2023, pp. 102+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A762831892/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=12eb43ca. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Larwood, Kieran
The Treekeepers
Illustrated by Christopher Wormell Faber & Faber, 2022, pp370, [pounds sterling]12.99 9780571364565
Adventure. Environment. Nature
Under the shade of the mighty Undentree was the city of Arborven, its residents a mixture of Treekeepers, Mages, Shapeshifters and others, all of whom were endowed with magical powers from the Undentree. Liska, a young girl, is a trainee warrior and a Shapeshifter. She is eager to earn her stripes and consequently respect from her elders. One day she overhears a plan for the city to be overtaken. She tries to alert her elders, but no one will listen. Therefore, she embarks on a journey to save the city, along with her friend Lug, whose power over earthworms are weak, and a ghost-girl named Elowen. Along the way they are also joined by a kittimew, and for a time, a wyvern.
A Blue Peter Award book, this is a wonderful adventure story. Our close links with nature is the foundation for this book, and other themes include the value of friendship.
My first reading of Kieran Larwood did not disappoint, and I shall be purchasing this book and others from this author for our school library.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 The School Library Association
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Nash, Linda. "The Treekeepers." School Librarian, vol. 71, no. 1, spring 2023, p. 48. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A745706401/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=dcbbf57a. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Planetarium (Welcome to the Museum)
Raman Prinja, illus. by Chris Wormell. Big Picture, $35 (112p) ISBN 978-1-5362-0623-4
Gazing up at the stars is an incomparable experience, but this stellar book comes close to capturing the night sky's enchantments. The latest entry in the Welcome to the Museum series guides readers through "galleries," explaining how humans look at space, the solar system, elements of the sky, galaxies, and the universe. Richly rendered woodblock-style illustrations by Wormell hearken back to the magical precision of early illustrations by celestial observers, mixing close-up detail, wider-range views, and diagrams, including a dazzling view of the evolving universe. Prinja's understatedly expert text balances comprehensive information on each subject with approachable explanations of wonder-inducing science. For example, to explain transiting, a method researchers use to find exoplanets, he writes, "Imagine finding a firefly crawling over a searchlight by measuring the dimming of the searchlight's brightness--and doing that from 620 miles away." A mesmerizing resource for astronomy buffs young and old. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2019 PWxyz, LLC
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"Planetarium (Welcome to the Museum)." Publishers Weekly, vol. 266, no. 14, 8 Apr. 2019, p. 74. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A582562979/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2c3ec9dc. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Pullman, Philip
La Belle Sauvage (The Book Of Dust)
Random House, 2017, pp568, 20 [pounds sterling]
978 0 38560 441 3
Phillip Pullman's latest visit to his alternative, steampunk, Oxford, promised as Volume One of another trilogy, has been long awaited. The danger, of course, in eager anticipation is potential disappointment. Northern Lights in 1995 was a triumph. Wholly imagined, original, engaging, thought provoking and moving, it won the Carnegie Medal. The invention of the 'daemon', the animal form of a person's inner self, of a different gender, intimately connected to them but capable of independent action and thought, is a profound literary creation. Every reader wonders what their daemon would be, what it would reflect and reveal about them and, once experienced, how they would live without it. The fear of such separation drives the trilogy already published.
So, opening the new book and finding that the first paragraphs set the opening scenes in Godstow Priory and The Trout Inn, both real places in our world--on the Thames outside Oxford, ruined in the one case and open for business in the other--is to experience both relief and anticipation. In Pullman's world, the Priory is full of life, the pub a fair bit less gastro than in ours, but still just as recognizable as is his Oxford of Jordan College and the Woodstock Road. The transformation is subtle but profound and assured. From the opening scenes of the new novel, you know you are in safe hands. The author knows his work. It's going to be alright.
Indeed, it's better than alright. A baby in danger, a flood (did the Oxford floods of 2013/14 provoke the imagination...?), young people finding their courage exceeding their circumstances, a hazardous journey through a landscape familiar and changed, an exciting conclusion and a last page that touches the heart, the novel is the equal of its most distinguished predecessor.
Those readers who already know His Dark Materials trilogy will be delighted to meet the baby Lyra, anticipating in her character and her relationship with the ever changing daemon, Pantalaimon, the Lyra Silvertongue of the future. Those readers coming for the first time to Philip Pullman's world will be equally enthralled by a fast-paced adventure story and glimpses into a magical, mythical world just beyond our experience. The complex characters of the children in the book, Malcolm and Alice, and their growing dependence on each other, are skilfully developed, and readers might well be intrigued to discover Malcolm again, tucked away in Lyras Oxford (published in 2003).
As an object, the hardback is beautifully produced. As well as an excellent choice of paper and typeface, the illustrations by Chris Wormell make the book a pleasure to read. Mr. Pullman has said there are two more stories to come set after the conclusion of The Amber Spyglass. I'll get my order in now ...
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 The School Library Association
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Lockwood, Chris. "Pullman, Philip: La Belle Sauvage (The Book Of Dust)." School Librarian, vol. 66, no. 1, spring 2018, p. 58. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A532654376/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=0a17b69c. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
MURRAY, Lily. Dinosaurium: Welcome to the Museum, illus. by Chris Wormell. 112p. (Welcome to the Museum), diag. index, websites. Candlewick/Big Picture. Apr. 2018. Tr $35. ISBN 9780763699000.
Gr 4-7--This oversize volume is a dive into the fascinating world of dinosaurs. Presented as though readers are walking through a museum exhibit, there is introductory material that will provide context for the time periods and classification of dinosaurs. Once background knowledge is developed, the author guides readers chronologically, where they learn about a variety of species from a number of different eras. Thorough but accessible information is presented throughout: classification and naming, location, habitat, physical characteristics, and conclusions about behaviors. Replicating the museum feel, there is a key to each plate of images offering more specific information about the beasts pictured. The full-page illustrations by Wormell are impressive and capture the imagination. Although this title lacks some of the flash of similar books, it treats the subject matter with a seriousness dino aficionados will appreciate. VERDICT A solid purchase for collections with the need for more dinosaur content.--Erica Thorsen, Albemarle High School, VA
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Thorsen, Erica. "MURRAY, Lily. Dinosaurium: Welcome to the Museum." School Library Journal, vol. 64, no. 5, May 2018, p. 122. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A536988145/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=2a811b19. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.