Russell Ayto
Russell Aytois an English author and illustrator ofchildren's booksincluding manypicture books.
Biography
[edit]Russell was born inChichester,Sussex[1]in 1960 and grew up inKidlington,Oxfordshire.After school he worked as a postman, then in theHistopathologyDepartment of theJohn Radcliffe Hospitalbefore studying atOxford PolytechnicandExeter College of Art and Designwhere he gained a degree in Graphic Design. He gained work withObserver MagazineandTime Out[2]and began illustrating adult fiction before his work was spotted byWalker Booksand he moved to illustrating children's fiction.[3]
Russell has illustrated over 80 books, includingThe Cow That Laid an Eggby Andy Cutbill,Quacky Quack-Quack!andWhiffboth byIan Whybrow,andThe Witch’s Childrenseries byUrsula Jones.[4]His illustration ofThe Witch’s Children go to School byUrsula Jones won the 2008 inaugural Roald Dahl Funny Prize.[5]
Russell’s illustrations forThe Cow That Almost Missed Christmas(2012) written by Andy Cutbill were adapted into an animated short film for the BBC,[6]featuring the voices ofJohnny VegasandMiriam Margoles.In 2015,SLR Productionslaunched a series of 52 x 11 minute animated episodes[7]based on the picture books Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs written by Giles Andre and illustrated by Russell Ayto. The third book in the Captain Flinn series,Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs: The Magic Cutlasswas later adapted into a stage performance by Les Petits Theatre Company in 2015.[8]
Russell continues to work full time as an author. His self-illustrated books includeThe Match(2018),Henry and the Yeti(2017), andMouse in the House(2020).
Russell currently lives with his family nearPenzance,Cornwall.[9]
Recognition
[edit]- 2001 shortlist,Kate Greenaway Medal(for illustration);The Witch's ChildrenbyUrsula Jones[10]
- 2003Nestlé Smarties Book Prize,ages 0–5;The Witch's Children and the QueenbyUrsula Jones[11]
- 2004 shortlist, Greenaway Medal;One More Sheepby Mij Kelly
- 2008 shortlist,Booktrust Early Years Award,Pre-school;The Cow That Laid an Eggby Andy Cutbill[12]
- 2008 Roald Dahl Funny Prize, ages 0–6;The Witch's Children go to Schoolby Ursula Jones[13]
- 2014 Honor,Irma Black Award[14]
Works
[edit]Adult cover art
[edit]- Oxford Coffee Houses, 1651–1800by Norma Albertin-Potter and Alyx Bennett (Hampden, 1987)
- Why Are We in Vietnam?byNorman Mailer,later edition (Oxford University Press, 1988)[15]
- FluddbyHilary Mantel,first edition (Viking Press, 1989)
Children's books as writer
[edit]- The Other Day I Met a Bear,self-illustrated,Walker Books,2001
- My Friend Joe,self-illustrated,HarperCollins,2013
- Henry and the Yeti,self-illustrated,Bloomsbury,2017
- Cats and Robbers,self-illustrated, Bloomsbury, 2019
- An Earth-Bots Solution to Plastic Pollution,self-illustrated,Kids Can Press,2021
- Will You Be My Friend?self-illustrated,Andersen Press,2021
- Mouse in the House,self-illustrated, Andersen Press, 2022
Children's books as illustrator
[edit]1990s
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2000s
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2010s
[edit]- The Love Bugsby Simon Puttock, HarperCollins, 2010
- Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs – Smugglers Bay!by Giles Andreas, Puffin, 2010
- First Week at Cow Schoolby Andy Cutbill, HarperCollins, 2011
- Are the Dinosaurs Dead, Dad?by Julie Middleton, Picture Corgi, 2012
- Dustbin Dad,by Peter Bentley, Simon & Schuster Children’s UK, 2013
- The Somethingosaur,by Tony Mitton, HarperCollins, 2013
- A Very Pirate Christmas,by Timothy Knapman, Egmont Books, 2014
- Top Top Secret,by Claire Freedman, Simon & Schuster, 2014
- Whoops!by Suzi Moore, Templar Publishing, 2015
- Old Misery,by James Sage, Kids Can Press, 2018
References
[edit]- ^Orchard Books."Russell Ayto".Hachette Childrens UK.Retrieved3 July2013.
- ^"Books By Russell Ayto | LoveReading4Kids".www.lovereading4kids.co.uk.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^"Author Profiles - Peters Bookselling Services".web.archive.org.24 March 2012.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^HarperCollins (5 April 2024)."Russell Ayto".HarperCollins.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^"Ayto, Russell | BookTrust".www.booktrust.org.uk.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^Searle, Tim (19 December 2012),The Cow That Almost Missed Christmas(Animation, Comedy, Family), Isy Suttie, Johnny Vegas, Miriam Margolyes, Baby Cow Animation Ltd., Komedia Entertainment,retrieved5 April2024
- ^"Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs".SLR Productions.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^"'Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs' – Les Petits Theatre Company ".www.puppetcentre.org.uk.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^"Russell Ayto".Simon & Schuster.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^"The CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards - Press Desk".web.archive.org.17 May 2007.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^"Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Winners".www.goodreads.com.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^"Booktrust announces Early Years Awards shortlist".Scholastic Resource Bank.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^BookTrust (5 April 2024)."Roald Dahl Funny Prize".www.booktrust.org.uk.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^Dar, Mahnaz."Bank Street CCL Names 2014 Irma Black Award, Cook Prize Finalists".School Library Journal.Retrieved5 April2024.
- ^"Book Details".Abebooks.co.uk.Retrieved24 July2012.[dead link]
External links
[edit]
- Russell AytoatLibrary of Congress,with 26 library catalogue records
- Russell Aytoat theInternet Speculative Fiction Database
