Anthony Browne (author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony Browne
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Browne in 2010
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| Born | Anthony Edward Browne 11 September 1946 Sheffield, Yorkshire, England |
| Occupation | Illustrator, writer |
| Alma mater | Leeds College of Art |
| Period | 1976–present |
| Genre | Children's picture books |
| Notable works | Gorilla (1983) |
| Notable awards | Kate Greenaway Medal 1983, 1992 Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration 2000 |
| Children | 2 |
Anthony Edward Tudor Browne is a famous British writer and illustrator of children's books. He is especially known for his amazing picture books. Born on September 11, 1946, he has created more than fifty books.
Anthony Browne won the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2000. This award is one of the highest honors for children's authors and illustrators. He also won two Kate Greenaway Medals for his illustrations. From 2009 to 2011, he was the Children's Laureate, a special role for a children's author or illustrator in the UK.
Contents
About Anthony Browne's Life and Work
Early Life and Education
Anthony Browne was born in Sheffield, England. His parents, Jack and Doris May Browne, ran a pub. Anthony and his older brother Michael grew up there. As a child, Anthony loved art and often drew with his father. He also enjoyed playing rugby and cricket.
When he was younger, he thought about becoming a journalist, a cartoonist, or even a boxer. But he decided to study graphic design at Leeds College of Art. He finished his studies in 1967.
Starting His Career
After college, Anthony Browne wanted to be a painter. However, he needed money, so he took a job as a medical illustrator. He drew detailed pictures of operations for a hospital. After three years, he found the job boring.
He then started designing greeting cards for a company called Gordon Fraser. He designed cards for five years. This experience helped him develop his unique artistic style. After this, he began writing and illustrating his own books.
First Books and Big Success
Anthony Browne's first book, which he both wrote and illustrated, was Through the Magic Mirror. It was published in 1976. His next book, A Walk in the Park, became quite popular. Bear Hunt (1979) was also a success.
His most famous book, Gorilla, came out in 1983. It was based on one of his greeting card designs. Gorilla won the Kate Greenaway Medal. This award is given to the best children's book illustration by a British artist.
Awards and Recognition
Anthony Browne has won many awards for his work. He won the Kate Greenaway Medal twice: first for Gorilla in 1983, and again for Zoo in 1992. He was also highly praised for his illustrations in an edition of Alice in Wonderland (1988) and for Willy's Pictures (2000).
In 2000, he received the Hans Christian Andersen Award. This is a huge international award for children's illustrators. Anthony Browne was the first British illustrator to win it.
He also won the Kurt Maschler Award three times. This award celebrates books where the words and pictures work perfectly together. He won it for Gorilla, Alice's Adventure in Wonderland, and Voices in the Park.
Gorillas and Other Characters
Gorillas appear often in Anthony Browne's books. He has said he is very interested in these animals. He even once did a children's TV show while sitting in a gorilla cage!
One of his well-known characters is "Willy." Many people say that Willy is based on Anthony Browne himself.
Later Work and Laureateship
From 2001 to 2002, Anthony Browne worked at Tate Britain, a famous art gallery. He helped children use art to inspire their writing and imagination. During this time, he created The Shape Game (2003).
In June 2009, Anthony Browne was chosen as the sixth Children's Laureate. He held this special position until 2011. The Children's Laureate promotes reading and children's literature.
His books have been translated into 26 different languages. His illustrations have been shown in many countries around the world. Today, he lives in Canterbury, England.
In 2021, Anthony Browne was given the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). This was for his great contributions to literature.
Books by Anthony Browne
Anthony Browne has created many wonderful books. Here are some of his most famous works, where he was both the writer and the illustrator:
As Writer and Illustrator
- Through the Magic Mirror (1976)
- A Walk in the Park (1977)
- Bear Hunt (1979)
- Look What I've Got! (1980)
- Gorilla (1983) – This book won the Kate Greenaway Medal.
- Willy the Wimp (1984)
- Piggybook (1986)
- The Tunnel (1989)
- Zoo (1992) – This book also won the Kate Greenaway Medal.
- Willy the Dreamer (1997)
- Voices in the Park (1998)
- My Dad (2000)
- Willy's Pictures (2000)
- The Shape Game (2003)
- Into the Forest (2004)
- My Mum (2005)
- Silly Billy (2006)
- My Brother (2007)
- Little Beauty (2008)
- Me and You (2011) – A new version of The Story of the Three Bears.
- One Gorilla, A Counting Book (2012)
- What If...? (2013)
- Willy's Stories (2014)
As Illustrator Only
Anthony Browne has also illustrated books written by other authors:
- Hansel and Gretel by Brothers Grimm (1981)
- The Visitors Who Came to Stay by Annalena McAfee (1984)
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1988) – This edition was highly praised.
- Anthony Browne's King Kong (1994) – Based on the classic story of King Kong.
- The Daydreamer by Ian McEwan (1994)
See also
In Spanish: Anthony Browne para niños
