Ashley Spires facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ashley Spires
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| Born | 1977/1978 (age 46–47) Tsawwassen, British Columbia
Canada |
| Education | Emily Carr University of Art and Design Sheridan College |
| Occupation | Children's book author and illustrator |
Ashley Spires is a super talented Canadian writer and artist who creates awesome books for kids! She's famous for her Binky the Space Cat graphic novels and her popular book, The Most Magnificent Thing, which came out in 2014.
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About Ashley Spires
Ashley Spires grew up in a place called Tsawwassen, in British Columbia, Canada. She first studied photography at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design. While there, she took a class on making books. This class made her want to become an illustrator, which means someone who draws pictures for books.
After finishing her studies, she got a job with Lobster Press. She drew pictures for Peter Kuitenbrouwer's book, Our Song: The Story of O Canada, the Canadian National Anthem, in 2004. Later, she went to Sheridan College in Ontario. There, she studied illustration even more.
Binky the Space Cat Series
Ashley Spires writes and draws the Binky the Space Cat graphic novel series. These books are about a cat named Binky who thinks his house is a space station! He believes he's a space explorer protecting his family from aliens (which are really just bugs).
The first book, Binky the Space Cat, won an award in 2011. It was the Silver Birch Express Award from the Ontario Library Association. This award is chosen by young readers themselves!
On September 7, 2019, a TV show based on the books started. It's called Agent Binky: Pets of the Universe. You can watch it on Treehouse TV.
The Most Magnificent Thing
Ashley Spires's book from 2014, The Most Magnificent Thing, is very popular. It got a great review from Kirkus, which is a big deal in the book world. It was also named one of the ALA Notable Books for Children 2015.
This book has sold more than 500,000 copies! It has also been translated into many different languages. This means kids all over the world can read it.
The Most Magnificent Thing was even made into a 22-minute animated short film. Arna Selznick directed the film. Famous actress Whoopi Goldberg narrated it, telling the story. Lilly Bartlam and Alison Pill did some of the voices. The film was shown on the Canadian kids' channel YTV in 2019. It also played at several film festivals. These included the 2019 San Diego International Film Festival and the 2019 Chicago International Children's Film Festival.
Books by Ashley Spires
Here are some of the books Ashley Spires has written and illustrated herself:
- Binky the Space Cat (2009) ISBN: 978-1-55453-419-7
- Binky to the Rescue (2010) ISBN: 978-1554535972
- Binky Under Pressure (2011) ISBN: 978-1554537679
- Small Saul (2011) ISBN: 978-1-55453-503-3
- Binky Takes Charge (2012) ISBN: 978-1554537686
- Larf (2012) ISBN: 978-1554537013
- Binky License to Scratch (2013)
- Edie's Ensembles (2014) ISBN: 978-1-77049- 490-9
- The Most Magnificent Thing (2014) ISBN: 978-1554537044
- Gordon: Bark To The Future! (2016)
- Fluffy Strikes Back (2016) ISBN: 978-1-77138-127-7
- Over-scheduled Andrew (2017) ISBN: 978-1770494848
- The Thing Lou Couldn't Do (2017) ISBN: 978-1771387279
- Fairy Science (2019) ISBN: 9780525581390
Here are some books where Ashley Spires was only the illustrator (she drew the pictures):
