Helme Heine facts for kids
Helme Heine (born 4 April 1941 in Berlin) is a very popular German writer. He is famous for his children's books, which he also illustrates. He is also a designer. Today, he lives in New Zealand. There, he writes stories for movies and audiobooks. He also creates funny drawings and sculptures.
About Helme Heine
Helme Heine was born in Berlin in 1941. His parents owned different restaurants and hotels. Helme spent parts of his childhood in Lübbecke and Wülfrath. By the time he finished high school in 1958, he had gone to thirteen different schools! People described him as "playful" and "artistic" when he was a student. He later studied business and art.
In the early 1960s, Helme Heine decided not to take over his family's hotel. Instead, he traveled a lot. He visited Europe, Asia, and South Africa. He lived and worked in Johannesburg, South Africa, until 1977. While there, he started a show called "Sauerkraut." It featured funny and smart performances. He also ran a humorous magazine. He worked as a director, stage designer, and actor. In the early 1970s, Heine also began painting.
His First Books
In 1975, Helme Heine created his first children's book. It was called "The secret of the elephant's poohs." He met an editor at the Frankfurt Book Fair that same year. The book was published in 1976. It even won an award at the Bologna Children's Book Fair. His first big success came in 1977 with "The Pigs' Wedding."
In 1977, Helme Heine moved back to Germany with his family. Since then, he has published over 50 children's books. These books have been translated into more than 35 languages. Two of his books were named "Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year" by the New York Times. These were "Mr. Miller the Dog" (1980) and "The Marvelous Journey through the Night" (1991). His most famous book is "Friends" from 1982.
Other Creative Works
Helme Heine has also worked on theater shows and musicals. He created a theme park for the Hanover Zoo. His artwork has been shown in many exhibitions across Europe, the United States, and Asia.
In 1983, Heine helped create another popular children's character. This was a little green dragon named "Tabaluga." He created Tabaluga with Peter Maffay and Gregor Rottschalk. "Tabaluga" musicals have been very successful in Germany. A Tabaluga cartoon series also ran for 78 episodes. It was shown in 18 countries. In 1992, Heine also created a children's cartoon series called "Sauerkraut."
Life in New Zealand
In the late 1980s, Helme Heine traveled to Ireland. Then he moved to New Zealand. Today, he lives and works in Russell. This town is in the Bay of Islands. He lives there with his wife, Gisela von Radowitz, who is also an author.
Heine writes books for adults and scripts for radio and movies. One movie he wrote was "Mollywoop" (2009). He also draws, paints, and designs sculptures and furniture. In his free time, Helme Heine enjoys sailing and fishing.
Helping Others
Helme Heine supports a charity called "Stiftung Freunde." This name means "Friends Foundation." It is named after his most famous book. The foundation helps young children learn important life skills. It also works to prevent violence and addictions.
Helme Heine has won many national and international awards for his work. These include the European children's book award.
