James Mayhew facts for kids
James John Mayhew is a talented English author and illustrator of children's books. Born in 1964 in Stamford, Lincolnshire, he is also a storyteller, artist, and a concert presenter. He often creates live art while music plays.
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Early Life and Art School
James Mayhew grew up in a village called Blundeston, Suffolk. He went to school in Lowestoft, including the Benjamin Britten High School. After school, he continued his art studies. He attended Lowestoft School of Art from 1982 to 1984. Later, he studied at Maidstone College of Art, which is now part of the University for the Creative Arts.
Becoming a Published Author
James Mayhew's first book was Katie's Picture Show, published in 1989. The idea for this book came to him in 1982. During a summer in Lowestoft, he worked as a pavement artist. He would recreate famous artworks on the ground. This experience inspired the Katie series, where a girl explores famous paintings by climbing into them. The main character, Katie, is based on James Mayhew's sister, Katharine.
There are now 14 books in the Katie series. Some popular titles include Katie and the Mona Lisa and Katie and the Starry Night. In 2014, he redrew the pictures for the first Katie book for its 25th anniversary. A musical play based on Katie and the Mona Lisa was performed in 2013. Also, a special bench shaped like the book Katie in London was created in 2014. James Mayhew even painted the bench himself!
James Mayhew has published over 50 books. These include the popular Ella Bella Ballerina series. He also illustrated the Mouse and Mole books, which became a BBC television show. Other well-known books he has worked on are the Gaspard the Fox series and Nen and the Lonely Fisherman. His books have been published in many countries around the world. He has also written for children's TV shows like Melody.
Awards and Recognition
James Mayhew has received several awards for his work.
- In 1994, The Boy and the Cloth of Dreams won The New York Times Award. It was named one of the ten best illustrated books of the year.
- In 2011, he was the first illustrator to be featured on the BBC's Authors Live series. This series is run by the Scottish Book Trust.
- His book Mrs Noah's Pockets was long-listed for the Kate Greenaway Prize in 2019.
- In 2022, Nen and the Lonely Fisherman won the first Children's and YA Polari Prize. This award celebrates LGBTQ+ books. The book was also nominated for the Kate Greenaway Prize in 2021.
Presenting Music Concerts
Since 2007, James Mayhew has created and presented classical music concerts for children. He works with orchestras and musicians. During these events, he tells stories and paints live pictures. These paintings are often projected onto a big screen. He paints along with the music.
He has presented concerts based on famous pieces like Peter and the Wolf, The Firebird, and Swan Lake. In 2016, he performed at the famous Royal Albert Hall in London for the first time. He has worked with many orchestras, including the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
In 2013, he designed the sets and costumes for an opera called Noye's Fludde. This was part of the Cheltenham Music Festival. In 2017, he narrated and illustrated a new concert work called The Knight Who Took All Day. He also performed with singer-songwriter Tanita Tikaram at the Barbican Centre. He painted live while she sang.
James Mayhew has also written the script for a new orchestral work for children. It is called The Caretaker's Guide to the Orchestra. He performed as the narrator for its first shows in 2017. He has also written two books based on the music he presents at concerts: Once Upon a Tune (2021) and A Symphony of Stories (2024).
Other Activities
James Mayhew often speaks at festivals, conferences, and schools. In 2014, he was the Illustrator in Residence at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. He has also had his art shown at the Scottish National Gallery. He has taught students about children's book illustration at Anglia Ruskin University.
He is an adviser for the charity Action for Children's Arts. He also supports the Children's Writers and Illustrator's Group. He works to create better opportunities for children and authors. The art he creates at concerts is sometimes auctioned off to raise money for charities. He is also a patron of Magic Lantern, a charity that teaches about art.
Books Written or Illustrated by James Mayhew
- Katie and the Bathers
- Katie and the Dinosaurs
- Katie and the Starry Night
- Katie and the Mona Lisa
- Katie and the Sunflowers
- Katie in London
- Katie and the Impressionists
- Katie's Picture Show
- Katie and the Spanish Princess
- Katie and the Waterlily Pond
- Katie in Scotland
- Katie and the British Artists
- Katie's London Christmas
- Katie's Sunday Afternoon
- Once Upon A Tune
- Gaspard the Fox (by Zeb Soanes)
- Gaspard the Fox - Best in Show (by Zeb Soanes)
- Nen and the Lonely Fisherman (by Ian Eagleton)
- Gaspard's Foxtrot (by Zeb Soanes)
- Mrs Noah's Pockets (by Jackie Morris)
- Mrs Noah's Garden (by Jackie Morris)
- Mrs Noah's Song (by Jackie Morris)
- Who Wants a Dragon? (illustrated by Lindsey Gardiner)
- When Dragons Are Dreaming (illustrated by Lindsey Gardiner)
- Bubble & Squeak (illustrated by Clara Vulliamy)
- Can You See a Little Bear? (illustrated by Jackie Morris)
- Starlight Sailor (illustrated by Jackie Morris)
- Koshka's Tales: Stories from Russia
- Ella Bella Ballerina and The Sleeping Beauty
- Ella Bella Ballerina and Swan Lake
- Ella Bella Ballerina and Cinderella
- Ella Bella Ballerina and The Nutcracker
- Ella Bella Ballerina and A Midsummer Night's Dream
- Ella Bella Ballerina and the Magic Toyshop
- Madame Nightingale Will Sing Tonight
- Dare You!
- Miranda the Explorer
- Miranda the Castaway
- The Magic Sword
- Boy
- The Knight Who Took All Day
- To Sleep, Perchance to Dream (Shakespeare)
- Shakespeare's Stories (retold by Beverly Birch)
- Barefoot Book of Stories from the Opera (retold by Shahrukh Husain)
- Shakespeare's Story Book: Folk Tales that inspired the Bard (retold by Patrick Ryan)
- Pinocchio (retold by Josephine Poole)
- Mouse and Mole (written by Joyce Dunbar)
- Mouse and Mole Have a Party (by Joyce Dunbar)
- A Very Special Mouse and Mole (by Joyce Dunbar)
- Happy Days for Mouse and Mole (Joyce Dunbar)
- The Boy and the Cloth of Dreams (written by Jenny Koralek)
- The Cloth of Dreams (anthology edited by Sally Grindley)
- Tales of Ghostly Ghouls and Haunting Horrors (written by Martin Waddell)
- Boneless and the Tinker
- Death and the Neighbours
- Gallows Hill
- Soft Butler's Ghost
