Kate Pankhurst facts for kids

Kate Pankhurst is a talented British writer and illustrator. She is famous for creating exciting children's picture books. In 2002, she earned second place in the Macmillan Prize for Picture Book Illustration, which was a big step in her career.

Becoming an Artist

Kate Pankhurst grew up in Liverpool, England. She loved books from a young age, thanks to a local bookshop she passed every day.

Her journey into art began when she read a British comic called The Beano. This comic inspired her to create her own stories and drawings. She even sold her handmade comics to her school friends! This early experience made her want to become an illustrator when she grew up.

At first, Kate thought about designing shoes. But while studying at the University of Central Lancashire, she discovered her true passion. She realized she could combine her love for drawing and stories by illustrating children's books.

Her Amazing Books

After winning an award in 2002, Kate started working on her first big series. It was called Mariella Mystery Investigates. In these books, Kate did both the writing and the drawing. The series became very popular and was published by Bloomsbury.

Fantastically Great Women

Kate's first non-fiction book was Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World. While working on this book, she made an amazing discovery. She found out she was related to Emmeline Pankhurst, a famous suffragette! Emmeline was one of the incredible women Kate featured in her book.

Kate really enjoyed sharing the stories of women who might not be as well-known. For example, she wrote about Gertrude Ederle, who was the first woman to swim across the English Channel. To promote the book, Kate visited schools. She talked about how she creates her books and shared her passion for history.

The Musical Show

In 2021, an exciting announcement was made. A new musical play based on Fantastically Great Women Who Changed the World was created! The show opened in Southampton in November 2021.

The musical features songs by talented songwriters Miranda Cooper and Jennifer Decilveo. The story follows a character named Jade, who meets some of history's most iconic women. These include Frida Kahlo, Rosa Parks, Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, and of course, Emmeline Pankhurst. The musical toured across the UK from 2021 until 2023, inspiring many young people.

Besides writing and illustrating, Kate also works with teachers and children. She loves to share her passion for reading and the inspiring stories of notable women.

Life at Home

Kate Pankhurst lives in Leeds with her family. She creates all her wonderful books in her studio, which is located in an old spinning mill. She also has a lovely dalmatian dog named Olive.