Rodney Peppé facts for kids

Rodney (Darrell) Peppé is a British author and illustrator. He was born on June 24, 1934, in Eastbourne, England. He is famous for writing and drawing more than 80 children's books. His first book, The Alphabet Book, came out in 1968.

Rodney Peppé also creates amazing mechanical toys and automata. These are like moving sculptures or robots. Even though he makes these cool creations, he doesn't sell them. Instead, his works have been shown in museums and in his special one-man show called The Wonderful World of Rodney Peppé.

Growing Up and School

Rodney Peppé was born in Eastbourne, England, on June 24, 1934. He has a twin brother named Mark. His father, Lionel Hill Peppé, worked in the British Royal Navy and the Royal Indian Navy. Because of his father's job, Rodney and his family lived in India near the Himalaya Mountains when he was very young.

In 1942, Rodney and his brother returned to Eastbourne with their mother. They went to a boarding school called St Bede's School, Sussex. After school, Rodney studied art. He earned a National Diploma in Design in 1958 from the Eastbourne School of Art. He also got a Diploma in Illustration in 1959 from the London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts.

How Rodney Peppé Started His Career

Before he became a famous children's book author, Rodney Peppé worked in advertising and design. In the 1960s, he was an art director for big companies like S. H. Benson and J. Walter Thompson. This meant he helped create the look and feel of advertisements.

He also worked as a design consultant for Ross Foods Ltd. From 1965 onwards, he became a freelance graphic designer and illustrator. This allowed him to work on many different projects for various clients. He continued this work even after he started writing and illustrating children's books. His first children's book, The Alphabet Book, was published in 1968.

Rodney Peppé's Family Life

Rodney Peppé married Tordis Tatjana Tekkel, who is a textile artist, on July 16, 1960. They have two sons named Christen Rodney and Jonathan Noel. After they got married and had children, the family lived in different places in England. Some of these places include Surrey, Whiteway, and Torquay.

Rodney Peppé on TV

Some of Rodney Peppé's popular children's books have been turned into animated TV shows. This means more kids could enjoy his stories!

• Huxley Pig was a TV series that aired from 1989 to 1990.
• Angelmouse was another animated series that aired from 1999 to 2000.

In 1982, an episode of a show called The Friendly Giant featured Rodney Peppé's work. The Giant read aloud from his book Circus Numbers in an episode called Circus Fun.