Interviews with the illustrators shortlisted for the 2016 award:

Joe Lillington, illustrator of Toby and the Ice Giants

< back to interviews Joe Lillington, illustrator of Toby and the Ice Giants What was your reaction to being shortlisted for the Klaus Flugge Prize? I was very pleased, – it is always nice to hear any feedback once the book is published to get a sense of what people think of it after working…

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Wen Dee Tan, illustrator of Lili

< back to interviews Wen Dee Tan, illustrator of Lili Have you always wanted to be an artist? Not as a career. But I have always drawn as a child, I suspect even before I learned to write. I would draw every day: on the backs of tear-off calendar sheets, used envelopes, blank sheets of…

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Stephen Walton, illustrator of Counting Lions

< back to interviews Stephen Walton, illustrator of Counting Lions How do you feel at being nominated for the first Klaus Flugge Prize, and then shortlisted? I was absolutely amazed, because it was a real surprise when you see the long list, then you look at the list of the books on it and think…

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Heidi Deedman, illustrator of Too Many Toys!

< back to interviews Heidi Deedman, illustrator of Too Many Toys! How do you feel to have been shortlisted for the inaugural Klaus Flugge Prize? It is absolutely wonderful. It is just wonderful to have been long listed, and then shortlisted by such an amazing team of judges and to think that they have seen…

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Nicholas John Frith, illustrator of Hector and Hummingbird

< back to interviews Nicholas John Frith, illustrator of Hector and Hummingbird You went to art college and studied for a degree in animation, but there’s a long gap on your CV between studying and becoming an illustrator. What happened? I always knew as a kid I wanted to do art or animation of some…

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Daisy Hirst, illustrator of The Girl with the Parrot on her Head

< back to interviews Daisy Hirst, illustrator of The Girl with the Parrot on her Head Why did you want to become an illustrator? I’ve always loved drawing and writing and making things, and I never grew out of picture books. As I grew up I chose to concentrate on writing and studied English and…

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Shortlist announced for the inaugural Klaus Flugge Prize

The shortlist for the inaugural Klaus Flugge Prize is announced today (Thursday 9 June 2016). Set up to honour Klaus Flugge, founder of Andersen Press and a key figure in children’s picture books, this important new award is for the most promising and exciting newcomer to children’s picture book illustration.

From a longlist of twenty picture books by debut illustrators an expert panel of judges comprising Children’s Laureate Chris RiddellTony Ross, the UK’s biggest selling children’s illustrator; Professor Martin Salisbury of the Cambridge School of Art; and Ferelith Hordon, editor of Books for Keepsand IBBYLink, selected a shortlist of six. They are:

Too Many Toys by Heidi Deedman (Walker Books)
Intricate comic detail, an energetic style, and hand-lettering that brings classic children’s books to mind make this stand out. The judges feel Deedman has the potential to be an outstanding illustrator, and admired the personality she gives to her book.

Hector and the Hummingbird by Nicholas John Frith (Alison Green Books)
With its retro palette of turquoise, green and pink, playful scenes and appealing characters the judges found this to be something special, admiring in particular the way the illustrator inhabits his characters.

The Girl with the Parrot on her Head by Daisy Hirst (Walker Books)
Original, and with a lively, bouncy feel, Hirst’s silk-screen prints and use of space caught the judges’ attention. A night-time scene with a wolf particularly impressed.

Toby and the Ice Giants by Joe Lillington (Flying Eye Books)
Lillington brings the creatures of the ice age to life in dramatic watercolour illustrations. The judges admired his draughtsmanship and found this to be an interesting picture book.

Lili by Wen Dee Tan (Fat Fox)
Wen Dee’s pencil and crayon style lends itself beautifully to animation and movement as demonstrated by Lili with her fiery red hair. The judges found lots to like in her sensitive, lyrical drawings.

Counting Lions by Stephen Walton, written by Katie Cotton (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books)
A self-taught artist, Stephen Walton commands attention with arresting charcoal portraits of wild animals and this book stands out as different. Tony Ross expressed real admiration, remarking that: ‘I couldn’t draw like that, and I’d really like to.’

Chair of the judges Julia Eccleshare said: “We asked the judges to consider technique and artistic ability, and they chose also to take into account the illustrators’ skill at characterisation. The discussion was lively and wide ranging and the final shortlist features exciting and extremely talented illustrators. The Klaus Flugge Prize is very important, the only one to recognise new illustrator talent at this crucial early stage in a career and we look forward to watching all six of the shortlisted illustrators develop.”

For more information, interview requests and images contact Andrea Reece:
andrea.reece@zen.co.uk
020 8889 1292/ 07807893369
www.klausfluggeprize.co.uk

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The Klaus Flugge Prize is funded personally by Klaus Flugge and run independently of Andersen Press.

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