A lavishly illustrated retrospective in celebration of 100 years since Judith Kerr's birth, author of The Tiger Who Came to Tea and many other iconic books.

Judith Kerr was one of the best-loved authors and illustrators to ever put pencil to paper. The books she created, including The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Mog the Forgetful Cat, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and many many more, have become classics of children's literature, loved by generations of readers.

But what of the life behind the iconic characters? Judith's own story is riveting, from her early childhood in Berlin, dramatically cut short by the family having to flee the rising Nazi Party, to her time at the BBC in the 1950s and her long and happy marriage to the celebrated screenwriter Nigel Kneale, creator of British television's first major hit, The Quatermass Experiment.

The joy of this very special book is in hearing this story from Judith herself, accompanied by a treasure trove of illustrations and memorabilia. All combine to give an unforgettable insight into the creative process behind these beloved stories.

This book was published in 2013, but Judith continued to work up until her death in 2019. While she may have gone, her creatures live on. They are much-loved characters who spring to life from the pages of her books, but they are also those who have played a part in her inspirational life. They are to be found here, in a book to cherish and return to again and again.

In 2023 we celebrate 100 years since Judith's birth and in this updated edition, her final working years have been wonderfully evoked in a new chapter written by Judith's son, the author, Matthew Kneale.

A stunning biography of the classic bestselling children's author Judith Kerr - creator of The Tiger Who Came to Tea. The perfect illustrated gift book

About the Author

Judith Kerr OBE was born in Berlin. Her family left Germany in 1933 to escape the rising Nazi party, and came to England. She studied at the Central School of Art and later worked as a scriptwriter for the BBC.

Judith married the celebrated screenwriter Nigel Kneale in 1954. She left the BBC to look after their two children, who inspired her first picture book, The Tiger Who Came to Tea. Published in 1968 and never out of print in the fifty years since, it has become a much-loved classic and perennial bestseller.

Judith was awarded the Booktrust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2016, and in 2019 was named Illustrator of the Year at the British Book Awards. Judith died in May 2019 at the age of 95, and her stories continue to entertain and delight generations of children.

Reviews

"... captures the colourful innocence of the 1950s and 1960s, with its harlequin tights, squat stoves and fathers in hats...Kerr's world is one in which the small and lost come to be treasured." - The Times

"176 large, beautiful pages of nostalgia for anyone who has been a child in the past half century." - The Independent

Book Information
ISBN 9780007513215
Author Judith Kerr
Format Hardback
Page Count 176
Imprint HarperCollins
Publisher HarperCollins Publishers
Weight(grams) 1320g
Dimensions(mm) 286mm * 226mm * 22mm