Chris Riddell

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For the futurist and digital technology expert, see Chris Riddell (futurist).
Chris Riddell
OBE
Born 13 April 1962 (age 58)
Cape Town, South Africa
Occupation Illustrator, author, political cartoonist
Nationality British
Alma mater Brighton Polytechnic
Genre Children's
Spouse Joanne Burroughes
Children 3
Chris Riddell, OBE (/rɪdˈɛl/ rid-EL) (born 13 April 1962) is a British illustrator
and occasional writer of children's books and a political cartoonist for the
Observer. He has won three Kate Greenaway Medals as well as the British librarians'
annual award for the best-illustrated children's book,[1][2] and two of his works
were commended runners-up, a distinction dropped after 2002.[3][a]

Books that he wrote or illustrated have won three Nestlé Smarties Book Prizes and
have been silver or bronze runners-up four times.[4] On 9 June 2015, he was
appointed the UK Children's Laureate.[5]

Contents
1 Life
2 Career
2.1 The Edge Chronicles
2.2 Other works
3 Selected works
3.1 As author and illustrator
3.2 As illustrator
4 Awards and recognitions
5 Notes
6 References
7 External links
Life
Chris Riddell was born in 1962 in Cape Town, South Africa, where his father was a
"liberal Anglican vicar"[6] and was opposed to the system of apartheid. The family
returned to England when Chris was one year old, where he spent the rest of his
childhood with his sister and three brothers, who now live in South Africa,
Brighton, England, and Egypt. He attended Archbishop Tenison's Grammar School in
Kennington. Chris displayed artistic talent from an early age and was encouraged in
this by his mother. (She gave him paper and pen to keep quiet during his father's
sermons.)[6] As a child, he admired the work of Sir John Tenniel, the first
illustrator of Alice in Wonderland, and W. Heath Robinson.

At Brighton Polytechnic, he studied illustration; one teacher was Raymond Briggs,

an earlier winner of two Greenaway Medals.[7]

In 2002, he named as influences Tenniel and E. H. Shepard, the first illustrator of

The Wind in the Willows and Winnie the Pooh.[6]

Riddell worked as an illustrator at The Economist beginning in the 1980s and at the
Observer starting in 1995.[6]

As of 2019, Riddell and his wife, Joanne Burroughes, an illustrator and print-
maker, live in Brighton with three children.[6] Daughter Katy Riddell is also a
children's book illustrator, including of Pongwiffy by Kaye Umansky.[8][9][10]

His brother Rick Riddell, a secondary teacher at the Alice Smith School, died in
February 2012.[11]

Career
The Edge Chronicles
Some of Riddell's most notable work is The Edge Chronicles (from 1998), a
children's book series cowritten with Paul Stewart and illustrated by Riddell
alone. Set in the fictional world known as "The Edge", the books have been praised
for Chris's beautifully detailed line drawings and the unique nature of their
collaborative writing process.[clarification needed]

Other works
For his illustrations, Riddell was a commended runner-up for the 1994 Greenaway
Medal (Something Else by Kathryn Cave) and highly commended for 1999 (Castle Diary
by Richard Platt).[3][a] He won the 2001 Medal for illustrating Pirate Diary: The
Journal of Jake Carpenter by Platt.[1] The press release called Pirate Diary the
first "information book" to win the Medal since 1975 and "a fictionalised account".
"when he spoke with author Richard Platt the harsh necessities of historical
accuracy came into play. 'Everything I got excited about got shot down. No parrots,
eye-patches or wooden legs. Thank god there were weapons and amputations!'"
(quoting Riddell).[6] (After Castle Diary and Pirate Diary, Platt continued the
Diary series with illustrator David Parkins.)

Three years later, Riddell won the Greenaway again, this time for his work on
Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver" (Walker, 2004), retold by Martin Jenkins from the 1726
classic Gulliver's Travels.[2] The panel chair commented, "Gulliver is a tour de
force. Chris Riddell has given us 144 pages of fantastic, faultless illustrations,
which constantly extend the power of the text. Our winning title also proves that
today's picture books are not just for the youngest age-groups, but are [also] an
important source of pleasure and learning for readers of all ages."[7] (The 2001
and 2004 panels recommended Pirate Diary and Gulliver for readers age 8+ and 10+,
while their recommendations for thirteen other shortlisted books ranged from 2+ to
7+.)

Other books illustrated by Chris Riddell include Fergus Crane, Corby Flood, and
Hugo Pepper, all set in the same world. These books were also co-written with Paul
Stewart. Stewart and Riddell also collaborated with him on Muddle Earth and the
Barnaby Grimes series. Most recently, Riddell has both written and illustrated the
Ottoline series, written while he was on holiday visiting his brother in Malaysia.
[clarification needed (see talk)] The first book, Ottoline and the Yellow Cat
(2007), won the final Smarties Prize in age category 6–8 years (the Smarties were
discontinued in 2008). It has been followed by Ottoline Goes to School and Ottoline
at Sea.

Beside writing and illustrating books, Riddell is an acclaimed political cartoonist

for the Observer newspaper in London, where his caricatures of politicians from
John Major to Gordon Brown, Bill Clinton to George W. Bush, have earned him a
reputation as a fine draughtsman and acute commentator on the political scene.
Before working at the Observer, Chris spent time working at the Economist as an
illustrator and occasional cover artist.

Chris Riddell is the cover artist for the Literary Review magazine formerly edited
by Auberon Waugh, a role he took over from the late Willie Rushton. Chris's serial
gag cartoon for this magazine, called "Illustration to Unwritten Books", was
published in book form as The Da Vinci Cod and Other Illustrations to Unwritten
Books.
In November 2017, Riddell publicly accused department store chain John Lewis of
plagiarizing elements of his 1986 picture book Mr Underbed for their Christmas
advert "Moz the Monster". The chain defended the allegations, noting that the
concept of a monster who lived under a child's bed was a common literary trope, and
that both works had dissimilar plots. The row led to renewed interest in the book,
with copies quickly selling out from stores.[12][13]

Selected works
Ambox current red Americas.svg
This article needs to be updated. Please update this article to reflect recent
events or newly available information. (June 2012)
As author and illustrator
Ben and the Bear (1986)
Humphrey the Hippo (1986)
Humphrey of the Rovers (1986)
Humphrey Goes to the Ball (1986)
Humphrey's New Trousers (1986)
Mr Underbed (1986)
Bird's New Shoes (1987)
The Fibbs (1987)
The Trouble With Elephants (1988)
The Wish Factory (1988)
When the Walrus Comes (1989)
The Bear Dance (1990)
The Wonderful World of Zoom (1995)
Puzzle Boy (1996)
My Busy Book (1998)
Tribal Politics (1999)
Platypus (2001)
Platypus and the Lucky Day (2002)
Platypus and the Birthday Party (2003)
The Da Vinci Cod (2005)
The Emperor of Absurdia (2006)
Wendel's Workshop (2007)
Chris Riddell's Doodle-a-Day (2015)
100 Hugs (2017)
Travels with my Sketchbook (2017)
Once Upon A Wild Wood (2018)
Guardians of Magic (2019)
Ottoline:
Ottoline and the Yellow Cat (2007)
Ottoline Goes to School (2008)
Ottoline at Sea (2010)
Ottoline and the Purple Fox (2016)
Alienography:
Alienography or How to spot an alien and what to do about it (2010)
Alienography – Tips for Tiny Tyrants (2012)
Goth Girl:
Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse (2013)
Goth Girl and the Fete Worse than Death (2014)
Goth Girl and the Wuthering Fright (2015)
Goth Girl and the Pirate Queen (2015 World Book Day edition)
Goth Girl and the Sinister Symphony (2017)
As illustrator
Riddell has collaborated with Paul Stewart on dozens of books, including the Edge
Chronicles series. He has also illustrated several books written by each of five
other authors.

written by other authors

The Mystery of Silver Mountain (1984)
Beware, Princess! (1986)
Love Forty (1986)
Dreamboat Brontosaurus (1987)
Gruesome Giants (1987)
The Magician's Cat (1987)
Beyond the Rolling River (1988)
Dracula's Daughter (1988)
Moon Whales (1988)
Peter Pan (1988), an edition of the 1911 J. M. Barrie classic
Treasure Island (1988), an edition of the 1883 R. L. Stevenson classic
The Pirates of Pudding Beach (1989)
Manifold Manor (1989)
You're Thinking About Doughnuts (1989)
Ffangs the Vampire Bat and the Kiss of Truth (1990)
The Prism Tree (1990)
Lizzie Dripping and the Witch (1991)
Patrick in Person (1991)
Best Enemies (1992)
The Thing in the Sink (1992)
An Armful of Bears (1993)
A Trunkful of Elephants (1994)
Rent-a-Friend (1994)
Say Hello to the Buffalo (1994)
The Iron Wolf (1995)
Angus Rides the Goods Train (1996)
Brilliant Minds (1996)
Buddhism for Sheep (1996)
Feng Shui for Cats (1997)
Feng Shui for Dogs (1997)
The Castle of Inside Out (1997)
The Swan's Stories (1997)
The Tall Story (1997)
Until I Met Dudley (1997)
Buddhism for Bears (1998)
Buster's Diaries (1998)
Management for Martians (1998)
Stories for Me! (1998)
Castle Diary (1999), by Richard Platt
The Tao for Babies (2000)
Pirate Diary (2001), by Richard Platt
The Rabbits' Rebellion (2001)
Three Scary Stories' (2001)
Hairy Bill (2002)
Un Italiano in America (2003)
Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver" (2004), Gullivers Travels (1726) adapted by Martin
Jenkins
Politics Cutting Through the Crap (2006)
Don Quixote (2010), Don Quixote (1605) adapted by Martin Jenkins
Just So Stories (2013), an edition of the 1902 Rudyard Kipling classic
The Pied Piper of Hamelin (2014), by Russell Brand
The Box of Demons (2015), by Daniel Whelan
A Great Big Cuddle: Poems for the Very Young (2015), by Michael Rosen
Things You Find in a Poet's Beard (2015), by A. F. Harrold
Island (2015), by Nicky Singer
My Little Book of Big Freedoms (2015)
The Hunting of the Snark (2016), an illustrated edition of The Hunting of the Snark
(1876) by Lewis Carroll
The Castle of Inside Out (2016), by David Henry Wilson
The Lie Tree (2016), by Frances Hardinge
I Killed Father Christmas (2017), by Anthony McGowan
How To Stop Time (2017), by Matt Haig
A Kid in My Class (2018), by Rachel Rooney
The Tales of Beedle The Bard (2018), by J.K. Rowling[14]
Poems To Save The World With (2020)
A Clock of Stars: The Shadow Moth (2020), by Francesca Gibbons
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (2020), an illustrated edition of Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland (1865) by Lewis Carroll

written by Paul Stewart

The Edge Chronicles:
Beyond the Deepwoods (1998)
Stormchaser (1999)
Midnight Over Sanctaphrax (2000)
Cloud Wolf (2001) - Side story
The Curse of the Gloamglozer (2001)
The Last of the Sky Pirates (2002)
Vox (2003)
Freeglader (2004)
The Edge Chronicles Maps (2004)
The Winter Knights (2005)
The Stone Pilot (2006) - Side story
Clash of the Sky Galleons (2006)
The Lost Barkscrolls (2006)
The Immortals (2009)
The Nameless One (2014)
Doombringer (2015)
The Descenders (2019)
Rabbit and Hedgehog Stories:
A Little Bit of Winter (1998)
The Birthday Presents (1999)
Rabbit's Wish (2001)
What Do You Remember? (2002)
The Blobheads:
Invasion of the Blobs (February 2000)
Talking Toasters (February 2000)
School Stinks (March 2000)
Beware of the Babysitter (April 2000)
Garglejuice (May 2000)
Silly Billy (June 2000)
Naughty Gnomes (July 2000)
Purple Alert! (August 2000)
Muddle Earth: (2011)
Book 1: Muddle Earth
Muddle Earth Book/Section 1: Engelbert the Enormous
Muddle Earth Book/Section 2: Here be Dragons
Muddle Earth Book/Section 3: Doctor Cuddles of Giggle Glade
Book 2: Muddle Earth, too
Muddle Earth, too Book/Section 1: Down with Stinkyhogs
Muddle Earth, too Book/Section 2: Pesticide the Flower Fairy
Muddle Earth, too Book/Section 3: Trouble with Big Sisters
Free Lance:
Free Lance and the Lake of Skulls (2003)
Free Lance and the Field of Blood (2004)
Free Lance and the Dragon's Hoard (2005)
Far-Flung Adventures:
Fergus Crane (2004)
Corby Flood (2005)
Hugo Pepper (2006)
Barnaby Grimes:
Barnaby Grimes: Curse of the Nightwolf (2007)
Barnaby Grimes: Return of the Emerald Skull (2008)
Barnaby Grimes: Legion of the Dead (2008)
Barnaby Grimes: Phantom of Blood Alley (2009)
Wyrmeweald:
Wyrmeweald Book 1: Returner's Wealth (2010)
Wyrmeweald Book 2: Bloodhoney (2012)
Wyrmeweald Book 3: The Bone Trail (2013)
Scavenger Series:
Scavenger: Zoid (2014)
Scavenger: Chaos Zone (2015)
Scavenger: Mind Warp (2016)
written by Kathryn Cave
Henry Hobbs, Alien (1990)
Out for the Count (1991)
Andrew Takes the Plunge (1994)
Something Else (1994) - UNESCO prize, 1997
Jumble (1995)
The Emperor's Gruckle Hound (1996)
Horatio Happened (1998)
William and the Wolves (1999)
Septimus Similon, Practising Wizard (2000)
Henry Hobbs, Space Voyager (2001)
Henry Hobbs and the Lost Planet (2002)
written by Andrew William Gibson
Ellis and the Hummick (1989)
The Abradizil (1990)
Jemima, Grandma and the Great Lost Zone (1991)
The Rollickers and Other Stories (1992)
The Amazing Witherspoon's Amazing Circus Crew (1993)
Chegwith Skillet Escapes (1995)
written by Brian Patten
Beowulf and the Monster (1999)
Juggling With Gerbils (2000)
The Story Giant (2002)
Gargling With Jelly (2003)
Thawing Frozen Frogs (2003)
The Utter Nutters (2007)
written by Philip Ridley
Kasper in the Glitter (1994)
Meteorite Spoon (1994)
Dakota of the White Flats (1995)
Mercedes Ice (1995)
Dreamboat Zing (1996)
Scribbleboy (1997)
ZinderZunder (1998)
written by Neil Gaiman
The Graveyard Book (2008)
The Sleeper and the Spindle (2013) - Kate Greenaway Medal winner, 2016
Fortunately, the Milk... (2013)
Coraline (2013)
Odd and the Frost Giants (2016)
Neverwhere (2017)
Art Matters: Because Your Imagination Can Change The World (2018)
Pirate Stew (2020)
Awards and recognitions
Some of these awards and related honours may have recognised the writers of books
Riddell illustrated. The three Greenaway Medals, two commendations, and three
shortlists recognised Riddell as illustrator.

Awards
1997 Something Else, written by Kathryn Cave, won the UNESCO Prize for Children's
and Young People's Literature in the Service of Tolerance[15] Later in a TV in
13.9.2001. (ages 3-6)
2001 Pirate Diary, written by Richard Platt, won the Kate Greenaway Medal[1][6]
2003 Pirate Diary won the Blue Peter Book Award, Best Book with Facts[16]
2004 Jonathan Swift's "Gulliver", adapted by Martin Jenkins from the 1726 classic,
won the Greenaway Medal[2][7]
2004 Fergus Crane, written by Paul Stewart, Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (ages 6–8)
and the Smarties Prize "4Children Special Award"[4]
2007 Ottoline and the Yellow Cat, written and illustrated by Riddell, won the
Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (ages 6–8)[4]
2008 Ottoline and the Yellow Cat won a Red House Children's Book Award[17]
2013 Goth Girl and the Ghost of a Mouse won the Costa Book Awards (Children's
category).[18][19]
2016 The Sleeper and the Spindle, written by Neil Gaiman and illustrated by
Riddell, won the Kate Greenaway Medal. This made him become the first ever triple
winner of the award.[20]
Runners-up, etc.
1994 Something Else by Cave was commended for the Greenaway Medal[3][a]
1999 Castle Diary by Platt was highly commended for the Greenaway Medal[3][a]
2002 Pirate Diary by Platt was Smarties silver runner-up (ages 6–8)[4]
2005 Corby Flood by Stewart was Smarties bronze runner-up (ages 6–8)[4]
2006 Hugo Pepper by Stewart was Smarties silver runner-up (ages 6–8)[4]
2006 The Emperor of Absurdia, written and illustrated by Riddell, was Smarties
silver runner-up (ages 0–5)[4]
2007 The Emperor of Absurdia made the Greenaway shortlist[21]
2008 Ottoline and the Yellow Cat, written and illustrated by Riddell, made the
Greenaway shortlist[21]
2008 Wendel's Workshop, written and illustrated by Riddell, made the Booktrust
Early Years Award shortlist[22]
2010 The Graveyard Book, written by Neil Gaiman, made the Greenaway shortlist in
its Children's Edition illustrated by Riddell[21][b] (Gaiman won the companion
Carnegie Medal)[23]
2019 He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for services to
illustration and charity[24][25]
Notes
Today there are usually eight books on the Greenaway shortlist. According to CCSU,
some runners-up through 2002 were Commended (from 1959) or Highly Commended (from
1974). There were 29 highly commended runners-up in 24 years to 2002, including
Riddell and Lauren Child in 1999. During that time there were about three annual
commendations of both kinds; two in 1994.
• Riddell is the first author to have won three Greenaways.
Dave McKean illustrated the UK Adult Edition and the US edition of The Graveyard
Book.