Cole, Babette

 

BIOGRAPHY

Original picture book and greetings card artwork by Babette Cole is available for purchase from Images of Delight.

Babette Cole was born in Jersey in 1950 and spent most of her childhood drawing pictures and writing stories. She then studied at Canterbury Art School where she obtained a first class honours degree. Shortly afterwards she met Peter Firmin and Oliver Postgate who were making Children’s TV programmes for the BBC. They gave her a job drawing for Jackanory and other TV comics and this eventually gave her the confidence to go directly to publishers with her own stories.

Babette’s first book was published in 1976 and since then she has created over 70 more. Her most successful book is Mummy Laid and Egg, which was first published in 1993 and has sold over one million copies worldwide.

Babette seems to squeeze several lives into one. As well as being a successful children’s book author and illustrator, she also runs a stud farm in Dorset and breeds show hunters, which she also rides. She’s also lived in many different parts of the world including the West Indies and Africa.

Further information about Babette Cole can be found on her zany website, www.babette-cole.com

Back to Top
Next Illustrator


ILLUSTRATIONS

Please click on image to enlarge and view details of size, price etc.
Oliver Postgate asked Babette Cole to produce artwork of the characters and situations from the Ping Wings, a BBC television series, 1977. Babette drew from 'life' at Peter Firmin's farm where the series was filmed. There are many other drawings. If you would like to see more, please don't hesitate to contact me.



Babette Cole
Babette Cole
The following illustrations are from 3 of the titles in this series of books about members of the family, The Trouble with Gran, The Trouble with Grandad and The Trouble with Mum. All written and illustrated by Babette Cole and published in the 1980's by Picture Lions.



Babette Cole
Babette Cole
Babette Cole
Princess Smartypants, written and illustrated by Babette Cole and first published 1986 by Puffin.

The illustrations shown below are originals from the very first book in this hugely popular series.



Babette Cole
Babette Cole
Mummy Laid an Egg, written and illustrated by Babette Cole and first published1993 by Jonathan Cape Ltd.

'Brilliantly funny', Sunday Telegraph

'Who else but Babette Cole could have written a book like this?', School Librarian




Babette Cole
If I Were You, written by Richard Hamilton and illustrated by Babette Cole.
First published 2008 by Bloomsbury Books.



Babette Cole
Babette Cole
Babette Cole
Babette Cole

Babette Cole
Hooray for Ethelyn, written and illustrated by Babette Cole and first published 1989 by Jonathan Cape.



Babette Cole
Hair in Funny Places, written and illustrated by Babette Cole and first published 1999 by Jonathan Cape.

'Wickedly funny', The Independent

'An icebreaker that will turn embarrassed giggles into proper laughter', The Times



Babette Cole
Babette Cole
Basil Brush of the Yard, written and illustrated by Babette Cole but in collaboration with Ivan Owen and Peter Firmin, creators of the television series. First published 1977 by Purnell Books.



Babette Cole
Miscellaneous Artwork

Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser

Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser

Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser

Babette Cole for Gordon Fraser
Back to Top
Next Illustrator

 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Selected titles only

The Unicorn Princess (Fetlocks Hall), Bloomsbury, 2010
The Ghostly Blinkers (Fetlocks Hall), Bloomsbury, 2010
Princess Smartypants Breaks the Rules, Puffin, 2009
If I Were You, written by Richard Hamilton, Bloomsbury, 2008
A Dose of Dr Dog, Red Fox, 2007
That’s Why!, Jonathan Cape, 2006
Long Live Princess Smartypants, Puffin, 2004
Princess Smartypants Rules, Puffin,
Mummy Never Told Me, Red Fox, 2003
Hair in Funny Places, Jonathan Cape, 1999
Dr. Dog, Jonathan Cape, 1994
Mummy Laid an Egg, Jonathan Cape, 1993
Hoorah for Ethelyn, Heinemann, 1991
Princess Smartypants, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1986
The Silly Book, Doubleday, 1990
The Trouble with Gran, Heinemann, 1987
The Trouble with Grandad, Heinemann, 1987
The Trouble with Dad, Heinemann, 1985
The Trouble with Mum, Heinemann, 1983
Basil Brush of the Yard, Purnell, 1977

Back to Top
Next Illustrator