Scheffler, Axel

BIOGRAPHY

Original picture book artwork by Axel Scheffler is available for purchase from Children’s Book Illustration.

Axel Scheffler was born in 1957 in Hamburg, Germany. At school, although always good at art, he never really considered a career in illustration. But long before he began his professional life, he had won his first drawing prize for an international chocolate company – his prize was a cuddly lilac cow.

Axel went on from school to study History of Art at the University of Hamburg – but he didn’t like the course and decided to leave. Knowing that he wanted to live in another country and learn a second language, he moved to England to study illustration at the Bath Academy of Art. During his time there he spent much of his time drawing sheep and peacocks in the grounds of Corsham Court.

After graduating with a first-class degree, Axel moved to London where he began illustrating for a variety of English and German advertising companies, magazines and newspapers. He took his portfolio to a number of publishers and Faber commissioned him to illustrate The Piemakers by Helen Cresswell and The Bottle Rabbit by Bernard McCabe. In 1989, Walker asked Axel to illustrate a text by Jon Blake, You’re a Hero, Daley B.

A writer called Julia Donaldson was also writing songs for Playdays at this time and her song A Squash and a Squeeze (reissued to celebrate 10 years of the award winning partnership in June 2003) was commissioned to be a picture book. Axel Scheffler was recommended as an illustrator for the text and an award-winning team was created.

Their next book, The Gruffalo, was published in March 1999 and has already become a modern classic, selling more than 2 million copies worldwide and translated into over 20 languages. It was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal, and it won the 1999 Smarties Gold Medal Award for picture books and the 2000 Blue Peter Award for The Best Book to Read Aloud. It was followed by Monkey Puzzle, also nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal, and Room on the Broom was published September 2001 and also won the 2002 Blue Peter Award for The Best Illustrated Book to Read Aloud. Axel also continues to illustrate for other authors as well, including Ian Whybrow and David Henry Wilson. The next title The Smartest Giant in Town was shortlisted for the Red House Children’s Book Award, and the Snail and the Whale was published to great acclaim and won the 2005 Blue Peter Best Illustrated Book to Read Aloud Award.

Axel Scheffler has achieved worldwide acclaim for his humorous illustrations, and his books have been translated into over 29 languages. He has enjoyed particular success in his award-winning picture book collaborations with Julia Donaldson, but is also the best-selling illustrator of novelty books such as The Bedtime Bear. More recently he has been called upon to design Gordon Brown’s annual Christmas card! (2006)

Still living in London, Axel makes frequent visits to continental Europe. His hobbies include walking, cooking and reading, and beadwork.

For interested children, further information can be found on www.gruffalo.com

ILLUSTRATIONS

Please click on image to enlarge and view details of size, price etc.
How to Keep a Pet Squirrel, with text from The Children’s Encyclopedia of 1910 published by Faber & Faber October 2010.

While dipping into The Children’s Encyclopedia of 1910, Axel came across a guide to procuring and caring for a pet squirrel. Intrigued by the unlikely notion of a child attempting to keep so wild an animal, Axel created a series of delightful, beautifully finished illustrations to accompany the text.

Axel Scheffler (framed)
Axel Scheffler
The Amazing Adventures of Idle Jack, written by Robert Lesson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. First published in 1995 by Walker Books Ltd.

Robert Leeson is an award winning writer and in 1985 received the Eleanor Farjeon Award for his services to children’s literature.

The Amazing Adventures of Idle Jack is a 74page book of fiction for children able to read on their own. As well as the full colour front cover illustration, it contains many line drawings by Axel within the text.

I am delighted to be able to offer the ORIGINAL published front cover artwork as shown below.

Tabby McTat, written by Julia Donaldson and first published 2009 by Alison Green Books.

Tabby McTat and the busker Fred love their life together but then one day Fred has an accident and the two are separated. Happiness returns once they have found each other again.


Sam who was swallowed by a shark, written by Phyllis Root and first published in 1994 by Walker Books Ltd.

“The sparkling pictures catch the dream-thrill of the sea.” Naomi Lewis, The Evening Standard

This was one of Axel Scheffler’s earliest books and a particular favourite of mine!


The following pieces are mainly from Axel’s European books. Click on the image to find out further details.


Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes and How She Came to Tell Them, first published 2006 by Macmillan Children’s Books and with stories by Alison Green.

Mother Goose and her three little goslings, Boo, Lucy and Small, enjoy 88 favourite traditional nursery rhymes. 30 original short stories about Mother Goose and her playful goslings link the rhymes and give them a fresh new context that is a real joy to share.

“Scheffler’s pictures bristle with uncanny wit.”Daily Telegraph



Hamilton’s Hats (fomerly Juice the Pig), written by Martine Oborne and illustrated by the award winning illustrator, Axel Scheffler. Hamilton was very fond of hats. His mother was worried about her son’s vanity. But she is proved wrong when Hamilton’s hats teach him several of life’s most important lessons. First published 1997 by Macmillan Children’s Books. This edition published 2007.

Axel Scheffler
Proverbs from Far and Wide. ‘If the baboon could see his own behind, he would laugh too. This and many other proverbs from around the world brilliantly illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Published in 1999, the hardback has been translated into 11 different languages.

You can now easily buy or find out more about some of Axel’s books by clicking on those that are highlighted. You will be taken directly to the publisher’s website but can return quickly by clicking on “Back”

The following is merely a selection from the numerous books written and/or illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

The Piemakers, written by Helen Cresswell, published by Faber
The Bottle Rabbit, written by Bernard McCabe, published by Faber
You’re a Hero, Daley B, written by Jon Blake, published by Walker Books 1992
Sam Who Went to Sea, written by Phyllis Root, published by Walker Books
The Tickle Book, written by Ian Whybrow, published by Macmillan Children’s Books
Tales from Acorn Wood: Hide and Seek Pig, written by Julia Donaldson, published 2003 by Macmillan Children’s Books
A Squash and a Squeeze, written by Julia Donaldson, published 2003 by Macmillan Children’s Books
The Gruffalo, written by Julia Donaldson, published 1999 by Macmillan Children’s Books
Monkey Puzzle, written by Julia Donaldson, published 2000 by Macmillan Children’s Books
Room on the Broom, written by Julia Donaldson, published 2001 by Macmillan Children’s Books
The Smartest Giant in Town, written by Julia Donaldson, published by Macmillan Children’s Books
Tales from Acorn Wood: Rabbit’s Nap, written by Julia Donaldson, published by Macmillan Children’s Books
Hamilton’s Hats (formerly Juice the Pig), written by Martine Osborne, published 1995 by Macmillan Children’s Books
Jingle Jangle Jungle, published 2003 by Macmillan Children’s Books
Proverbs from Far and Wide, published 1997 by Macmillan Children’s Books
The Snail and the Whale, written by Julia Donaldson, published by Macmillan Children’s Books
Tales from Acorn Wood: Rabbit’s Nap, written by Julia Donaldson, published by Macmillan Children’s Books
Tales from Acorn Wood: Fox’s Socks, written by Julia Donaldson, published by Macmillan Children’s Books
Muddle Farm, published 2003 by Macmillan Children’s Books
The Gruffalo’s Child, written by Julia Donaldson, published 2004 by Macmillan Children’s Books
Charlie Cook’s Favourite Book, written by Julia Donaldson, published 2005 by Macmillan Children’s Books
Monster Poems, chosen by Brian Moses, published 2005 by Macmillan Children’s Books
Mother Goose’s Nursery Rhymes, edited by Alison Green, published 2006 by Macmillan Children’s Books
Tiddler, written by Julia Donaldson, published 2007 by Alison Green Books
Stickman, written by Julia Donaldson, published 2008 by Alison Green Books

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