- Colin McNaughton
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Colin McNaughton Born 1951
EnglandOccupation Children's writer Children's illustrator Nationality British Colin McNaughton is a writer and illustrator of over 70 children's books.[1] He is also a poet, focusing mainly on humorous children's poetry. He trained in graphic design at the Central School of Art and Design in London followed by an M.A. in illustration at the Royal College of Art. He lives in London.
Contents
Childhood
Colin was born in Wallsend-upon-Tyne in Northumberland, UK in 1951, the son of a shipyard worker and a school dinner lady.[2] As a child, there was little indication that he would become one of Britain's leading children's authors-illustrators.[3] There were no books at all in his parents’ home, but there were always comics, his formative literature, and their slapstick humour has been a lasting influence.
Books
Colin McNaughton's first book was published while he was still at the RCA.[4][5]
His exuberant picture books with their comic-strip techniques, often take the form of an extended joke:
“ When I was little, adults were always telling me to `Stop Being Silly' and to `Stop Messing About'. It took me far, far, too many years to realize that these were the only two things in life that I was any good at. Now, it's what I do all day. It's how I write my books: I get an idea and I mess about with it. I do silly things with it. I play with it.[6] ” Colin McNaughton's books include the Preston Pig series: Suddenly!, Boo!, Clops!, Goal!, Hmm... and Shh (Don't Tell Mister Wolf!) all of which feature Preston Pig and his near-escapes from Mr Wolf. A TV series was developed from these books.
His most notable book is perhaps There's an Awful Lot of Weirdos in Our Neighbourhood, a collection of poetry written in conjunction with Allan Ahlberg and which was published in 1989.[7] Colin McNaughton has worked with Allan Ahlberg on a number of books, including three of the Happy Families series, Mr and Mrs Hay the Horse, Miss Brick the Builders' Baby and Mrs Jolly's Joke Shop.
Colin McNaughton worked with illustrator Satoshi Kitamura to create Once Upon an Ordinary School Day, published in 2004.
“ I suppose what I'm striving for these days, in my books, is to do more with less. I'm looking for that kind of quality that the classic, two minute, pop song has; it's great when you first hear it and it's still great thirty years later. It's a lovely contradiction; it's of the moment but it's also timeless. That's what I'm after[8] ” List (incomplete) of published books
- Dracula's Tomb ; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Candlewick
- Not Last Night But the Night Before; Author: Colin McNaughton; Illustrator: Emma Chichester Clark; Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
- Soccer Crazy ; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Mathew Price Ltd.
- We're Off to Look for Aliens; Author: Colin McNaughton; Illustrator: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Candlewick
- Captain Abdul's Little Treasure ; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
- If Dinosaurs Were Cats and Dogs; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Mathew Price Ltd
- Potty Poo-poo Wee-wee!; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
- Once Upon an Ordinary School Day; Author: Colin McNaughton; Illustrator: Satoshi Kitamura; Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)
- What Now, Cushie Butterfield; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Limited
- Lemmy Was a Diver; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: ANDERSEN (RAND)
- Jolly Roger And The Pirates Of Captain Abdul; Author: Colin McNaughton; Illustrator: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Tandem Library
- She's a Little Cow; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Collins
- S.W.A.L.K. (Preston Pig); Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Picture Lions
- Who's Been Sleeping in My Porridge?; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Candlewick
- Wish You Were Here (and I Wasn't); Author: Colin McNaughton; Illustrator: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
- I'm Talking Big!; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
- Good News, Bad News; Author: Colin McNaughton; Illustrator: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Collins
- Oomph!: A Preston Pig Story; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books
- Don't Step on the Crack!; Author: Colin McNaughton; Illustrator: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Dial Books
- Little Goal!: A Preston Pig Toddler Book; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Red Wagon Books
- Little Oops!: A Preston Pig Toddler Book; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Red Wagon Books
- Little Boo!: A Preston Pig Toddler Book; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Red Wagon Books
- Little Suddenly!: A Preston Pig Toddler Book; Author: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Red Wagon Books
- Mr and Mrs Hay the Horse; Author: Allan Ahlberg; Illustrator: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Puffin Books
- Miss Brick the Builders' Baby; Author: Allan Ahlberg; Illustrator: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Puffin Books
- Mrs Jolly's Joke Shop; Author: Allan Ahlberg; Illustrator: Colin McNaughton; Publisher: Puffin Books
Awards
McNaughton's books have been shortlisted for a number of awards:[9]
- Jolly Roger
- shortlisted for 1988 Smarties Book Prize
- shortlisted for W H Smith Illustration Award
- shortlisted for Emil/Kurt Maschler Award
- winner of 1989 British Book Design and Production Award
- Watch Out for the Giant-Killers!
- shortlisted for the 1991 Earthworm Award
- Have You Seen Who's Just Moved in Next Door to Us?
- winner of 1991 EMil/Kurt Maschler Award
- Who's That Banging on the Ceiling
- shortlisted for 1992 British Book Design and production Award
- Making Friends with Frankenstein
- winner of 1993 British Book Design and Production Award
- Suddenly!
- shorltisted for 1994 Smarties Book Prize
- Here Come the Aliens!
- shortlisted for 1996 Sheffield Children's Book Award
- shortlisted for 1996 Kate Greenaway Medal
- Oops!
- category winner in 1996 Smarties Book Prize
References
- ^ "Colin McNaughton". Walker Books. http://www.walker.co.uk/contributors/Colin-McNaughton-1306.aspx. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
- ^ Williams, Elaine (9 October 1998). "Count Colin's coffins;Children's books; Interview; Colin McNaughton". TES. http://www.tes.co.uk/article.aspx?storycode=300525. Retrieved 10 November 2010.
- ^ http://www.walker.co.uk/contributors/Colin-McNaughton-1306.aspx
- ^ "Colin McNaughton". HarperCollins Australia. http://www.harpercollins.com.au/authors/50000478/Colin_McNaughton/index.aspx. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
- ^ "McNaughton, Colin". Images of Delight. http://www.imagesofdelight.com/client.asp?id=50&nxtid=90. Retrieved 13 March 2010.
- ^ http://www.booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/121/childrens-books/articles/windows-into-illustration/windows-into-illustration-colin-mcnaugh
- ^ [1]
- ^ McNaughton ., Colin (March 2000). ".Windows into Illustration". Books for keeps. http://www.booksforkeeps.co.uk/issue/121/childrens-books/articles/windows-into-illustration/windows-into-illustration-colin-mcnaugh. Retrieved 11 November 2010.
- ^ http://www.achuka.co.uk/archive/interviews/colinmcsg.php
Categories:- 1951 births
- Living people
- English children's writers
- Children's book illustrators
- People from Wallsend
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