David McKee, author of Emma the Elephant, died at the age of 87| deceased

Illustration of Emma the Elephant.

On April 7, local time, according to the statement of the British book publishing company Hans Christian Andersen Press, the famous British children's writer and illustrator David McKee passed away. His masterpiece, emma the Elephant, has been translated into more than 60 languages and has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.

Compile the | Shen Lu

According to a statement by Andersen Press, a British book publishing company on April 7, local time, David Mckee, a famous British children's writer and illustrator known as the "master of contemporary fables" in Europe, died at the age of 87 in his home in the south of France.

David Mckee (1935-2022).

The statement said David McKee died peacefully in the company of his family, suffered "briefly" from illness during his lifetime, and spent most of his later years in a southern French city. Klaus Flugge, founder of Hans Christian Andersen, longtime publishing collaborator, remembers the shock of hearing the news: "McKeeon is the unique voice and shining light source of all children's books, and his work emphasizes an inclusivity, diversity, and a glimpse into the other side of the world that is rare in children's publishing." ”

The "Elephant Emma" series has been introduced by CITIC Publishing Group, and the Chinese set of books is titled "Flower Lattice Elephant Emma Classic Picture Book Collection".

David McKee is best known for his elmer the Patchwork Elephant series. The entire series contains more than 20 original stories featuring a lattice elephant made from a collage of colorful cloth. Since the first story of the series was published in 1968, Emma, the world's most colorful elephant, has been broadening people's minds, being different, but trying to embrace her differences with a sense of humor. The Guardian praised emma's story in 2014 for its impressive inclusion, diversity and friendship.

"I never intended to design it to look any particular way," McGee said in an interview at the time, "but I realized later that maybe that's what I subconsciously wanted to express." The series has since been translated into more than 60 languages and has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide.

Born in Devonshire in 1935, David McKee studied at the Plymouth School of Art and the Hongsay School of Art in england, and after graduation, he became active in the London magazine industry as a cartoonist and illustrator. He has traveled the world for most of his life, and in recent years has travelled between London and Provence with his partner, Batach, a French-Algerian art dealer.

His first work, Two Can Toucan, was published in 1964. With this book, David McKee became a well-known children's book writer in Britain at the time. When his friend Klaus founded Hans Christian Andersen in 1976, David McKee joined almost without hesitation, becoming a mainstay of the society, creating more than 50 works for it. Klaus also became the Bole of David McKee's career, with the "Emma the Elephant" series first being published in 1968, but not much was responded to at the time. When Andersen Publishing House updated its illustrations and republished it in 1989, the work caused an international sensation and truly went global.

Stills from Mr Benn.

In addition to writing children's books and picture books, David McKee's other identity is as a screenwriter for animated television series. In the 1970s, the BBC brought his work to the screen, launching the deep-rooted character "Mr Benn" based on a series of his explorer adventure books. In each episode, Mr. Benn wears a black suit and a bowler hat, visits a clothing store and tries on different costumes before leaving through a magic door and embarking on a new journey through the episode. When the adventure is over, Mr. Benn, who returns to the locker room to change back into his original costume, will return to normal life. 2021 marks the 50th anniversary of the launch of this classic TV character.

Looking back at David McKee's life, his career has been accompanied by many honors. In 2006 he was nominated for that year's International Hans Christian Andersen Awards. In 2020, he was recognized by BookTrust, the UK's largest children's reading charity, with a Lifetime Achievement Award, and the UK National Book Award in the same year. Perhaps these honors will pass away years later, but his work still accompanies generations of children, as the president of the BookTrust jury wrote in his award speech: "David McKee has always been concerned about the importance of children, and he has given them the best in the world." ”

"I often say that the air is full of stories — you just have the right receivers and pick them up one by one," David McKee repeatedly said in several speeches in 2020, "and picture books are the first time kids see an artistic world, and in a way, especially in my book, illustration is actually far more important than story." ”

Resources:

1.https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/apr/07/elmer-and-mr-benn-author-david-mckee-dies-at-87

2.https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/david-mckee-dead-mr-benn-23622483

3.https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10695663/Mr-Benn-author-David-McKee-dies-aged-87-short-illness.html

4.https://news.sky.com/story/mr-benn-and-elmer-childrens-author-and-illustrator-david-mckee-dies-aged-87-after-a-short-illness-12584462

5.https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-61024415

Compiled | Shen Lu

Editor| Shen Chan

Proofreading | Chen Diyan