The Blue Balloon

About Mick Inkpen

Mick Inkpen was born in Romford in 1952 and still lives in Essex with his wife Debbie and their two children. Mick is one of the most popular author/illustrators in the world, his stories have been translated into over twenty different languages and his books have sold over 4 million copies. Kipper, perhaps his most popular character of all, is now the star of his very own TV series while Wibbly Pig, Penguin Small and Threadbear continue to delight young readers - and their parents!

He began his career as a graphic designer, declining a place to study English at Cambridge University. During this period he worked with Nick Butterworth, a fellow children's author, from whom he learned design and typography. Together they developed a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express magazine, later to become a first series of children's picture books. They also worked in children's television.

In 1989 The Blue Balloon established him as a truly original voice in children's picture books, by which time Mick and his wife Debbie had two children of their own. "Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it's true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself"

Mick has won numerous awards world-wide including The British Book Award for Penguin Small, The British Book Award for the best illustrated book, for Lullabyhullabaloo, The Children's Book Award for Threadbear, The Parents and Munch Bunch Play and Learn Award and The Right Start Petit Filous Best Toy Award for Where, Oh Where is Kipper's Bear? Kipper won a BAFTA for best animated children's film in 1998, and Kipper's A to Z won the silver medal in the 2001 Smarties Prize.

Fo most of Mick Inkpen's published work he is both author and illustrator.  However, there is one title - WONDERFUL EARTH - that we rate highly, which he illustrated whilst Nick Butterworth provided the words.