Oliver Jeffers - Author
Oliver Jeffers has won numerous awards and delighted millions of kids and parents alike with his beautifully hand illustrated stories.
Jeffers's picture books are wonderfully accessible. They explore themes of friendship, loneliness, independence and imagination. He has written and illustrated, or "made", as he prefers to put it, five hugely successful picture books. The first three - the "boy books" - feature a small boy who sets off on a series of daunting quests. How to Catch a Star (2004), the first of them, was inspired by a Brer Rabbit story he read as a child. In Lost and Found (2005) the boy heroically rows to the south pole for the sake of an unhappy penguin, and in The Way Back Home (2007) he rescues a young Martian whose spaceship has crashed on the moon.
The Heart and the Bottle is wholly compelling for the importance of its message and the brilliance of how that is conveyed in words and pictures. This is a book to return to time and time again says Julia Eccleshare, Lovereading4kids’ editorial expert.
Jeffers was born in Australia in 1977 and brought up in Belfast. He studied visual communication at the University of Ulster, and graduated in 2001. Jeffers became passionate about making picture books when he began to understand the subtle relationship between words and pictures – ‘that was what excited me. Until I got really involved, I hadn't realised how just a few words can totally change the meaning of a picture.’ Now living in New York, he works as a painter, designer, printmaker and installation artist, but remains very busy making picture books.
Did you know?
Oliver loves plastic food, suitcase handles and Elvis, and has developed a bizarre habit of endlessly writing lists he never reads. He remains hell bent on travelling all over the world.
You can see Oliver talking about his artwork in this video:
We have a super set of Oliver Jeffers activity pages to download :
Once Upon an Alphabet colouring in.
The Day the Crayons Came Home maze.
July 2018 Book of the Month | Buy a book by Oliver Jeffers and you become owner of a complete and perfect work of art. A Little Alphabet is so much more than an alphabet book. Each page features one object, one letter, one word, yet each is a story in itself and will prompt readers to fill in the background to these characters and things, or imagine what is going to happen to them next. Jeffers’s scribbly line fills each with movement – no jelly for example could be wobblier than the one that illustrates J. Characterisation is created through dots for eyes, just a line or blob for a mouth, and this is a triumph of simplicity and sophistication. A book for readers of all and every age. ~ Andrea Reece
There was once a forest where everyone was contentedly going about their business. All was well until the strangest thing suddenly started happening. Without any warning, branches started disappearing from trees. Something would have to be done, everyone agreed - everyone that is, except for someone who was acting very mysteriously indeed.
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month November 2017 Inspired by the birth of his son, award-winning Oliver Jeffers has created a deeply touching introduction to the world as a physical space and also as a place that needs to be treated with great care and respect. Subtitled ‘Notes for Living on Planet Earth’ Jeffers uses richly coloured double page spreads and only a few words of commentary to describe the obvious features of land, sea, night and day but also how time can move both slow and fast and should never be wasted! The perfect gift for all parents to share with their new babies – and each other. ~ Julia Eccleshare Julia Eccleshare's Picks of the Month for November 2017 Christmas Dinner of Souls by Ross Montgomery Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers Katinka's Tail by Judith Kerr Lucky Button by Michael Morpurgo Pick A Pine Tree by Patricia Toht The Stone Bird by Jenny McCartney The Lion and the Unicorn and Other Hairy Tales by Jane Ray The Song from Somewhere Else by A. F. Harrold
Buy a book by Oliver Jeffers and you become owner of a complete and perfect work of art. An Alphabet is so much more than an alphabet book. Each page features one object, one letter, one word, yet each is a story in itself and will prompt readers to fill in the background to these characters and things, or imagine what is going to happen to them next. Jeffers’s scribbly line fills each with movement – no jelly for example could be wobblier than the one that illustrates J. Characterisation is created through dots for eyes, just a line or blob for a mouth, and this is a triumph of simplicity and sophistication. A book for readers of all and every age. ~ Andrea Reece
Buy a book by Oliver Jeffers and you become owner of a complete and perfect work of art. An Alphabet is so much more than an alphabet book. Each page features one object, one letter, one word, yet each is a story in itself and will prompt readers to fill in the background to these characters and things, or imagine what is going to happen to them next. Jeffers’s scribbly line fills each with movement – no jelly for example could be wobblier than the one that illustrates J. Characterisation is created through dots for eyes, just a line or blob for a mouth, and this is a triumph of simplicity and sophistication. A book for readers of all and every age. ~ Andrea Reece
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers’s endearingly simple Hueys are always asking interesting questions to help them find out more. This time they want to know more about opposites. Some opposites are easy. Everyone knows that Down is the opposite of Up, that the opposite of High is Low and that Cold is what you are when you are not Hot. In his simple and witty illustrations Oliver Jeffers makes all opposites fun and the starting joke is particularly pleasingly played out. ~ Julia Eccleshare If they like Oliver Jeffers they'll love Tom McLaughlin.
A specially adapted board book edition of Oliver Jeffers' laugh-out-loud classic, Stuck. Delightful chaos ensues when a young boy gets his kite stuck up a tree in this laugh-out-loud new picture book from award-winning, internationally best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers! A hilarious book with a wonderful surprise ending. Shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2012. Shortlisted for the Galaxy Children's Book of the Year Award 2011
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers’s endearingly simple Hueys are always asking interesting questions to help them find out more. This time they want to know more about opposites. Some opposites are easy. Everyone knows that Down is the opposite of Up, that the opposite of High is Low and that Cold is what you are when you are not Hot. In his simple and witty illustrations Oliver Jeffers makes all opposites fun and the starting joke is particularly pleasingly played out. ~ Julia Eccleshare Set includes a Book & a CD read by Jarvis Cocker.
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers’s endearingly simple Hueys are always asking interesting questions to help them find out more. This time they want to know more about opposites. Some opposites are easy. Everyone knows that Down is the opposite of Up, that the opposite of High is Low and that Cold is what you are when you are not Hot. In his simple and witty illustrations Oliver Jeffers makes all opposites fun and the starting joke is particularly pleasingly played out. ~ Julia Eccleshare
Now this fabulously quirky group of characters is introduced to younger readers in these toddler friendly board books from the internationally bestselling, award-winning author/illustrator, Oliver Jeffers, creator of How to Catch a Star and Lost and Found. If they like Oliver Jeffers they'll love Tom McLaughlin.
Julia Eccleshare's Book of the Month, July 2015 Award-winning Oliver Jeffers’s endearingly simple Hueys are always asking interesting questions to help them find out more. This time they want to know more about opposites. Some opposites are easy. Everyone knows that Down is the opposite of Up, that the opposite of High is Low and that Cold is what you are when you are not Hot. In his simple and witty illustrations Oliver Jeffers makes all opposites fun and the starting joke is particularly pleasingly played out. ~ Julia Eccleshare
Now this fabulously quirky group of characters is introduced to younger readers in these toddler friendly board books from the internationally bestselling, award-winning author/illustrator, Oliver Jeffers, creator of How to Catch a Star and Lost and Found. The thing about the Hueys is that they are all the same! They all look the same, think the same and do the same things. Until one day, Rupert knits himself a new jumper! How will the other Hueys react? A hilarious story about individuality. Have a go at making your own Huey at https://www.facebook.com/oliverjeffersart or click here to download some activity sheets.
Now available as a board book. Award-winning Oliver Jeffer's unusual and delightful family have a typically original approach to counting- including introducing the concept of none. The Hueys love numbers from 0-10. The kind of things they love include 1 light blue phone, 5 party hats, 8 guests on a guest list and even 10 trumpeters walking by. But what happens when you get rid of all the things they have been counting? That’s when you get to none! ~ Julia Eccleshare
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers unusual and delightful family have a typically original approach to counting- including introducing the concept of none. The Hueys love numbers from 0-10. The kind of things they love include 1 light blue phone, 5 party hats, 8 guests on a guest list and even 10 trumpeters walking by. But what happens when you get rid of all the things they have been counting? That’s when you get to none! ~ Julia Eccleshare
Enjoy four exciting adventures of the boy, as he learns how to catch a star, journeys to the South Pole and the moon - making new discoveries and finding friendship along the way in this beautiful hardback slipcase edition of 4 favourite Oliver Jeffers stories. A review for How to Catch a Star...An inspirational story from internationally bestselling, multi-prize-winning picture book creator Oliver Jeffers. A little boy so loves the stars that he decides to set off and try to catch one. But catching a star is not as easy as it looks. It’s a captivating quest with a very satisfying ending.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2016. One of our Books of the Year 2014 - December 2014 Book of the Month Award-winning illustrator Oliver Jeffers has created an outstanding alphabet book which goes far beyond the traditional expectations of such a book. In additional to each letter having its own, beautiful Oliver Jeffers illustration, every letter has its own mini-short story in which the particular letter features extensively. ~ Julia Eccleshare
Winner of the Irish Book Awards Children's Book of the Year 2012 and the Honour Award for Illustration from Childrens' Books Ireland, 2013. An exquisite new book, featuring a boy and his moose, from internationally bestselling, multi-prize-winning picture book creator, Oliver Jeffers.
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers unusual and delightful family have a typically original approach to counting- including introducing the concept of none. The Hueys love numbers from 0-10. The kind of things they love include 1 light blue phone, 5 party hats, 8 guests on a guest list and even 10 trumpeters walking by. But what happens when you get rid of all the things they have been counting? That’s when you get to none! ~ Julia Eccleshare If they like Oliver Jeffers they'll love Tom McLaughlin.
Mostly the Hueys get along just fine. But occasionally, they do NOT! When a big fight breaks out everyone says they are not to blame. Strangely, none of them can even remember what they are fighting about! In his simple illustrations, Oliver Jeffers captures the curious dynamics of falling out and making up perfectly.
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of How to Catch a Star with this new toddler-friendly board book edition! An inspirational story from internationally bestselling, multi-prize-winning picture book creator Oliver Jeffers. A little boy so loves the stars that he decides to set off and try to catch one. But catching a star is not as easy as it looks. It’s a captivating quest with a very satisfying ending.
Winner of the Blue Peter Book Awards - Best Illustrated book to read aloud. Celebrating the value of friendship, this is an exquisitely illustrated picture book with a simple story line. Opening his door and finding a penguin on it, the little boy takes pity on the sad looking creature who he immediately assumes is lost. Together they set out on an adventure across icy-blue wastes to find the penguin’s real home. The cool of the landscape makes a perfect backdrop to the warmth of the friendship between the pair. ~ Julia Eccleshare
A touching story of how two friends feel when they separate and try to manage without each other. Prize-winning illustrator Oliver Jeffers specialises in spare illustrations which are warm hearted but also capture the deep sadness of being alone in the world. Here a little boy and a penguin are the firmest of friends who are never happier than when they are playing their favourite game. Until, one day, Penguin feels he must try to fly. Penguin sets off on his personal quest but without his best friend at his side nothing seems to go right. How the two friends find each other in the nick of time is a beautifully told in words and pictures.
This is an absolutely delightful book that is sure to capture the imagination of toddlers. Jeffers’ illustrations are an absolute delight and together with the text tell an extraordinary and original story about friendship and home. The Way Back Home was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award 2009..This is what the judges said: 'Jeffers somehow manages to convey a whole host of emotions and moods with his stick figures. His style is so clever with its surreal and amusing details, and there is some great variation in the spreads both in terms of illustration and colour. Lovely metallic endpapers too!'
Winner of the Irish Book Awards Children's Book of the Year 2012 and the Honour Award for Illustration from Childrens' Books Ireland, 2013. Now out in paperback, this is an exquisite book, featuring a boy and his moose, from internationally bestselling, multi-prize-winning picture book creator, Oliver Jeffers.
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers is spare in both his illustrations and his text in this witty story that gets to the heart of the stupidity of most arguments! His simple characters, the Hueys, mostly get along very well indeed but sometimes they don’t! One day Gillespie comes across them having a very big fight indeed! What on earth is it about? No one can even remember! Luckily Gillespie has a great way of distracting everyone.
The thing about the Hueys is that they are all the same! They all look the same, think the same and do the same things. Until one day, Rupert knits himself a new jumper! How will the other Hueys react? A hilarious story about individuality. Have a go at making your own Huey at https://www.facebook.com/oliverjeffersart or click here to download some activity sheets.
Shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2012. Delightful chaos ensues when a young boy gets his kite stuck up a tree in this laugh-out-loud new picture book from award-winning, internationally best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers! A hilarious book with a wonderful surprise ending. Shortlisted for the Galaxy Children's Book of the Year Award 2011.
The thing about the Hueys is that they are all the same! They all look the same, think the same and do the same things. Until one day, Rupert knits himself a new jumper! How will the other Hueys react? A hilarious story about individuality. Have a go at making your own Huey at www.facebook.com/oliverjeffersart or click here to download some activity sheets. http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/editorial-experts
Shortlisted for the Galaxy Children's Book of the Year Award 2011 Delightful chaos ensues when a young boy gets his kite stuck up a tree in this laugh-out-loud new picture book from award-winning, internationally best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers! A hilarious book with a wonderful surprise ending.
A Lovereading4kids 'Great Read' you may have missed 2011 selection. A touching story of how two friends feel when they separate and try to manage without each other. Prize-winning illustrator Oliver Jeffers specialises in spare illustrations which are warm hearted but also capture the deep sadness of being alone in the world. Here a little boy and a penguin are the firmest of friends who are never happier than when they are playing their favourite game. Until, one day, Penguin feels he must try to fly. Penguin sets off on his personal quest but without his best friend at his side nothing seems to go right. How the two friends find each other in the nick of time is a beautifully told in words and pictures. You can now download an activity sheet with text and illustrations by Oliver Jeffers from the Readers Guide section on the right hand side of this page.
Paperback and CD-audio edition. Award winning Oliver Jeffers’ book is wholly compelling for the importance of its message and the brilliance of how that is conveyed in words and pictures. To overcome her sadness when her grandfather dies a little girl decides to protect her heart from any further suffering by putting it in a bottle. For a time it works, but living without a heart turns out to be living only part of a life and soon the little girl needs to get it back. Luckily, there is someone who can help her. A story to return to time and time again.
A touching story of how two friends feel when they separate and try to manage without each other. Prize-winning illustrator Oliver Jeffers specialises in spare illustrations which are warm hearted but also capture the deep sadness of being alone in the world. Here a little boy and a penguin are the firmest of friends who are never happier than when they are playing their favourite game. Until, one day, Penguin feels he must try to fly. Penguin sets off on his personal quest but without his best friend at his side nothing seems to go right. How the two friends find each other in the nick of time is a beautifully told in words and pictures. You can now download an activity sheet with text and illustrations by Oliver Jeffers from the Readers Guide section on the right hand side of this page.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2011 Award winning Oliver Jeffers’s latest book is wholly compelling for the importance of its message and the brilliance of how that is conveyed in words and pictures. To overcome her sadness when her grandfather dies a little girl decides to protect her heart from any further suffering by putting it in a bottle. For a time it works, but living without a heart turns out to be living only part of a life and soon the little girl needs to get it back. Luckily, there is someone who can help her. A book to return to time and time again.
A prize winning illustrator with a reputation for spare illustrations which pack a huge emotional punch. A little boy so loves the stars that he decides to set off and try to catch one. But catching a star is not as easy as it looks. It’s a captivating quest with a very satisfying ending.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2011 Award winning Oliver Jeffers’s latest book is wholly compelling for the importance of its message and the brilliance of how that is conveyed in words and pictures. To overcome her sadness when her grandfather dies a little girl decides to protect her heart from any further suffering by putting it in a bottle. For a time it works, but living without a heart turns out to be living only part of a life and soon the little girl needs to get it back. Luckily, there is someone who can help her. A book to return to time and time again.
Delicious pop-up spreads bring an interactive version of this popular story about a boy who loves books so much that he actually eats his way through them. An entertaining story about different ways of loving reading from an award winning illustrator. Hours of entertainment for kids of almost any age.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2010. Touching and funny, this is also a visually sophisticated picture book which lightly carries an important message about the use – and misuse - of resources. CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal SHORTLIST 2010: Judges’ comments This is a brilliant whole production which makes wonderful use of colour, jacket and endpapers to convey an eco-message with a light touch. There are lots of witty little references and touches of humour to pick up on in this book which definitely rewards repeated re-reading. also Shortlisted for the Bisto Irish Children's Book Award.
Celebrating the value of friendship, this is an exquisitely illustrated picture book with a simple story line. Opening his door and finding a penguin on it, the little boy takes pity on the sad looking creature who he immediately assumes is lost. Together they set out on an adventure across icy-blue wastes to find the penguin’s real home. The cool of the landscape makes a perfect backdrop to the warmth of the friendship between the pair.
Shortlisted for the Bisto Irish Children's Book Award. Touching and funny, this is also a visually sophisticated picture book which lightly carries an important message about the use – and misuse - of resources. All is not well in the forest: branches of the trees keep disappearing and no one knows who has taken them. While searching for the culprit, the forest’s inhabitants turn accusingly on each other. Luckily they all have water-tight alibis so who can be carrying out the thefts? At last, they find the culprit. It is Bear who, in his desperation to win the paper aeroplane competition, gathers as much wood as possible and turns it all into paper….The delight for the readers is that they can follow what Bear is doing long before the truth is out.
Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award 2009. This is an absolutely delightful book that is sure to capture the imagination of toddlers. Jeffers’ illustrations are an absolute delight and together with the text tell an extraordinary and original story about friendship and home. What the Kate Greenaway Award judges said: 'Jeffers somehow manages to convey a whole host of emotions and moods with his stick figures. His style is so clever with its surreal and amusing details, and there is some great variation in the spreads both in terms of illustration and colour. Lovely metallic endpapers too!'
Oliver Jeffers has been selected as one of The Big Picture campaign's Best New Illustrators in 2008.This is an absolutely delightful book that is sure to capture the imagination of toddlers. Jeffers’ illustrations are an absolute delight and together with the text tell an extraordinary and original story about friendship and home.
Book and Audio CD. A brilliant picture book about a boy with an unusual attitude to books! Henry loves books but not in the same way as most people: Henry loves to eat books… He starts with just a word, then sentences until he’s built up enough stamina to eat up a whole book. With every book Henry eats, he becomes just a little bit cleverer…But there’s a moral, too. Oliver Jeffers sophisticated illustrations are witty and absorbing: the bite out of the corner of the book is a joke on its own!
A brilliant picture book about a boy with an unusual attitude to books! Henry loves books but not in the same way as most people: Henry loves to eat books… He starts with just a word, then sentences until he’s built up enough stamina to eat up a whole book. With every book Henry eats, he becomes just a little bit cleverer…But there’s a moral, too. Oliver Jeffers sophisticated illustrations are witty and absorbing: the bite out of the corner of the book is a joke on its own! Rob Biddulph on The Incredible Book Eating Boy: One bedtime we were reading a new picture book that I’d bought her called The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver jeffers. The illustrations blew my mind. Each one was painted on an actual page or cover torn from a second-hand book, sometimes incorporating the original typography, and then photographed. It was just so clever. So beautiful. The whole package totally opened my eyes to the fact that a picture book can be a genuine work of art. So I started to look at the books we read each night in a different way. Maybe, I thought, this is something that I could do.
Oliver Jeffers has been selected as one of The Big Picture campaign's Best New Illustrators 2008.A brilliant picture book about a boy with an unusual attitude to books! Henry loves books but not in the same way as most people: Henry loves to eat books… He starts with just a word, then sentences until he’s built up enough stamina to eat up a whole book. With every book Henry eats, he becomes just a little bit cleverer…But there’s a moral, too. Oliver Jeffers sophisticated illustrations are witty and absorbing: the bite out of the corner of the book is a joke on its own!
Oliver Jeffers has been selected as one of The Big Picture campaign's Best New Illustrators in 2008. Winner of the Blue Peter Book Awards - Best Illustrated book to read aloud.Celebrating the value of friendship, this is an exquisitely illustrated picture book with a simple story line. Opening his door and finding a penguin on it, the little boy takes pity on the sad looking creature who he immediately assumes is lost. Together they set out on an adventure across icy-blue wastes to find the penguin’s real home. The cool of the landscape makes a perfect backdrop to the warmth of the friendship between the pair.
Oliver Jeffers has been selected as one of The Big Picture campaign's Best New Illustrators 2008. Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2005 Celebrating the value of friendship, this is an exquisitely illustrated picture book with a simple story line. Opening his door and finding a penguin on it, the little boy takes pity on the sad looking creature who he immediately assumes is lost. Together they set out on an adventure across icy-blue wastes to find the penguin’s real home. The cool of the landscape makes a perfect backdrop to the warmth of the friendship between the pair. ‘Shortlisted for the Early Years – Pre-school Award’.
A prize winning illustrator with a reputation for spare illustrations which pack a huge emotional punch. A little boy so loves the stars that he decides to set off and try to catch one. But catching a star is not as easy as it looks. It’s a captivating quest with a very satisfying ending.
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of world-renowned illustrator Oliver Jeffers' debut picture book, the much-loved How to Catch a Star! The publication of How to Catch a Star in 2004 heralded the arrival of a captivating new talent on the picture book scene. Now beloved by children all over the world, the book has achieved huge critical and commercial success. Oliver and HarperCollins are proud to mark the anniversary in style with this exquisite gift edition, including a letter from the author and previously unpublished drawings - a book that no Oliver Jeffers fan will want to be without!
Winner of the Blue Peter Book Awards - Best Illustrated book to read aloud. Celebrating the value of friendship, this is an exquisitely illustrated picture book with a simple story line. Opening his door and finding a penguin on it, the little boy takes pity on the sad looking creature who he immediately assumes is lost. Together they set out on an adventure across icy-blue wastes to find the penguin’s real home. The cool of the landscape makes a perfect backdrop to the warmth of the friendship between the pair. ~ Julia Eccleshare
Shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2012. Delightful chaos ensues when a young boy gets his kite stuck up a tree in this laugh-out-loud new picture book from award-winning, internationally best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers! A hilarious book with a wonderful surprise ending. Shortlisted for the Galaxy Children's Book of the Year Award 2011.
Enjoy four exciting adventures of the boy, as he learns how to catch a star, journeys to the South Pole and the moon - making new discoveries and finding friendship along the way in this beautiful hardback slipcase edition of 4 favourite Oliver Jeffers stories. A review for How to Catch a Star...An inspirational story from internationally bestselling, multi-prize-winning picture book creator Oliver Jeffers. A little boy so loves the stars that he decides to set off and try to catch one. But catching a star is not as easy as it looks. It’s a captivating quest with a very satisfying ending.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2010. Touching and funny, this is also a visually sophisticated picture book which lightly carries an important message about the use – and misuse - of resources. CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal SHORTLIST 2010: Judges’ comments This is a brilliant whole production which makes wonderful use of colour, jacket and endpapers to convey an eco-message with a light touch. There are lots of witty little references and touches of humour to pick up on in this book which definitely rewards repeated re-reading. also Shortlisted for the Bisto Irish Children's Book Award.
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers unusual and delightful family have a typically original approach to counting- including introducing the concept of none. The Hueys love numbers from 0-10. The kind of things they love include 1 light blue phone, 5 party hats, 8 guests on a guest list and even 10 trumpeters walking by. But what happens when you get rid of all the things they have been counting? That’s when you get to none! ~ Julia Eccleshare
The thing about the Hueys is that they are all the same! They all look the same, think the same and do the same things. Until one day, Rupert knits himself a new jumper! How will the other Hueys react? A hilarious story about individuality. Have a go at making your own Huey at https://www.facebook.com/oliverjeffersart or click here to download some activity sheets.
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of How to Catch a Star with this new toddler-friendly board book edition! An inspirational story from internationally bestselling, multi-prize-winning picture book creator Oliver Jeffers. A little boy so loves the stars that he decides to set off and try to catch one. But catching a star is not as easy as it looks. It’s a captivating quest with a very satisfying ending.
READ BY PAUL MCGANN. An exciting intergalactic adventure from shining star Oliver Jeffers, creator of Lost and Found. One day a boy finds an aeroplane in his cupboard. Up, up, up and away he flies, high into the sky. Whizzing past clouds, stars and planets until suddenly, he runs out of petrol! Miles from earth, the boy crashes into the moon and waits. Just as he is beginning to get cold and lonely, a friendly martian appears from the darkness, also with a broken aircraft. Together they come up with a super plan to float the boy back down to earth to collect his toolbox. Can the boy find his way back home safely and will he ever make it back up to the moon to rescue his friend?
A spectacular collection of four much-loved modern classics from the multi award-winning, internationally best-selling picture book creator, Oliver Jeffers, along with a captivating behind-the-scenes look at the making of each in four fascinating sketchbook sections. Contains the following stories: How to Catch a Star Lost and Found The Way Back Home Up and Down Also within the pages of this exquisite collection is a special letter from Oliver Jeffers and more than 100 wonderfully distinctive sketches, notes and ideas, carefully chosen from his archives and revealed here for the first time. Watch as the boy and his friends spring to life on the sketchbook pages. See the real-life starfish that appears in How to Catch a Star, learn the true story of the boy and the penguin who inspired Lost and Found and find out what the Martian's dad looks like! With all these things, and more, this incredible volume gives a unique insight into the life story of the iconic books - loved by readers the world over - and celebrates the incredible work of one of today's most popular and highly regarded picture book creators.
July 2018 Book of the Month | Buy a book by Oliver Jeffers and you become owner of a complete and perfect work of art. A Little Alphabet is so much more than an alphabet book. Each page features one object, one letter, one word, yet each is a story in itself and will prompt readers to fill in the background to these characters and things, or imagine what is going to happen to them next. Jeffers’s scribbly line fills each with movement – no jelly for example could be wobblier than the one that illustrates J. Characterisation is created through dots for eyes, just a line or blob for a mouth, and this is a triumph of simplicity and sophistication. A book for readers of all and every age. ~ Andrea Reece
The alphabet is gloriously brought to life by international best-selling picture book creator, Oliver Jeffers. This beautiful paperback edition is based on Once Upon an Alphabet which won the CBI Book of the Year Award. From an astronaut afraid of heights, to dynamic detectives the Owl and the Octopus, by way of some rusting robots, you will find within this book a short story inspired by every letter of the alphabet. By turns funny, sad, mischievous and surprising, these entertaining mini-tales are accompanied by Jeffers' witty and inviting illustrations.
There was once a forest where everyone was contentedly going about their business. All was well until the strangest thing suddenly started happening. Without any warning, branches started disappearing from trees. Something would have to be done, everyone agreed - everyone that is, except for someone who was acting very mysteriously indeed.
One of Our Books of the Year 2017 | A Julia Eccleshare Pick of the Month November 2017 Inspired by the birth of his son, award-winning Oliver Jeffers has created a deeply touching introduction to the world as a physical space and also as a place that needs to be treated with great care and respect. Subtitled ‘Notes for Living on Planet Earth’ Jeffers uses richly coloured double page spreads and only a few words of commentary to describe the obvious features of land, sea, night and day but also how time can move both slow and fast and should never be wasted! The perfect gift for all parents to share with their new babies – and each other. ~ Julia Eccleshare Julia Eccleshare's Picks of the Month for November 2017 Christmas Dinner of Souls by Ross Montgomery Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers Katinka's Tail by Judith Kerr Lucky Button by Michael Morpurgo Pick A Pine Tree by Patricia Toht The Stone Bird by Jenny McCartney The Lion and the Unicorn and Other Hairy Tales by Jane Ray The Song from Somewhere Else by A. F. Harrold
Buy a book by Oliver Jeffers and you become owner of a complete and perfect work of art. An Alphabet is so much more than an alphabet book. Each page features one object, one letter, one word, yet each is a story in itself and will prompt readers to fill in the background to these characters and things, or imagine what is going to happen to them next. Jeffers’s scribbly line fills each with movement – no jelly for example could be wobblier than the one that illustrates J. Characterisation is created through dots for eyes, just a line or blob for a mouth, and this is a triumph of simplicity and sophistication. A book for readers of all and every age. ~ Andrea Reece
Buy a book by Oliver Jeffers and you become owner of a complete and perfect work of art. An Alphabet is so much more than an alphabet book. Each page features one object, one letter, one word, yet each is a story in itself and will prompt readers to fill in the background to these characters and things, or imagine what is going to happen to them next. Jeffers’s scribbly line fills each with movement – no jelly for example could be wobblier than the one that illustrates J. Characterisation is created through dots for eyes, just a line or blob for a mouth, and this is a triumph of simplicity and sophistication. A book for readers of all and every age. ~ Andrea Reece
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers’s endearingly simple Hueys are always asking interesting questions to help them find out more. This time they want to know more about opposites. Some opposites are easy. Everyone knows that Down is the opposite of Up, that the opposite of High is Low and that Cold is what you are when you are not Hot. In his simple and witty illustrations Oliver Jeffers makes all opposites fun and the starting joke is particularly pleasingly played out. ~ Julia Eccleshare If they like Oliver Jeffers they'll love Tom McLaughlin.
A specially adapted board book edition of Oliver Jeffers' laugh-out-loud classic, Stuck. Delightful chaos ensues when a young boy gets his kite stuck up a tree in this laugh-out-loud new picture book from award-winning, internationally best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers! A hilarious book with a wonderful surprise ending. Shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2012. Shortlisted for the Galaxy Children's Book of the Year Award 2011
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers’s endearingly simple Hueys are always asking interesting questions to help them find out more. This time they want to know more about opposites. Some opposites are easy. Everyone knows that Down is the opposite of Up, that the opposite of High is Low and that Cold is what you are when you are not Hot. In his simple and witty illustrations Oliver Jeffers makes all opposites fun and the starting joke is particularly pleasingly played out. ~ Julia Eccleshare
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers’s endearingly simple Hueys are always asking interesting questions to help them find out more. This time they want to know more about opposites. Some opposites are easy. Everyone knows that Down is the opposite of Up, that the opposite of High is Low and that Cold is what you are when you are not Hot. In his simple and witty illustrations Oliver Jeffers makes all opposites fun and the starting joke is particularly pleasingly played out. ~ Julia Eccleshare Set includes a Book & a CD read by Jarvis Cocker.
Now this fabulously quirky group of characters is introduced to younger readers in these toddler friendly board books from the internationally bestselling, award-winning author/illustrator, Oliver Jeffers, creator of How to Catch a Star and Lost and Found. If they like Oliver Jeffers they'll love Tom McLaughlin.
Julia Eccleshare's Book of the Month, July 2015 Award-winning Oliver Jeffers’s endearingly simple Hueys are always asking interesting questions to help them find out more. This time they want to know more about opposites. Some opposites are easy. Everyone knows that Down is the opposite of Up, that the opposite of High is Low and that Cold is what you are when you are not Hot. In his simple and witty illustrations Oliver Jeffers makes all opposites fun and the starting joke is particularly pleasingly played out. ~ Julia Eccleshare
Now available as a board book. Award-winning Oliver Jeffer's unusual and delightful family have a typically original approach to counting- including introducing the concept of none. The Hueys love numbers from 0-10. The kind of things they love include 1 light blue phone, 5 party hats, 8 guests on a guest list and even 10 trumpeters walking by. But what happens when you get rid of all the things they have been counting? That’s when you get to none! ~ Julia Eccleshare
Now this fabulously quirky group of characters is introduced to younger readers in these toddler friendly board books from the internationally bestselling, award-winning author/illustrator, Oliver Jeffers, creator of How to Catch a Star and Lost and Found. The thing about the Hueys is that they are all the same! They all look the same, think the same and do the same things. Until one day, Rupert knits himself a new jumper! How will the other Hueys react? A hilarious story about individuality. Have a go at making your own Huey at https://www.facebook.com/oliverjeffersart or click here to download some activity sheets.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2016. One of our Books of the Year 2014 - December 2014 Book of the Month Award-winning illustrator Oliver Jeffers has created an outstanding alphabet book which goes far beyond the traditional expectations of such a book. In additional to each letter having its own, beautiful Oliver Jeffers illustration, every letter has its own mini-short story in which the particular letter features extensively. ~ Julia Eccleshare
Celebrate the 10th anniversary of world-renowned illustrator Oliver Jeffers' debut picture book, the much-loved How to Catch a Star! The publication of How to Catch a Star in 2004 heralded the arrival of a captivating new talent on the picture book scene. Now beloved by children all over the world, the book has achieved huge critical and commercial success. Oliver and HarperCollins are proud to mark the anniversary in style with this exquisite gift edition, including a letter from the author and previously unpublished drawings - a book that no Oliver Jeffers fan will want to be without!
Mostly the Hueys get along just fine. But occasionally, they do NOT! When a big fight breaks out everyone says they are not to blame. Strangely, none of them can even remember what they are fighting about! In his simple illustrations, Oliver Jeffers captures the curious dynamics of falling out and making up perfectly.
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers unusual and delightful family have a typically original approach to counting- including introducing the concept of none. The Hueys love numbers from 0-10. The kind of things they love include 1 light blue phone, 5 party hats, 8 guests on a guest list and even 10 trumpeters walking by. But what happens when you get rid of all the things they have been counting? That’s when you get to none! ~ Julia Eccleshare If they like Oliver Jeffers they'll love Tom McLaughlin.
There once was a boy...and one day a penguin arrives on his doorstep. The boy decides the penguin must be lost and tries to return him. But no one seems to be missing a penguin. So the boy decides to take the penguin home himself, and they set out in his row boat on a journey to the South Pole. But when they get there, the boy discovers that maybe home wasn't what the penguin was looking for after all...
This is an absolutely delightful book that is sure to capture the imagination of toddlers. Jeffers’ illustrations are an absolute delight and together with the text tell an extraordinary and original story about friendship and home. The Way Back Home was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award 2009..This is what the judges said: 'Jeffers somehow manages to convey a whole host of emotions and moods with his stick figures. His style is so clever with its surreal and amusing details, and there is some great variation in the spreads both in terms of illustration and colour. Lovely metallic endpapers too!'
A touching story of how two friends feel when they separate and try to manage without each other. Prize-winning illustrator Oliver Jeffers specialises in spare illustrations which are warm hearted but also capture the deep sadness of being alone in the world. Here a little boy and a penguin are the firmest of friends who are never happier than when they are playing their favourite game. Until, one day, Penguin feels he must try to fly. Penguin sets off on his personal quest but without his best friend at his side nothing seems to go right. How the two friends find each other in the nick of time is a beautifully told in words and pictures.
Winner of the Irish Book Awards Children's Book of the Year 2012 and the Honour Award for Illustration from Childrens' Books Ireland, 2013. Now out in paperback, this is an exquisite book, featuring a boy and his moose, from internationally bestselling, multi-prize-winning picture book creator, Oliver Jeffers.
READ BY TERENCE STAMP. Chaos ensues when a young boy gets his kite stuck up a tree in this laugh-out-loud new picture book from award-winning, internationally best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers! Floyd gets his kite stuck up a tree. He throws up his shoe to shift it, but that gets stuck too. So he throws up his other shoe and that got stuck, along with... a ladder, a pot of paint, the kitchen sink, an orang-utan and a whale, amongst other things! Will Floyd ever get his kite back? A hilarious book with a wonderful surprise ending.
Meet the Hueys - a fabulously quirky group of characters from international bestselling, award-winning author/illustrator, Oliver Jeffers, creator of How to Catch a Star and Lost and Found. A fight has broken out amongst The Hueys. "e;It was not me! It was him!"e; But no one can remember what they're fighting about. If only they could find an interesting distraction...
Award-winning Oliver Jeffers is spare in both his illustrations and his text in this witty story that gets to the heart of the stupidity of most arguments! His simple characters, the Hueys, mostly get along very well indeed but sometimes they don’t! One day Gillespie comes across them having a very big fight indeed! What on earth is it about? No one can even remember! Luckily Gillespie has a great way of distracting everyone.
A must-have for all Oliver Jeffers fans, this CD unites all four Boy stories for the first time. Read by Paul McGann and Richard E. Grant, these charming stories are brought to life with music and sound effects. Stretching from the moon all the way to the South Pole, follow the boy and the penguin on their adventures as they reach for the stars and try to fly away. Featuring: How to Catch a Star Lost and Found The Way Back Home Up and Down
Introducing the Hueys - a fabulously quirky group of characters in a hilarious new series from internationally bestselling, award-winning author/illustrator, Oliver Jeffers, creator of How to Catch a Star and Lost and Found. The thing about the Hueys is that they are all the same. They all look the same, think the same and do the same things. Until one day, Rupert knits himself a new jumper... How will the other Hueys react? A hilarious story about individuality.
A miniature hardback edition of this fantastic sequel to Lost and Found, by internationally bestselling author/illustrator Oliver Jeffers, in which we re-visit the boy and the penguin after their trip to the South Pole... The boy and the penguin still enjoy spending all their time together... That is, until the penguin starts to dream of flying, ignoring the boy's advice that it is impossible. Running away, the penguin visits place after place, searching for a chance to get his feet off the ground. But will flying be everything he had hoped? And is the boy missing him as much as he is missing the boy? A heart-warming story about friendship, love and reaching for your dreams, from highly-regarded, multi-award-winning author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers.
WINNER of the Irish Book Awards Children's Book of the Year 2012 and the Honour Award for Illustration from Childrens' Books Ireland, 2013. An exquisite new book, featuring a boy and his moose, from internationally bestselling, multi-prize-winning picture book creator, Oliver Jeffers. Wilfred owned a moose. He hadn't always owned a moose. The moose came to him a while ago and he knew, just KNEW, that it was meant to be his. He thought he would call him Marcel. Most of the time Marcel is very obedient, abiding by the many rules on How to Be a Good Pet. But one dark day, while deep in the woods, someone else claims the moose as their own... Is Marcel really Wilfred's pet after all? A beautifully-illustrated, witty and thought-provoking story, exploring the concept of ownership.
The thing about the Hueys is that they are all the same! They all look the same, think the same and do the same things. Until one day, Rupert knits himself a new jumper! How will the other Hueys react? A hilarious story about individuality. Have a go at making your own Huey at www.facebook.com/oliverjeffersart or click here to download some activity sheets. http://www.lovereading4kids.co.uk/editorial-experts
Award-winning picture book star Oliver Jeffers explores themes of love and loss in this life-affirming and uplifting tale. Once there was a girl who was full of wonderment at how the world worked. She shared all her dreams and excitement with her father, who always had the answer to every question. That is until one day when his chair was empty, not to be filled again - how would she find the meaning of life now?
READ BY RICHARD E. GRANT. In this much-anticipated sequel to the internationally best-selling picture book Lost and Found, we re-visit the boy and the penguin after their trip to the South Pole... The boy and the penguin still enjoy spending all their time together... That is, until the penguin starts to dream of flying, ignoring the boy's advice that it is impossible. Running away, the penguin visits place after place, searching for a chance to get his feet off the ground. But will flying be everything he had hoped? And is the boy missing him as much as he is missing the boy? A heart-warming story about friendship, love and reaching for your dreams, from highly-regarded, multi-award-winning author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers.
Shortlisted for the Galaxy Children's Book of the Year Award 2011 Delightful chaos ensues when a young boy gets his kite stuck up a tree in this laugh-out-loud new picture book from award-winning, internationally best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers! A hilarious book with a wonderful surprise ending.
A Lovereading4kids 'Great Read' you may have missed 2011 selection. A touching story of how two friends feel when they separate and try to manage without each other. Prize-winning illustrator Oliver Jeffers specialises in spare illustrations which are warm hearted but also capture the deep sadness of being alone in the world. Here a little boy and a penguin are the firmest of friends who are never happier than when they are playing their favourite game. Until, one day, Penguin feels he must try to fly. Penguin sets off on his personal quest but without his best friend at his side nothing seems to go right. How the two friends find each other in the nick of time is a beautifully told in words and pictures. You can now download an activity sheet with text and illustrations by Oliver Jeffers from the Readers Guide section on the right hand side of this page.
Award-winning picture book star Oliver Jeffers explores themes of love and loss in this life-affirming and uplifting tale. Once there was a girl who was full of wonderment at how the world worked. She shared all her dreams and excitement with her father, who always had the answer to every question. That is until one day when his chair was empty, not to be filled again - how would the girl ever find meaning from her life again?
Paperback and CD-audio edition. Award winning Oliver Jeffers’ book is wholly compelling for the importance of its message and the brilliance of how that is conveyed in words and pictures. To overcome her sadness when her grandfather dies a little girl decides to protect her heart from any further suffering by putting it in a bottle. For a time it works, but living without a heart turns out to be living only part of a life and soon the little girl needs to get it back. Luckily, there is someone who can help her. A story to return to time and time again.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2011 Award winning Oliver Jeffers’s latest book is wholly compelling for the importance of its message and the brilliance of how that is conveyed in words and pictures. To overcome her sadness when her grandfather dies a little girl decides to protect her heart from any further suffering by putting it in a bottle. For a time it works, but living without a heart turns out to be living only part of a life and soon the little girl needs to get it back. Luckily, there is someone who can help her. A book to return to time and time again.
A touching story of how two friends feel when they separate and try to manage without each other. Prize-winning illustrator Oliver Jeffers specialises in spare illustrations which are warm hearted but also capture the deep sadness of being alone in the world. Here a little boy and a penguin are the firmest of friends who are never happier than when they are playing their favourite game. Until, one day, Penguin feels he must try to fly. Penguin sets off on his personal quest but without his best friend at his side nothing seems to go right. How the two friends find each other in the nick of time is a beautifully told in words and pictures. You can now download an activity sheet with text and illustrations by Oliver Jeffers from the Readers Guide section on the right hand side of this page.
Shortlisted for the CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal 2011 Award winning Oliver Jeffers’s latest book is wholly compelling for the importance of its message and the brilliance of how that is conveyed in words and pictures. To overcome her sadness when her grandfather dies a little girl decides to protect her heart from any further suffering by putting it in a bottle. For a time it works, but living without a heart turns out to be living only part of a life and soon the little girl needs to get it back. Luckily, there is someone who can help her. A book to return to time and time again.
Shortlisted for the Bisto Irish Children's Book Award. Touching and funny, this is also a visually sophisticated picture book which lightly carries an important message about the use – and misuse - of resources. All is not well in the forest: branches of the trees keep disappearing and no one knows who has taken them. While searching for the culprit, the forest’s inhabitants turn accusingly on each other. Luckily they all have water-tight alibis so who can be carrying out the thefts? At last, they find the culprit. It is Bear who, in his desperation to win the paper aeroplane competition, gathers as much wood as possible and turns it all into paper….The delight for the readers is that they can follow what Bear is doing long before the truth is out.
Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award 2009. This is an absolutely delightful book that is sure to capture the imagination of toddlers. Jeffers’ illustrations are an absolute delight and together with the text tell an extraordinary and original story about friendship and home. What the Kate Greenaway Award judges said: 'Jeffers somehow manages to convey a whole host of emotions and moods with his stick figures. His style is so clever with its surreal and amusing details, and there is some great variation in the spreads both in terms of illustration and colour. Lovely metallic endpapers too!'
Oliver Jeffers has been selected as one of The Big Picture campaign's Best New Illustrators in 2008.This is an absolutely delightful book that is sure to capture the imagination of toddlers. Jeffers’ illustrations are an absolute delight and together with the text tell an extraordinary and original story about friendship and home.
A brilliant picture book about a boy with an unusual attitude to books! Henry loves books but not in the same way as most people: Henry loves to eat books… He starts with just a word, then sentences until he’s built up enough stamina to eat up a whole book. With every book Henry eats, he becomes just a little bit cleverer…But there’s a moral, too. Oliver Jeffers sophisticated illustrations are witty and absorbing: the bite out of the corner of the book is a joke on its own! Rob Biddulph on The Incredible Book Eating Boy: One bedtime we were reading a new picture book that I’d bought her called The Incredible Book Eating Boy by Oliver jeffers. The illustrations blew my mind. Each one was painted on an actual page or cover torn from a second-hand book, sometimes incorporating the original typography, and then photographed. It was just so clever. So beautiful. The whole package totally opened my eyes to the fact that a picture book can be a genuine work of art. So I started to look at the books we read each night in a different way. Maybe, I thought, this is something that I could do.
Oliver Jeffers has been selected as one of The Big Picture campaign's Best New Illustrators 2008.A brilliant picture book about a boy with an unusual attitude to books! Henry loves books but not in the same way as most people: Henry loves to eat books… He starts with just a word, then sentences until he’s built up enough stamina to eat up a whole book. With every book Henry eats, he becomes just a little bit cleverer…But there’s a moral, too. Oliver Jeffers sophisticated illustrations are witty and absorbing: the bite out of the corner of the book is a joke on its own!
Oliver Jeffers has been selected as one of The Big Picture campaign's Best New Illustrators in 2008. Winner of the Blue Peter Book Awards - Best Illustrated book to read aloud.Celebrating the value of friendship, this is an exquisitely illustrated picture book with a simple story line. Opening his door and finding a penguin on it, the little boy takes pity on the sad looking creature who he immediately assumes is lost. Together they set out on an adventure across icy-blue wastes to find the penguin’s real home. The cool of the landscape makes a perfect backdrop to the warmth of the friendship between the pair.
Oliver Jeffers has been selected as one of The Big Picture campaign's Best New Illustrators 2008. Shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal 2005 Celebrating the value of friendship, this is an exquisitely illustrated picture book with a simple story line. Opening his door and finding a penguin on it, the little boy takes pity on the sad looking creature who he immediately assumes is lost. Together they set out on an adventure across icy-blue wastes to find the penguin’s real home. The cool of the landscape makes a perfect backdrop to the warmth of the friendship between the pair. ‘Shortlisted for the Early Years – Pre-school Award’.
A prize winning illustrator with a reputation for spare illustrations which pack a huge emotional punch. A little boy so loves the stars that he decides to set off and try to catch one. But catching a star is not as easy as it looks. It’s a captivating quest with a very satisfying ending.
WINNER of the Irish Book Awards Children's Book of the Year 2012 and the Honour Award for Illustration from Childrens' Books Ireland, 2013. An exquisite new book, featuring a boy and his moose, from internationally bestselling, multi-prize-winning picture book creator, Oliver Jeffers. "e;Wilfred owned a moose. He hadn't always owned a moose. The moose came to him a while ago and he knew, just KNEW, that it was meant to be his. He thought he would call him Marcel."e; Most of the time Marcel is very obedient, abiding by the many rules on How to Be a Good Pet. But one dark day, while deep in the woods, someone else claims the moose as their own...Is Marcel really Wilfred's pet after all? An beautifully-illustrated, witty and thought-provoking story, exploring the concept of ownership.
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