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As an adult
After teaching in several colleges of art and illustrating for such magazines as Vogue, Bruce's first book, When Martha's Away, was published in 1995 to huge critical acclaim. Not only was his book honoured with the National Art Library Award, but Bruce was presented with the prestigious Mother Goose Award as the most exciting British newcomer to children's picture books. Since then, he has written and illustrated several more children's books, including Bad News! I'm in Charge!, a sly look at every kid's wildest dream come true, and illustrated three stunningly original picture books written by Allan Ahlberg: The Runaway Dinner, Previously and The Pencil. Bruce lives in London, UK.
As an artist
Bruce illustrated Boing!, a bouncing comedy and a masterful display of emergency trampolining skills, written by Sean Taylor. It was the first time he illustrated words that weren't his own. "When I was given the story, I loved it and wanted to illustrate it straight away," the artist says. "My rough layout of the book happened very spontaneously and naturally spread beyond the normal thirty-two pages. It just seemed ideal for the story. The language Sean uses made me laugh. I hope I did it justice." Bruce adds that Boing! "will always be a special book for me, not only because it's a great story but also because it happened at such an exciting and important time for me – the birth of my daughter, Alvie."
Holes generally get a bad press – after all they’re the last thing you want to find in a sock, pair of knickers, bag, bucket or boat! Perhaps this delightful book will win them some friends. Hamish and Hermione Hole need a new home when their bit of Swiss cheese is eaten – but where will they be welcome? Set in a royal palace there’s a fairy tale air to this and Bruce Ingman’s illustrations have a child-like simplicity that emphasises the fable feel. Hamish and Hermione are finger-paint blobs with two eyes, a mouth, stick legs and arms, but hugely expressive, dashing from scene to scene and, memorably, chatting on a wooden bench. Stylish fun! ~ Andrea Reece
Longlisted for the UKLA 2017 Book Award This is a fantastically funny and completely clever new picture book from the critically-acclaimed pair behind The Pencil and The Runaway Dinner.
April 2016 Book of the Month Holes generally get a bad press – after all they’re the last thing you want to find in a sock, pair of knickers, bag, bucket or boat! Perhaps this delightful book will win them some friends. Hamish and Hermione Hole need a new home when their bit of Swiss cheese is eaten – but where will they be welcome? Set in a royal palace there’s a fairy tale air to this and Bruce Ingman’s illustrations have a child-like simplicity that emphasises the fable feel. Hamish and Hermione are finger-paint blobs with two eyes, a mouth, stick legs and arms, but hugely expressive, dashing from scene to scene and, memorably, chatting on a wooden bench. Stylish fun! ~ Andrea Reece
Allan Ahlberg at his masterful best with words that just slip off the tongue complemented by some delightful illustrations by Bruce Ingman. The two of them have come together a number of times now as you’ll see from the images below. You might find it hard to believe that you can make a wonderful story out of slices of bread but rest assured Allan Ahlberg has. Having read it I bet you’ll be off to make a sandwich now. Mine’s a marmite one! Hooray for Bread!
February 2013 Book of the Month Allan Ahlberg at his masterful best with words that just slip off the tongue complemented by some delightful illustrations by Bruce Ingman. The two of them have come together a number of times now as you’ll see from the images below. You might find it hard to believe that you can make a wonderful story out of slices of bread but rest assured Allan Ahlberg has. Having read it I bet you’ll be off to make a sandwich now. Mine’s a marmite one! Hooray for Bread!
Age 3+. Shortlisted for the CLPE Poetry Award 2011, which honours excellence in poetry written for children. A wonderful collection of the simplest and most joyous poems produced in a gorgeous picture book format. Nineteen delightful poems about everything from meeting a witch to getting sausages to dance jump off the page in Allan Ahlberg’s witty words and Bruce Ingman’s delightful illustrations. The CLPE Poetry Award 2011 shortlist: Everybody was a Baby Once Cuckoo Rock If You could See Laughter Off Road to Everywhere A Million Brilliant Poems: Part One
Shortlisted for the CLPE Poetry Award 2011, which honours excellence in poetry written for children. A wonderful collection of the simplest and most joyous poems produced in a gorgeous picture book format. Nineteen delightful poems about everything from meeting a witch to getting sausages to dance jump off the page in Allan Ahlberg’s witty words and Bruce Ingman’s delightful illustrations. The CLPE Poetry Award 2011 shortlist: Everybody was a Baby Once Cuckoo Rock If You could See Laughter Off Road to Everywhere A Million Brilliant Poems: Part One
The acclaimed duo behind The Runaway Dinner and Previously imagine the comical world that comes to life when a pencil starts to draw... A hilarious and utterly enchanting new classic The Times A special 10th anniversary edition of a modern classic, The Pencil is a playful, witty, wonderfully quirky story about the power of imagination. Say hi to Banjo! Once a pencil draws him, there's no telling what will come next - a dog, a cat, a chase (of course), and a paintbrush to colour in an ever-expanding group of family and friends. But it's not long before the complaints begin - This hat looks silly! My ears are too big! - until the poor pencil has no choice but to draw ... a rubber. Oh no! In the hands of Allan Ahlberg and Bruce Ingman, can anything but havoc and hilarity ensue? With gorgeous golden foil on the cover and spine, this edition is one to share and treasure.
Picture books are such good fun and so is making them - but who knew there were so many things that could go wrong? This is the story of a picture book doomed from the very start. Allan has a good idea for book about a crocodile, but every time he sits down to write he's interrupted. The manuscript gets soaked in tea and nibbled by snails. And then when Bruce gets started on the pictures, he gets over-excited and draws a hippo not a crocodile. The publishers get over-excited too - they want a dinosaur and experiment with all kinds of different fonts. Allan and Bruce think they've straightened things out, but then when the book goes off to the printer - you guessed it - there's MORE trouble. Pages in French and Chinese get muddled with the English, and somehow Bruce's hippos and dinosaurs get mixed up with them too.
It was Joe and Ellie's bedtime. But Joe and Ellie were not in bed. The New Babysitter tries all kinds of tactics, but to no avail. However the New Babysitter has one last trick up her sleeve: Go to sleep or I let loose the leopard! But she couldn't, she wouldn't. Would she?
Shortlisted for Roald Dahl's Funny Prize 2009. This book is an hilarious and unmissable treat! One day there is just a lonely pencil…It begins to draw – a boy, a dog, a cat and then a house and streets for them to play in. But everyone wants something more. They all wants names and then they all want food. The pencil draws food but it is only in black and white. The boy and the dog and the cat want food they can eat… So, the pencil draws a paintbrush. Soon the food is delicious and there is more and more action. But then things begin to go wrong and everyone wants to be different. The pencil draws a rubber so that there can be changes… But, can the pencil survive against the rubber? Luckily, it does and all is well in the drawn world again. Both the visual and the verbal jokes are simple but very effective and the cumulative impact is fantastic.
An inventive, topsy-turvy, back-to-front story of fairytale characters and what they did ... previously. Do you know what Jack was doing before he climbed the beanstalk? Or what Jack and Jill were arguing about before they went up the hill? And what happened before that? And even before that? Find out what all your favourite storybook characters were up to previously - because every story, every person and everything started somewhere!
Winner of the Younger Children category - Red House Book Award 2009. This book is an hilarious and unmissable treat! One day there is just a lonely pencil…It begins to draw – a boy, a dog, a cat and then a house and streets for them to play in. But everyone wants something more. They all wants names and then they all want food. The pencil draws food but it is only in black and white. The boy and the dog and the cat want food they can eat…So, the pencil draws a paintbrush. Soon the food is delicious and there is more and more action. But then things begin to go wrong and everyone wants to be different. The pencil draws a rubber so that there can be changes…But, can the pencil survive against the rubber? Luckily, it does and all is well in the drawn world again. Both the visual and the verbal jokes are simple but very effective and the cumulative impact is fantastic.
Talk about fast food! A hilarious, high-speed tale from the inimitable Allan Ahlberg - catch it if you can! The celebrated Allan Ahlberg is in his element in this fast-paced, funny story about what happens when dinner decides that it doesn't fancy being eaten. Just as hungry little boy Banjo is about to tuck into his sausage, it jumps right up off the plate and runs away! But the sausage - whose name is Melvin - isn't alone... He's followed by the fork, the knife, the table, the French fries and even the peas. And so the chase is on! Will Banjo ever catch up with his runaway dinner? And what (gulp) happens to Melvin if he does? Gloriously illustrated by the award-winning Bruce Ingman, this is a whacky, whimsical romp perfect for reading aloud.
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