Caterpillar Butterfly

Vivian French is a professional storyteller as well as an acclaimed children’s author.

Born and raised in Wales, Charlotte says that book illustration is “the only thing I ever wanted to do,” and she certainly has made a brilliant career of it. Skipping formal training in art, she studied art history at London University and worked at a gallery before embarking on a freelance career in illustration. Her illustrations are widely loved for their gentle wit, quiet observation, airy exuberance and utter charm. Her picture books include Ginger, winner of the Smarties Prize and its prequel, Ginger Finds a Home, which shows how the loving ministrations of a little girl transformed the title character from stray to pampered pet. More recently, Charlotte has written and illustrated Tweedle Dee Dee; Hello Twins, winner of the British Book Design and Production Award; and Pizza Kittens, winner of the Smarties Prize.