Alfie and the Birthday Surprise

Shirley Hughes was born and grew up in West Kirby, Wirral, near Liverpool in 1927 and she trained at Liverpool Art School and at the Ruskin School of Art, Oxford, where she later became a visiting tutor. She became a freelance illustrator and began writing when she had children. Her first book, published in 1960, was Lucy and Tom’s Day. She has now illustrated over 200 books for children of all ages. During the late 1960s and early 1970s, she illustrated the books for the Naughty Little Sister series by Dorothy Edwards and for Margaret Mahy’s Story Books, and in 1976, her own book, Helpers won the Other Award. Success continued and her 1977 book, Dogger was awarded both the Kate Greenaway Medal and the Dutch Silver Pencil Medal. The first of her books in the Alfie series, ALFIE GETS IN FIRST was published in 1981. More recently, Shirley wrote ENCHANTMENT IN THE GARDEN, ALFIE AND THE BIRTHDAY SURPRISE and THE LION AND THE UNICORN. She now lives in Notting Hill, London, is married and has two grown-up sons and a daughter, and three grandchildren. In 1984 she won the prestigious Eleanor Farjeon Award for her distinguished services to children and books.