Browne Named Children's Laureate in U.K.

Anthony Browne. Photo: Asimina Giagoudaki.

Anthony Browne has been appointed the sixth Children’s Laureate in the U.K. Browne, who won the 2000 Hans Christian Andersen Medal, is only the second illustrator chosen as Children’s Laureate. The two-year position recognizes the contribution an individual has made to children and reading.

Browne’s trademarks include his iconic great ape characters. Gorilla, which won both the Kate Greenaway and the Kurt Maschler Medals in the U.K. and the New York Times Best Illustrated and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award in the U.S., while Willy the Wimp and its sequels have become widely popular. His illustrations are instantly recognizable for their witty social observations, their surrealist visual references and their ability to show that picture books need not be confined to pre-readers.

At the announcment, Andrew Motion, Britain's retiring Poet Laureate, praised Browne as "an absolutely distinctive and extraordinarily skilful artist whose work entrances children, and has influenced a whole generation of illustrators," Browne received the Laureate's medal from outgoing Laureate Michael Rosen. Browne then spoke of his belief that picture books should be for all ages and he intended to use his two-year tenure to raise appreciation of picture books. He also urged everyone—adults and children alike—to draw, as it is the first and simplest form of communication.

Browne has begun his campaign with a call to everyone to join in “The Shape Game,” a simple drawing game for two which he invented with his brother. Browne called on his brother to demonstrate the game before asking the children in the audience to take part. "I would like to share my passion for art by inspiring both children and adults to use their visual imaginations and to learn to read pictures as well as words,” Browne told PW.

Browne's championship of pictures and their place in reading could help in lifting some of the difficulties that currently beset the picture book market. Browne threw out a challenge to publishers when he added, "I hope by putting the spotlight on picture books and their special nature, I will help to encourage publishers to take more risks and look at exciting new talent, in order to make available a more innovative and imaginative range of picture books."