Rob_Biddulph

Rob Biddulph

Rob Biddulph

British children's author, illustrator (born 1972)

Rob Biddulph is a British children's author and illustrator.

Quick Facts Born, Occupation ...

Early life

Biddulph was born on 12 October 1972 in Barnet, London. He attended Dame Alice Owen's School. He graduated with a BA(Hons) degree in Visual Communication and Design from Middlesex University in 1994

Career

Before becoming an author and illustrator, he worked as an art director for The Observer Magazine, NME, Uncut, SKY Magazine and Just Seventeen.[1]

In 2014, he published his first picture book, Blown Away, about an intrepid blue penguin.[2] In 2015, he won the Waterstones Children's Book Prize for Blown Away. It was only the second picture book in history to win the prize.[3]

Several of his picture books have featured on the BBC television series CBeebies Bedtime Stories. Odd Dog Out was read by Tom Hardy in 2017, Blown Away was read by Mark Bonnar in 2017, GRRRRR! was read by Chris Kamara in 2019, Show and Tell was read by Rick Astley in 2019, and An Odd Dog Christmas was read by Tom Hardy in 2021.[4]

In 2021, he published his first middle-grade book, Peanut Jones and the Illustrated City, to critical acclaim.[5]

Biddulph was the official World Book Day illustrator between 2019 and 2021.[6]

Draw With Rob

In March 2020, Biddulph started the #DrawWithRob initiative. He began to upload a series of free, twice-weekly draw-along videos to help children looking for things to keep them occupied whilst stuck at home during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was an immediate hit, receiving millions of views worldwide, and became an important part of many children's lockdown experience.[7] On 20 May 2020, Biddulph broke the Guinness World Record for the largest ever online art class when 45,611 households joined him in drawing a blue whale via his YouTube channel. In the process, over £50,000 was raised for charity.[8] In recognition of the service he provided for thousands of children, he was named as a UK Point of Light by Boris Johnson, the British Prime Minister, in 2020, who said “As our country observed the toughest restrictions in living memory, you inspired the creative spirit of the nation with millions of families tuning in to your #DrawWithRob series and spending special time together honing their artistic skills."[9]

All of the #DrawWithRob videos are available to watch for free.[10]

Publications

  • Blown Away, 2014
  • GRRRRR!, 2015
  • Odd Dog Out, 2016
  • Sunk!, 2017
  • Kevin, 2017
  • Dinosaur Juniors: Happy Hatchday, 2018
  • Dinosaur Juniors: Give Peas a Chance, 2018
  • Dinosaur Juniors: Wide Awake, 2019
  • Show and Tell, 2019
  • Dog Gone, 2020
  • An Odd Dog Christmas, 2021
  • The Blue-footed Booby, 2022
  • Gigantic, 2023
  • Charlie McGrew & the Horse That He Drew, 2024
  • Peanut Jones and the Illustrated City, 2021
  • Peanut Jones and the Twelve Portals, 2022
  • Peanut Jones and the End of the Rainbow, 2023
  • The Draw With Rob series, 2020-2027

Collaborations

Awards and recognitions

  • 2015: Waterstones Children's Book Prize, winner (Blown Away)[11]
  • 2015: Waterstones Children's Book Prize, Best Illustrated Book, winner (Blown Away)[11]
  • 2015: Kate Greenaway Medal, nominated (Blown Away)
  • 2015: Independent Booksellers Book Award, shortlisted (Blown Away)
  • 2016: Kate Greenaway Medal, nominated (GRRRRR!)
  • 2016: Independent Booksellers Book Award, shortlisted (GRRRRR!)
  • 2017: UKLA Student Shadower's Book Award, winner (Odd Dog Out)[12]
  • 2017: BSC Festival of Literature Picture Book Award, winner (Odd Dog Out)
  • 2017: Oscar's Book Prize, shortlisted (Odd Dog Out)
  • 2017: Independent Booksellers Book Award, shortlisted (Odd Dog Out)
  • 2017: Sheffield Children's Book Award, shortlisted (Odd Dog Out)
  • 2018: Kate Greenaway Medal, nominated (Sunk!)
  • 2018: Oscar's Book Prize, shortlisted (Sunk!)
  • 2018: The People's Book Prize, shortlisted (Sunk!)
  • 2018: Kate Greenaway Medal, nominated (Kevin)
  • 2018: BSC Festival of Literature Picture Book Award, shortlisted (Kevin)
  • 2018: Independent Booksellers Book Award, shortlisted (Kevin)
  • 2018: Junior Magazine Design Awards, Gold, winner (Dinosaur Juniors: Happy Hatchday)[13]
  • 2019: Kate Greenaway Medal, nominated (Dinosaur Juniors: Give Peas a Chance)
  • 2019: BSC Festival of Literature Picture Book Award, shortlisted (Show and Tell)
  • 2020: UK Point of Light, winner[14]
  • 2020: Sainsbury's Children's Book Award, winner (Draw With Rob)[15]
  • 2020: Sheffield Children's Book Award, winner (Show and Tell)[16]
  • 2021: British Book Awards, shortlisted (Draw With Rob)
  • 2021: BSC Festival of Literature Picture Book Award, shortlisted (Dog Gone)
  • 2022: Yoto Carnegie Illustration Medal, nominated (The Blue-footed Booby)[17]
  • 2023: Fantastic Book Award, Lancashire School Library Service, winner (Peanut Jones and the Illustrated City)[18]
  • 2023: Cover of the Year, The Week Junior Book Awards, winner (Peanut Jones and the Twelve Portals)[19]

Personal life

Biddulph is married with three daughters, and lives in London.[20][21] He has a cocker spaniel called Ringo. He is a fan of Arsenal FC.

References

  1. [1]
    Biddulph, Rob (24 March 2020). "How I Work: Rob Biddulph". Creative Review (Interview). Interviewed by Rebecca Fulleylove. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  2. [2]
    Biddulph, Rob (September 20, 2014). "How to draw... a windy day" – via www.theguardian.com.
  3. [3]
    Mcaloon, Jonathan (26 March 2015). "Picture book wins 2015 Waterstones Children's Book Prize". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  4. [4]
    Lavin, Will (2021-12-24). "Watch Tom Hardy read 'An Odd Dog Christmas' for 'CBeebies Bedtime Stories'". NME. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  5. [5]
    "Children's and teens roundup – the best new picture books and novels". the Guardian. 2021-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  6. [6]
    "Telling Stories with Pictures". World Book Day. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  7. [7]
    "BBC One - Breakfast, Free drawing lessons for kids from World Book Day illustrator Rob Biddulph". BBC. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  8. [8]
    "Children's illustrator Rob Biddulph leads record-breaking art lesson". Guinness World Records. 2020-06-08. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  9. [9]
    "Draw With Rob". Points of Light. 2020-07-23. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  10. [10]
    "#DrawWithRob". Rob Biddulph. Retrieved 12 January 2023.[self-published source]
  11. [11]
    "Rob Biddulph wins Waterstones children's book prize 2015 with debut Blown Away". the Guardian. 2015-03-26. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  12. [12]
    "10th UKLA Book Awards – The Winners". ACHUKA Children's Books UK. 2018-07-08. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  13. [13]
    "Best Pre-Schooler Book 2-5 years | Junior Design Awards 2018". Junior Magazine. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  14. [14]
    "Draw With Rob". Points of Light. 2020-07-23. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  15. [15]
    "Sainsbury's Children's Book Awards 2020 Winners Announced". www.booktrust.org.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  16. [16]
    "Sheffield Children's Book Award | Sheffield City Council". www.sheffield.gov.uk. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  17. [17]
    "The Yoto Carnegies". Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  18. [18]
    "Children's top authors and illustrators crowned at awards celebration". Lancashire County Council News. 2023-06-12. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  19. [19]
    "Home". The Bookseller. Retrieved 2023-10-03.
  20. [20]
    "Rob Biddulph - Author". Love Reading. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
  21. [21]
    "Review: Show and Tell by Rob Biddulph". Mudpie Fridays. Retrieved 14 December 2022.
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