Laurence Anholt

Laurence Anholt is part of a husband-and-wife team who have worked together on more than 150 picture books, published all over the world in 30 languages. From their studios near Lyme Regis, southwest England, Catherine and Laurence Anholt have created numerous classic children's titles ranging from the inimitable 'Chimp and Zee' adventures, to Laurence's self-illustrated 'Anholt's Artists' series, an introduction to great artists for young children. Titles in the series, such as 'Camille and the Sunflowers' have become an essential part of the curriculum in schools all over the world. Laurence also collaborates with the illustrator, Arthur Robins on the hilarious 'Seriously Silly Stories' which include the Nestlé Smarties Gold Award winner, 'Snow White and the Seven Aliens'. The Anholts' books have won numerous awards and are frequently featured on television and radio. Laurence was included in the Independent on Sunday's Top 10 Children's Authors in the UK and was described by William Watt as "one of the most versatile authors writing for children today". He was brought up mainly in Holland where he developed a lasting passion for art. He then went on to study Fine Art for eight years, culminating in a Master's Degree from the Royal Academy of Art in London. Laurence Anholt is a much sought after public speaker, talking about literature and his own zany view of life at conferences such as the European Council of International Schools Conference, the Society of Authors' Bi-Annual Conference and the Edinburgh Festival. The Anholts have been closely involved with a number of national and international literacy schemes such as the UK Government funded Bookstart scheme, which encourages parents to share books with babies from the earliest possible age. Recent projects include a full-scale stage musical in Korea. The Anholts' website www.anholt.co.uk receives more than 200,000 hits per month.