Liz Pichon

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Liz Pichon
Liz Pichon 20181206.jpg
Pichon in Waterstones at Piccadilly, London in 2018
Born (1963-08-16) 16 August 1963 (age 61)
London, England
OccupationAuthor and illustrator
Education Camberwell School of Art
Genres Children's
Notable works Tom Gates series
SpouseMark Flannery
Children3
Website
lizpichon.com

Liz Pichon (born 16 August 1963) is a British author and illustrator of children's books who is best known for her Tom Gates series of "satirical realist comedy fiction", which has sold 16.5 million copies and has been translated into 44 languages across 47 international markets.[ citation needed ]

Contents

Early life

Liz Pichon was born on 16 August 1963 in London, England. [1] She is the daughter of Francis and Joan Pichon. Pichon grew up in Hampstead. She attended Brookfield Primary School in Highgate and then St Augustine's in Kilburn. [2] She received a BA in graphic design at the Camberwell School of Art. Her first job was as an art director for the music label Jive Records, a position she held between 1987 and 1990. [3] [4]

Books

Her Tom Gates series was first published in 2011. There are currently 23 books in the Tom Gates series, as well as a special £1 book produced for World Book Day in 2013, a Tom Gates Annual, a Tom Gates Activity Book and a Tom Gates Music Book.

Shoe Wars, Pichon's new middle-grade title, was published in October 2020 during lockdown and has sold 95,000 copies.

Meet The Mubbles is a graphic novel series, published by Macmillan Children's books in 2025.

Events

In 2016, Pichon created the "Kids' Tapestry", a children's version of the Bayeux Tapestry, featuring historical events to the mark the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings. [5]

In 2017, Pichon, Horsenden Primary School and her publisher, Scholastic Children's Books, broke the Guinness World Record for the largest disco dance. [6]

Personal life

Pichon is dyslexic. [7] [8] In 1990, she married Mark Flannery and they have three children: one son and two daughters. [4] They currently live in Brighton. [9] [3]

Awards

Runner-up:

The Brilliant World of Tom Gates - TV SHOW - BAFTA SCOTLAND 2021 Award - WINNER Best Entertainment

Writers: Ben Ward, Liz Pichon.

BRITISH ANIMATION AWARDS: Children's Choice Award

SHOE WARS - WINNER 2022 (SPAIN) FESTILIJC3 Torre del Agua Translation By Daniel Cortes Coronas

Adaptations

2019 Tom Gates Live's stage adaptation (co-written by Pichon and Neal Foster of Birmingham Stage Company) toursed the UK.

2020 Pichon and Flannery launched their Tremendous Tales podcast.

2021 Tom Gates: The Album is released, featuring songs from Tom Gates written by Pichon and Flannery.

2021 The Brilliant World of Tom Gates TV adaptation launches on Sky Kids, with Pichon co-writing and presenting. Innovative mix of animation, songs, and creative makes & draws. Third series launched January 2024. Awards: Scottish BAFTA; British Animation Awards Children’s Choice; Kidscreen Best Mixed Media series

2024 A Tom Gates feature film in development.

Pichon also designed the 2022 and 2023 Children in Need T-shirts for the BBC, which have been the most successful T-shirts in the charity’s history.

Works

Outside of Tom Gates

As illustrator only (selected)

Tom Gates series

References

  1. ↑ "FAQ's / Liz Pichon". lizpichon.com.
  2. ↑ Galton, Bridget (29 September 2023). "Tom Gates author Liz Pichon on dyslexia and growing up in Hampstead". Ham & High. Retrieved 14 March 2025.
  3. 1 2 Lambert, Victoria (10 August 2016). "Liz Pichon on how dyslexia inspired her Tom Gates children's books - and made them a global phenomenon". The Telegraph. Retrieved 9 December 2017– via www.telegraph.co.uk.
  4. 1 2 "Pichon, Liz, (born 16 Aug. 1963), author and illustrator, since 1990". WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 2019. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U291093. ISBN   978-0-19-954088-4 . Retrieved 16 August 2021.
  5. ↑ "'Kids' Tapestry' by Liz Pichon marks Battle of Hastings anniversary - CBBC Newsround" . Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  6. ↑ Horsenden Primary (2 November 2017), Horsenden's Guinness World Record on BBC Breakfast , retrieved 12 October 2018
  7. ↑ Hilpern, Kate (12 January 2017). "12 best kids' books for dyslexic and reluctant readers". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 November 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  8. ↑ Snead, Florence (11 December 2019). "Christmas appeal: Dyslexic author Liz Pichon on stress of reading aloud at school and the difference volunteers can make". inews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 6 December 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
  9. ↑ "Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2011". Prizes Archive: Roald Dahl Funny Prize. Booktrust. Retrieved 2014-10-15. With more information linked, including 17 November 2011 interview of Pichon.
  10. ↑ "Blue Peter Books Awards 2013". Prizes: Blue Peter Book Awards. Booktrust. Retrieved 2014-10-15. With more information linked.
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