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 60)
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. She 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.

Contents

Early life

Pichon was born on 16 August 1963 in London, England. [1] She is the daughter of Francis and Joan Pichon. 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. [2] [3]

Books

Her best-selling and multi-award-winning Tom Gates series was first published in 2011. There are currently 21 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 95000 copies to date.

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. [4]

In 2017 Pichon, Horsenden Primary School and her publisher, Scholastic Children's Books, broke the Guinness World Record for the largest disco dance. [5]

Personal life

Pichon is dyslexic. [6] [7] In 1990, she married Mark Flannery and they have three children: one son and two daughters. [3] They currently live in Brighton. [8] [2]

Works

Outside of Tom Gates

As illustrator only (selected)

Tom Gates series

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

Promotional Highlights

2017 GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for THE LARGEST DISCO DANCE

2017 CAMP BESTIVAL – Liz live on stage.  Holds the record for their longest signing queue ever!

2017 Liz promotes Tom Gates in a specially designed BIG FURRY London Taxi

2018  The spectacular BISCUITS, BANDS & VERY BIG PLANS coach tours the UK

2022  Liz attends signings and events in an amazing adapted camper van

Liz on TV

Pointless  +  BBC Breakfast  +  Celebrity Portrait Artist of the Year  +  Steph’s Packed Lunch  +  Sunday Brunch  +  Blue Peter  +  Newsround

To name a few…

Adaptions

2019 TOM GATES LIVE Stage adaptation (co-written by Liz and Neal Foster of Birmingham Stage Company) tours the UK

2020 Liz & Mark launch their TREMENDOUS TALES podcast

2021 TOM GATES THE ALBUM is released featuring songs from Tom Gates written by Liz & Mark

2021 THE BRILLIANT WORLD OF TOM GATES TV adaptation launches on Sky Kids, with Liz 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 TOM GATES feature film in development

Liz 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.

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References

  1. "FAQ's / Liz Pichon". lizpichon.com.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. "'Kids' Tapestry' by Liz Pichon marks Battle of Hastings anniversary - CBBC Newsround" . Retrieved 6 October 2018.
  5. Horsenden Primary (2 November 2017), Horsenden's Guinness World Record on BBC Breakfast , retrieved 12 October 2018
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. "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.
  9. "Blue Peter Books Awards 2013". Prizes: Blue Peter Book Awards. Booktrust. Retrieved 2014-10-15. With more information linked.