Stick Man

Last updated
Stick Man
Stick Man (front cover).jpg
Author Julia Donaldson
Illustrator Axel Scheffler
LanguageEnglish
Genre Children's
Publisher Macmillan
Publication date
1 September 2008
Publication placeUnited Kingdom
Pages32
ISBN 978-1407108827

Stick Man, written by former Children's Laureate Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, is a children's story about an anthropomorphic wooden stick who becomes separated from his family home and his Odyssey -like adventure to return there. He is eventually reunited with his family in the "family tree" as a result of his interaction with Father Christmas. It takes place in England.

Contents

Stick Man has sold over 2 million copies worldwide [1] and has been adapted into a short animated film and a successful stage play.

Awards

Adaptations

The book was adapted into a short animated film by Jeroen Jaspaert and Daniel Snaddon in 2015, featuring the voice talents of Martin Freeman, Sally Hawkins, Jennifer Saunders, Hugh Bonneville and Rob Brydon and produced by Magic Light Pictures , the production team responsible for the Oscar-nominated short films The Gruffalo and Room on the Broom . The film premiered on BBC 1 on 25 December 2015 and was watched by 9.27 million viewers, [4] being the fourth most-watched programme in the United Kingdom that day. [5]

A stage play has also been created based on the original book which has been praised by Time Out [6] and the Independent [7] as well as an audio edition narrated by Imelda Staunton.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roald Dahl</span> British writer and poet (1916–1990)

Roald Dahl was a British author of popular children's literature and short stories, a poet, screenwriter and a wartime fighter ace. His books have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. He has been called "one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century".

<i>Charlie and the Chocolate Factory</i> 1964 childrens novel by Roald Dahl

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a 1964 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. The story features the adventures of young Charlie Bucket inside the chocolate factory of eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka.

<i>The BFG</i> 1982 childrens novel by Roald Dahl

The BFG is a 1982 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. It is an expansion of a short story from Dahl's 1975 novel Danny, the Champion of the World. The book is dedicated to Dahl's oldest daughter, Olivia, who had died of measles encephalitis at the age of seven in 1962.

<i>Matilda</i> (novel) 1988 childrens novel by Roald Dahl

Matilda is a 1988 children's novel by British author Roald Dahl. It was published by Jonathan Cape. The story features Matilda Wormwood, a precocious child with an uncaring mother and father, and her time in a school run by the tyrannical headmistress Miss Trunchbull.

<i>The Gruffalo</i> Book by Julia Donaldson

The Gruffalo is a British children's picture book by author Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. It tells the story of a mouse taking a walk in the woods and deceiving different predators, including the Gruffalo. The Gruffalo was first published in 1999 in the United Kingdom by Macmillan Children's Books. It is about 700 words long and is written in rhyming couplets featuring repetitive verse. It is an example of a trickster story and was inspired by a Chinese folk tale called "The Fox that Borrows the Terror of a Tiger". The Gruffalo has sold over 13.5 million copies and has won several prizes for children's literature including the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Donaldson</span> English writer and playwright (born 1948)

Julia Catherine Donaldson is an English writer and playwright, and the 2011–2013 Children's Laureate. She is best known for her popular rhyming stories for children, especially those illustrated by Axel Scheffler, which include The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and Stick Man. She originally wrote songs for children's television but has concentrated on writing books since the words of one of her songs, "A Squash and a Squeeze", were made into a children's book in 1993. Of her 184 published works, 64 are widely available in bookshops. The remaining 120 are intended for school use and include her Songbirds phonic reading scheme, which is part of the Oxford University Press's Oxford Reading Tree.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Axel Scheffler</span> German illustrator and animator (born 1957)

Axel Scheffler is a German illustrator and animator based in London. He is best known for his cartoon-like pictures for children's books, in particular The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child, written by Julia Donaldson. He has also authored/illustrated the Pip and Posy series of books for children.

Philip Ardagh is an English children's author, primarily known for the Eddie Dickens series of books. He has written more than 100 books including adult fiction and children's non-fiction.

James Robertson is a Scottish writer who is the author of several novels, short stories and poetry collections. Robertson was born in Sevenoaks, England but grew up in Bridge of Allan, Stirlingshire. He has published seven novels: The Fanatic, Joseph Knight, The Testament of Gideon Mack, And the Land Lay Still, The Professor of Truth, and To Be Continued… and News of the Dead. The Testament of Gideon Mack was long-listed for the 2006 Man Booker Prize.

<i>The Gruffalos Child</i> Book by Julia Donaldson

The Gruffalo's Child is a British children's picture book by writer and playwright Julia Donaldson, and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. It is the bestselling sequel to The Gruffalo and won the 2005 National Book Awards Children's Book of the Year. The book has been adapted into theatrical productions since 2005 and was adapted into the 2011 animated film The Gruffalo's Child.

<i>The Gruffalo</i> (film) 2009 multi-national TV series or program

The Gruffalo is a 2009 animated fantasy short television film based on the 1999 picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

Russell Ayto is an English author and illustrator of children's books including many picture books.

<i>The Gruffalos Child</i> (film) 2011 film

The Gruffalo's Child is a 2011 animated fantasy short television film based on the 2004 picture book of the same name written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. A sequel to The Gruffalo, the film was shown on Christmas Day 2011 in the United Kingdom, exactly two years after the debut of the first film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic Light Pictures</span> British film production company

Magic Light Pictures Limited is a British independent film and television production company based in London. The company was founded in 2003 by producers Martin Pope and Michael Rose.

Andy Mulligan is a French writer best known for young adult fiction. His work is strongly influenced by his experiences as a volunteer worker in Calcutta, India, and as an English and drama teacher in Brazil, Vietnam, the Philippines, and the UK. He has been married to Anne Robinson since their elopement in 2015.

Room on the Broom is a 2012 short stop motion computer animated television film based on the picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. The film was nominated for the Best Animated Short Film at the 2014 Academy Awards. It also won the British Academy Children's Award for Animation in 2013.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Liz Pichon</span> British author and illustrator of childrens books

Liz Pichon 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.

<i>Zog</i> (childrens book) 2010 childrens book by Julia Donaldson

Zog is a 2010 children's picture book by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, about a young accident-prone dragon, named Zog, who wants to be the best student in dragon school.

Michael Peter Rose OBE is a British film producer and co-founder of Magic Light Pictures, a London-based independent film production company. In 2023 Rose was awarded the OBE for services to animation.

Martin Pope is a British film producer and co-founder of Magic Light Pictures, a London-based independent film production company.

References

  1. "Gruffalo creator Julia Donaldson's interview about Stick Man". radiotimes.com. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  2. "Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2008 | Book Trust". booktrust.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  3. "The Royal Mail Scottish Children's Book Awards. Winners. Shortlists". literaryfestivals.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-04-26. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  4. Limepark Studios. "Film - Stick Man". stickmanofficial.com. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  5. "Christmas Day ratings: Downton Abbey most watched-show of 2015". radiotimes.com. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  6. "Stick Man | Theatre in London". timeout.com. Retrieved 2016-07-13.
  7. "Stick Man, Leicester Square Theatre, London (4/5) | Reviews | Culture | The Independent" . independent.co.uk. 28 November 2011. Archived from the original on 2022-05-25. Retrieved 2016-07-13.