Giraffes Can’t Dance

One of my earliest memories is of a huge Kudu antelope sticking his neck in the car window to try and gobble up our sandwiches.I was born in Zimbabwe and I can still remember the smell of the huge, hot granite rocks. My older sister, my two brothers and I came back to a cold grey England when I was three.I spent a lot of my time at school doodling and painting, then did a degree in English and Philosophy at York University, where I spent a lot of time painting and doodling.I worked as a mural painter, an arts and crafts teacher and as an art therapist, among other things, before finding out that I really wanted to illustrate children's books.I've been lucky enough to work with some of the best writers of children's books. When a story is good, ideas just leap into my head and all I have to do is scribble them down.I am very proud of the fact that Giraffes Can't Dance, written by Giles Andreae, has gone on to be such an international best seller. It is such a wonderful story. Equally, the fact that several of the books I've illustrated for Tony Mitton have won awards which were voted for by children is very satisfying.I like to convey feelings in my work by using a vibrant, bouncing line, strong colours and getting expressions just right. I find it very exciting when it all comes together. Oh, and I like drawing lots of animals too.I enjoy doing school visits to talk about how I illustrate and do some drawing with the audience. I live in Brighton with my wife and three children. It's a half hour walk across the park to get to my studio, which I share with three other illustrators.

Giles is the author of many best-selling and award-winning children’s books including Giraffes Can’t Dance, Rumble in the Jungle, Pants and Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs.Giles is also the creator of the stick-man cartoon poet, Purple Ronnie, and of the playful artist/philosopher, Edward Monkton.Giles lives near Oxford with his wife and 4 young children, and has a studio overlooking the sea in Cornwall, where he writes and draws many of his best-known creations.What makes Giles most happy is playing on the beach with his family in the sunshine.