David McKee grew up in Devon and studied at Plymouth College of Art. After graduation, he worked as a cartoonist alongside painting, drawing regularly for various publications, including Punch, Reader’s Digest and the Times Educational Supplement.
McKee has published over fifty picture books for children, amongst them such classics as Not Now Bernard (1980) – a darkly humorous tale of busy parents and hungry monsters – and Elmer (1989). Probably the most famous of McKee’s creations, Elmer, a patchwork elephant, appears in wide range of books, which have been translated into more than fifty languages. His other beloved characters include Mr Benn, now back in print and King Rollo, sadly still out of print.
In 2020, McKee received the Book Trust’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to children’s literature.
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