Catherine Rayner has been selected as one of The Big Picture campaign's Best New Illustrators in 2008. An absolutely delightful picture book for parent and child to share from a very talented new author and illustrator who is also the well-deserved winner of the ‘Early Years – Best New Illustrator Award’. The opposing emotions of happiness and sadness are conveyed quite beautifully throughout Augustus’s story until at last his smile returns because he starts looking at the wonderful world around him.
Catherine Rayner was born in Harrogate and now lives in Edinburgh. She has a BA Hons in Visual Communication and Illustration from Leeds College of Art and Edinburgh College of Art. Much of her inspiration – and occasionally modelling! – for her illustration comes from her pets: her horse Shannon, guinea pig Marvin, dog Ellie, cat Emma and two goldfish, Bruce and Sheila. Catherine was shortlisted for the Booktrust Early Years Award Best New Illustrator in 2006, and she won the prestigious Kate Greenaway Medal in 2009.
Julia Eccleshare, the editorial expert on Lovereading4kids says, Prize winning illustrator Catherine Rayner has created stunning picture books introducing delightful characters including Harris, a hare with exceptionally large feet and Ernest, a moose who is determined to get himself into a book – no mean feat when you are too big to fit in the pages. Gorgeous, warmly coloured large scale pictures lie at the heart of Catherine’s work.
