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Photo credit: Sophie Harris-Taylor
Frann Preston - Gannon is an award winning illustrator and designer whose work has been published around the world. She has been fortunate to work with an array of publishers including Pavillion, Nosy Crow, Walker, Lonely Planet, Templar, Chronical Books, Wren and Rook, Beach Lane, Henry Holt and Harper Collins USA.
In April 2011 she became the first UK recipient of the 'Sendak Fellowship' and spent the Autumn of that year living with and learning from the great master of illustration, Maurice Sendak, at his home in Connecticut.
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Her first picturebook, The Journey Home, was published in October 2012 and was shortlisted for both the Waterstones Children's Prize and the Cambridgeshire 'Read it Again' book Prize. It has also been shortlisted by Junior Magazine for 'Best Picture Book' and 'New Talent'. It was nominated for the Kate Greenaway in 2014. In April 2015 The Journey Home was reimagined as a play by the London based puppet theatre, Little Angels.
Walking with Maurice. Photo credit: Robert Timmins
The Autumn of 2018 saw the publication of I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree by Nosy Crow and in collaboration with the National Trust. The book boasts 366 nature poems for children and took over 2 years to illustrate.
It was awarded the Waterstones Children's Gift of the Year 2018 and won the Big Book Awards 2019.
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What the Critics Said:
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“For those keen to introduce their children to poetry, I am the Seed that Grew the Tree is a classic in the making,
a book the whole family will cherish for years to come.”
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“A huge year-round compendium of nature poetry chosen by Fiona Waters, with colourful images
by Frann Preston-Gannon beckoning the reader like seed on a bird table.”
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“This is an absolutely beautiful (if rather heavy!) book…
I’m sure it will help to create very many young poetry and nature enthusiasts.”
Julia Donaldson, BookTrust
Awards
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Winner of the Sendak Fellowship 2011
Shortlisted for Waterstones Children's prize 2013 - The Journey Home
Shortlisted for Junior Magazine 'Best Picture Book' and 'New Talent' awards 2013 - The Journey Home
Shortlisted for "Read it Again!" Cambridgeshire Picture Book Award 2013 - The Journey Home
Nomination for Kate Greenaway Award 2014 - The Journey Home
Gold medal NAPPA (national parenting publication) awards - Hot Dog Cold Dog
Shortlisted for the Nottingham Children's Award 2017 - Dave's Cave
Junior Library Guild Selection Award 2016 - Because of an Acorn
Longlisted for the Green Earth Book Award 2017 - Because of an Acorn
Bronze medal 3x3 annual no.8 - Unpublished work
Winner Waterstones Children's Gift of the Year 2018 - I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree
Shortlist British Book Award 2019 - I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree
Winner Red Big Book Awards 2019 - I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree
Winner Children's 0 - 8 Trade category BBDP Award 2019 - I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree
Nominated for the Kate Greenaway Award 2020 - I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree
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