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.
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.
What the Critics Said:
“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.”
“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.”
“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
In 2018 Frann was invited to be part of the Picture Book Collection by Villa Nova which produced her designs as a range of children's homeware. The collection includes rugs, wallpapers, pillows and fabrics.
