Quentin Blake, author and illustrator of over 200 books, celebrates his birthday on December 16th. He studied English literature at Cambridge, intending to become an English teacher. He later developed a life-long interest in drawing and painting studying part-time at Chelsea College of Art. A Drink of Water by John Yeoman, published in 1960, was his first book. He taught at the Royal College of Art before giving up teaching to concentrate on his own work in 1976.
Blake is best known for his collaborations with Roald Dahl: BFG won the Children's Book Award in 1983, The Witches was awarded the 1983 Whitbread Award, and Matilda was given the 1988 Children's Book Award.
He has also been given the Kate Greenaway and Hans Christian Anderson Awards. Blake was appointed the first Children's Laureate in May 1999.
He lives and works in London, Hastings, and the South West of France.
