Viviane Schwarz
Viviane Schwarz is the author-illustrator of the highly acclaimed picture books There Are Cats in this Book and There Are No Cats in this Book, both of which were shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal (2009, 2012). She also illustrates picture books by her friend Alexis Deacon and their title A Place to Call Home was shortlisted for the Roald Dahl Funny prize in 2011. Viviane was named one of the Booktrust's Best New Illustrators 2011.
Three Things You Might Not Know About Me (by Viviane Schwarz):
- I always wear lipstick for difficult work, because it makes me feel more serious. Sometimes I wear it on my nose.
- There are eight pet birds flying around in my house.
- I don't put my really scary ideas into picture books; instead, I write long ghost novels, which I keep in a box.
Books
A Place to Call Home
Author: Alexis Deacon Illustrator: Vivianne Schwarz
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Interest age: 4-7
Reading age: 6+
A family of furry animals grow too big for their home in an old mattress and have to go out into the unknown world of the back yard to find a new one. This endearing and engaging picture book about growing up is told with gentle humour and illustrated with a blend of painting and photography by 2011 Best New Illustrator, Viviane Schwarz.
Cheese Belongs To You
Author: Alexis Deacon
Illustrator: Viviane Schwarz
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 4-8
Reading age: 5+
‘RAT LAW’ states that ‘Cheese Belongs To You’ – at least until someone bigger, stronger, faster, or scarier decides otherwise.
Counting with Tiny Cat
Author: Viviane Schwarz
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 2-5
Tiny Cat is counting balls of wool from 'None' through 'More' right up to 'Enough' in this beautiful and stylish picture book from the always-excellent Viviane Schwarz.
How to Be on the Moon
Author: Viviane Schwarz
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 3-5
Viviane Schwarz is a beautifully inventive picture-book maker, and this book about friendship and working as a team works wonderfully with ideas of home and belonging that are invoked by a journey to the moon.
How to Find Gold
Author: Viviane Schwarz
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 4-5
A little girl and her crocodile companion go on an imaginative adventure in search of gold. This story celebrates the imagination, play and adventure - and Schwarz's illustrations are truly lovely.
Is There a Dog In This Book?
Author: Viviane Schwarz
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 4-8
Reading age: 6+
Join the cats on this fun, interactive story as they hide from and search for the (spoiler alert) dog that is in this book. Told entirely through speech bubbles and with lots of flaps to lift, this is a book you'll want to come back to again and again.
There are Cats in this Book
Author: Viviane Schwarz
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 6+
The cats investigate boxes, play with wool and snuggle down under pillows and blankets, with much of the action revealed under the flaps.