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Mister Magnolia

by Quentin Blake

Interest age: 2+
Reading age: 6+

Published by Random House, 1999

  • Adventure
  • Picture books
  • Poetry and rhyme

About this book

Mr Magnolia has many things, such as an old trumpet that goes rooty-toot, some very fat owls learning to hoot, a big purple dinosaur who's a magnificent brute, two sisters who play the flute, and even a swimming pool. But, he still only has one boot. Then one day a mysterious parcel arrives...

This is a wonderfully whimsical nonsense rhyme in picture book format. Children will love the energy and humour of the verse, which is a treat to read aloud together. Quentin Blake's appealing, colourful illustrations including lots of fascinating details that children will enjoy picking out.

About the author

Quentin Blake was born in 1932 and read English at Cambridge, before attending Chelsea Art College. He has won many major prizes for illustration, including the Kate Greenaway Medal (1980) and the Red House Children's Book Award (1981) for Mister Magnolia. He is also the winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration and in 1990 was voted 'The Illustrator's Illustrator' by Observer Magazine. A tireless promoter of children's literature – and a long-time collaborator with roald Dahl –  Quentin Blake was awarded the OBE in 1988 and in 2005 he was awarded a CBE for services to Children's Literature. In the most recent New Year’s Honours list he has been knighted.

Quentin was the inaugural Children's Laureate (1999-2001), an experience he recorded in his book Laureate's Progress. During his time in the role, he celebrated children's books and children's book illustration with a range of projects and exhibitions, and conceived the idea for the House of Illustration, the world's first centre dedicated to the art of illustration in all its forms. 

Visit Quentin's website

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