Kes Gray
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Kes Gray | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960 (age 65–66) Chelmsford, England |
| Known for | Children's Literature |
| Notable work | Oi Frog! |
Kes Gray (born 1960) is a British author of children's books.
Awards
Gray attended Great Baddow Comprehensive, then graduated from the University of Kent with an honours degree in English and American literature.[1]
He is one of the UK's bestselling writers for children, with over two million copies of his stories sold.[2] He is known for the award-winning Daisy picture books, illustrated by Nick Sharratt, the chart-topping Oi! series illustrated by Jim Field and a collaboration with the athlete Mo Farah.[3] The Oi! series books were narrated as audiobooks by comedian and actor David Mitchell,[4] who also narrated Gray's books, How Many Legs? and Quick Quack Quentin.
Gray was listed as one of the top ten children's authors in the UK in 2003.[5] As well as the awards listed below, he has been shortlisted for the British Book Awards.[6]
- 2020: winner in the Favourite Characters category, Sainsbury's Children's Book Award, for Oi! See It, Say It!. Hachette Children's. 25 June 2020. ISBN 978-1-4449-5685-6.[7]
- 2017: winner in the Best Laugh Out Loud Picture Book category, Laugh Out Loud Book Awards (aka "the Lollies"), for Oi Dog!. Hachette Children's. 28 July 2016. ISBN 978-1-4449-2897-6.[8]
- 2001: winner in the Picture Book category, and overall winner, Red House Children's Book Award, for Eat Your Peas. Dorling Kindersley. 2000. ISBN 978-0-7894-2667-3.[9][10][11]
Stage adaptation
In 2019, Hughes and Pins & Needles Productions adapted Gray and Field's children's book series Oi Frog and Friends for the stage.[12] The script was developed and written by Richy Hughes, Emma Earle, Zoe Squire and Luke Bateman, with lyrics by Hughes. The production premiered at Frensham Heights School in October 2019,[13] before going on to a critically acclaimed run at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End.[14] In 2020, the show was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Family Show.[15]
