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Axel Scheffler: the Gruffalo wouldn't exist without UK in EU Axel Scheffler: the Gruffalo wouldn't exist without UK in EU
(6 months later)
Axel Scheffler, the illustrator of the Gruffalo and Stick Man in Julia Donaldson’s books, has warned against a Brexit, saying that without the EU, the hugely popular children’s tales would never have existed.Axel Scheffler, the illustrator of the Gruffalo and Stick Man in Julia Donaldson’s books, has warned against a Brexit, saying that without the EU, the hugely popular children’s tales would never have existed.
After an official government report asserted that Britain leaving the EU would negatively affect the lives of millions of Britons living in Europe, as well as creating a decade of uncertainty for “financial markets, investment and the value of the pound”, Scheffler said that without British membership of the EU, as a German, he would never have come to the UK to study illustration, and would never have met Donaldson.After an official government report asserted that Britain leaving the EU would negatively affect the lives of millions of Britons living in Europe, as well as creating a decade of uncertainty for “financial markets, investment and the value of the pound”, Scheffler said that without British membership of the EU, as a German, he would never have come to the UK to study illustration, and would never have met Donaldson.
“Without British membership of the EU, millions of British children would have grown up without the Gruffalo, Room on the Broom’s witch, and Stickman – at least in their existing forms. The Gruffalo and all the other books I’ve illustrated would not have contributed to the British economy, creating jobs and revenue. Just unravelling the story of one ‘British product’, The Gruffalo, shows that Britain’s engagement with Europe is not simply a political issue, but an economic and cultural one,” said Scheffler, writing on his publisher Nosy Crow’s website about the prospect of Brexit.“Without British membership of the EU, millions of British children would have grown up without the Gruffalo, Room on the Broom’s witch, and Stickman – at least in their existing forms. The Gruffalo and all the other books I’ve illustrated would not have contributed to the British economy, creating jobs and revenue. Just unravelling the story of one ‘British product’, The Gruffalo, shows that Britain’s engagement with Europe is not simply a political issue, but an economic and cultural one,” said Scheffler, writing on his publisher Nosy Crow’s website about the prospect of Brexit.
Related: How we made: Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler on The Gruffalo
“The Gruffalo, if it had happened at all, would have been an entirely different beast. No doubt Julia would have written the text, but, assuming that it was taken on by a publisher, it wouldn’t have been illustrated by me … And without the success of The Gruffalo there might not have been all the other books Julia and I have worked on together, or all the books that Julia and I have worked on separately. The Gruffalo is a British-German creative collaboration.”“The Gruffalo, if it had happened at all, would have been an entirely different beast. No doubt Julia would have written the text, but, assuming that it was taken on by a publisher, it wouldn’t have been illustrated by me … And without the success of The Gruffalo there might not have been all the other books Julia and I have worked on together, or all the books that Julia and I have worked on separately. The Gruffalo is a British-German creative collaboration.”
The illustrator, who is also the author of the Pip and Posy books, said that he could “not quite believe that this referendum is happening. But then, many dreadful things are happening throughout the world that I cannot quite believe.The illustrator, who is also the author of the Pip and Posy books, said that he could “not quite believe that this referendum is happening. But then, many dreadful things are happening throughout the world that I cannot quite believe.
“As a German, with a deep-rooted sense of the consequences of a fractured Europe, I’m seriously concerned for the future of a united, peaceful Europe. I’m concerned for the future of the children who have grown up and are growing up with the books I illustrate,” he wrote.“As a German, with a deep-rooted sense of the consequences of a fractured Europe, I’m seriously concerned for the future of a united, peaceful Europe. I’m concerned for the future of the children who have grown up and are growing up with the books I illustrate,” he wrote.
“I know that I am just an illustrator, but I felt that, given my experience of being a German who feels at home here in the UK, I have an obligation to speak out, and given the global popularity of the books I have illustrated while I have lived in this country, maybe someone will listen to me. An open, united and peaceful Europe enriches us all. We have so much to lose by taking wrong decisions.”“I know that I am just an illustrator, but I felt that, given my experience of being a German who feels at home here in the UK, I have an obligation to speak out, and given the global popularity of the books I have illustrated while I have lived in this country, maybe someone will listen to me. An open, united and peaceful Europe enriches us all. We have so much to lose by taking wrong decisions.”
Nosy Crow publisher Kate Wilson said that Scheffler had got in touch with her about the blog “informally, feeling quite frustrated: his work is so well loved and widely recognised, but he doesn’t have a social media profile or, currently, a website.Nosy Crow publisher Kate Wilson said that Scheffler had got in touch with her about the blog “informally, feeling quite frustrated: his work is so well loved and widely recognised, but he doesn’t have a social media profile or, currently, a website.
“He felt he had no voice, and he felt he had this important thing to say, so he wondered if we could help,” she said.“He felt he had no voice, and he felt he had this important thing to say, so he wondered if we could help,” she said.
Wilson added that around 15% of Nosy Crow’s sales come from continental European countries in the EU, and that the publisher is “immersed in Europe, and a deep engagement with Europe has worked well for our business”.Wilson added that around 15% of Nosy Crow’s sales come from continental European countries in the EU, and that the publisher is “immersed in Europe, and a deep engagement with Europe has worked well for our business”.
Related: We love the Gruffalo, what other books are great for our bilingual family?
“Culturally, we feel part, not just of the world of Anglophone children’s books, which we share with the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere in the world, but with a European tradition that sees Babar, Tintin, the Moomins and Pippi Longstocking as part of a shared children’s book heritage that influences and shapes our publishing decisions,” she said. “I think this deep cultural and economic engagement enriches us in every way. I can’t, of course, speak for the rest of Nosy Crow’s staff, but, personally, I’ll be voting to stay in the EU.”“Culturally, we feel part, not just of the world of Anglophone children’s books, which we share with the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere in the world, but with a European tradition that sees Babar, Tintin, the Moomins and Pippi Longstocking as part of a shared children’s book heritage that influences and shapes our publishing decisions,” she said. “I think this deep cultural and economic engagement enriches us in every way. I can’t, of course, speak for the rest of Nosy Crow’s staff, but, personally, I’ll be voting to stay in the EU.”