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Judith Kerr awarded lifetime achievement prize at London zoo Judith Kerr awarded lifetime achievement prize at London zoo
(about 20 hours later)
The author and illustrator Judith Kerr, who escaped from Hitler’s Germany as a child and has gone on to write more than 30 children’s books, has received a lifetime achievement award at London zoo within a whisker of the big cats that inspired her picture book classic, The Tiger Who Came to Tea.The author and illustrator Judith Kerr, who escaped from Hitler’s Germany as a child and has gone on to write more than 30 children’s books, has received a lifetime achievement award at London zoo within a whisker of the big cats that inspired her picture book classic, The Tiger Who Came to Tea.
To the faint roars of real tigers, possibly descendants of the very beasts that inspired her first book, Kerr accepted the award on Wednesday with her trademark modesty and humour: “When a prize is given for a lifetime’s achievement, age is going to play a part and I may have an unfair advantage. Inevitably the judges must say: ‘She’s 93, she might not be around to give it to next year’, which is acutely unfair to young illustrators and authors in their 80s.”To the faint roars of real tigers, possibly descendants of the very beasts that inspired her first book, Kerr accepted the award on Wednesday with her trademark modesty and humour: “When a prize is given for a lifetime’s achievement, age is going to play a part and I may have an unfair advantage. Inevitably the judges must say: ‘She’s 93, she might not be around to give it to next year’, which is acutely unfair to young illustrators and authors in their 80s.”
Kerr also thanked the UK, “which let me in when I came as a child refugee from Hitler”, the reading charity BookTrust, which gave her the award, for its “fantastic work getting children reading”, and the tigers of London zoo themselves, “without which I probably wouldn’t be here today”. Still writing and illustrating at the age of 93, she said: “I love my work and I still do it.”Kerr also thanked the UK, “which let me in when I came as a child refugee from Hitler”, the reading charity BookTrust, which gave her the award, for its “fantastic work getting children reading”, and the tigers of London zoo themselves, “without which I probably wouldn’t be here today”. Still writing and illustrating at the age of 93, she said: “I love my work and I still do it.”
The lifetime achievement award is given by the BookTrust to celebrate a body of work by authors and illustrators who have made outstanding contributions to children’s literature. Awarded the OBE in 2012 for her services to children’s literature and Holocaust education, Kerr has sold more than 9m books worldwide, and her works have been translated into 25 languages.The lifetime achievement award is given by the BookTrust to celebrate a body of work by authors and illustrators who have made outstanding contributions to children’s literature. Awarded the OBE in 2012 for her services to children’s literature and Holocaust education, Kerr has sold more than 9m books worldwide, and her works have been translated into 25 languages.
“Her books do not shy from darkness but they show us that life carries on. Her books give us hope,” said former children’s laureate and BookTrust patron Michael Morpurgo, in a speech marking the award that moved some members of the audience to tears. He also claimed if he’d written The Tiger Who Came to Tea, he would “have had the tiger eat the child and sold around two and half copies”.“Her books do not shy from darkness but they show us that life carries on. Her books give us hope,” said former children’s laureate and BookTrust patron Michael Morpurgo, in a speech marking the award that moved some members of the audience to tears. He also claimed if he’d written The Tiger Who Came to Tea, he would “have had the tiger eat the child and sold around two and half copies”.
Nicolette Jones, chair of the judges, hailed Kerr for her “significant impact on a generation’s understanding of the Holocaust, wartime Europe, and the experience of refugees”.Nicolette Jones, chair of the judges, hailed Kerr for her “significant impact on a generation’s understanding of the Holocaust, wartime Europe, and the experience of refugees”.
She added: “She is, as it happens, an example of the benefits a nation can reap by welcoming outsiders.”She added: “She is, as it happens, an example of the benefits a nation can reap by welcoming outsiders.”
The Tiger Who Came to Tea was published in 1968 and is now one of the bestselling and most read children’s books of all time. It was a story she first told to her small daughter: “I told it so many times that the words in the book are exactly as I spoke them. The only thing that’s different is that every page started with “And” – just as I told it – and the editors suggested taking out that ‘and’, which was right!” The book has been adapted by David Wood into a successful stage play.The Tiger Who Came to Tea was published in 1968 and is now one of the bestselling and most read children’s books of all time. It was a story she first told to her small daughter: “I told it so many times that the words in the book are exactly as I spoke them. The only thing that’s different is that every page started with “And” – just as I told it – and the editors suggested taking out that ‘and’, which was right!” The book has been adapted by David Wood into a successful stage play.
Kerr went on to write 17 picture books about Mog the mischievous cat, which have delighted generations of children. A 2015 oneoff, Mog’s Christmas Calamity, was the bestselling picture book of the year, raising over £1m for Save the Children’s literacy campaign.Kerr went on to write 17 picture books about Mog the mischievous cat, which have delighted generations of children. A 2015 oneoff, Mog’s Christmas Calamity, was the bestselling picture book of the year, raising over £1m for Save the Children’s literacy campaign.
She is also the author of the biographical trilogy Out of the Hitler Time (which begins with When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit), which has been many children’s introduction to what happened in the second world war, telling the story of her family’s flight from Nazi Germany, and travels through Switzerland and France before eventually settling in England. She is also the author of the biographical trilogy Out of the Hitler Time , which begins with When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, and which has been many children’s introduction to what happened in the second world war, telling the story of her family’s flight from Nazi Germany, and travels through Switzerland and France before eventually settling in England.
Last year, at the age of 92, Judith Kerr published her first novel for 37 years, Mr Cleghorn’s Seal, and in September 2016 she is travelling to Berlin for the German publication of the book by Fischer Verlag, the publishers of her father Alfred Kerr’s books in Germany.Last year, at the age of 92, Judith Kerr published her first novel for 37 years, Mr Cleghorn’s Seal, and in September 2016 she is travelling to Berlin for the German publication of the book by Fischer Verlag, the publishers of her father Alfred Kerr’s books in Germany.
The judges of this year’s BookTrust lifetime achievement award were Nicolette Jones, human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti, author and illustrator Cressida Cowell, children’s laureate Chris Riddell, poet John Agard and BookTrust chief executive Diana Gerald.The judges of this year’s BookTrust lifetime achievement award were Nicolette Jones, human rights campaigner Shami Chakrabarti, author and illustrator Cressida Cowell, children’s laureate Chris Riddell, poet John Agard and BookTrust chief executive Diana Gerald.
Gerald said: “Great authors and illustrators bring children to books and books to children. We know that books can be the life-changing milestone in children’s lives and we want to celebrate the work of authors whose books have that kind of impact. Judith is one of those people. We are truly thrilled to be here today to honour Judith’s life’s work with this award.”Gerald said: “Great authors and illustrators bring children to books and books to children. We know that books can be the life-changing milestone in children’s lives and we want to celebrate the work of authors whose books have that kind of impact. Judith is one of those people. We are truly thrilled to be here today to honour Judith’s life’s work with this award.”
Chakrabarti said: “Judith Kerr represents the best of Britain, Europe, literature and the enduring power of storytelling and the written word. A young refugee who fled the Nazis, she grew up to make the most enormous contribution to children’s writing in the UK. As long as people read When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, there will be hope for our world.”Chakrabarti said: “Judith Kerr represents the best of Britain, Europe, literature and the enduring power of storytelling and the written word. A young refugee who fled the Nazis, she grew up to make the most enormous contribution to children’s writing in the UK. As long as people read When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, there will be hope for our world.”