Kes Gray
About Author
Kes Gray was born on 8 September 1960 in Chelmsford. He attended Great Baddow Comprehensive, gaining 6 O Levels and 3 A Levels, before going on to study for a B.A. Hons in English and American Literature at Kent University in Canterbury. He graduated with a 2:1. Kes has also got a Grade A Diploma in Advertising Writing.
As an Advertising copyrighter, Kes has created national T.V. campaigns for Carling Black Label, Prudential, Lloyds TSB and the NSPCC amongst many others. Kes says that he lives for ideas and that ideas are everything.
Having ideas is something that Kes does well and when hes not developing them for advertising clients he is having them for childrens books. When hes not having them for childrens books hes having ideas for film, T.V., toys, restaurants and anything else he can think of!
Kes believes that too many childrens books rely too heavily on the illustrative content and that all books aimed at children should be as well written as they are illustrated. Childrens books, Kes says should be fresh, insightful and fun; a happy marriage between a great idea and a very talented illustrator. Kes gains inspiration and ideas everywhere and thinks that its just a case of spotting them. His best idea to date? Writing childrens books of course!
Kes works with the hugely talented Nick Sharratt on the much-loved Daisy books. 'Eat Your Peas' was voted Best Picture Book and Overall Winner of The Childrens Book Award 2001 (the first picture book in 10 years to be voted as the overall winner of this award). 'Eat Your Peas' also won The Sheffield Childrens Book Award, The Experian Big 3 Award (5-7 years) and the Stockport Book Award in 2001. The other Daisy books include '006 And A Bit', 'Yuk!', 'Really Really', 'A Bunch of Daisies' and most recently 'Tiger Ways' and 'Accidentally on Purpose', a split level book which shows Daisy at her most mischievous!
Kes has also written 'Billy's Bucket' illustrated by Garry Parsons which was shortlisted for the Nottingham Childrens Book Award 2005 and won The Red House Childrens Book Award 2004 and the Stockport Schools Book Award 2004, and 'Our Twitchy', a humorous, touching story that tackles the difficult subject of adoption in a sensitive way, which was longlisted for the Greenaway Award 2004 and shortlisted for the Stockport Schools Book Award 2004.
In 2007 Kes started writing for the Daisy fans who were ready to move onto chapter books with his new series 'Daisy and the Trouble With...' The first book was 'Daisy and the Trouble with Life' and included a fab free bookmark and a Trouble Index. Since then there have been 2 more books, 'Daisy and the Trouble with Zoos' and 'Daisy and the Trouble with Giants'. Look out for the brand new adventure 'Daisy and the Trouble with Kittens' out in 2009 to find out how Daisy manages to get herself into whole heaps of trouble...with kittens!
Author link
www.daisyclub.co.uk;www.kidsatrandomhouse.co.uk
Interview
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