Judith Kerr’s Creatures: A Celebration of Her Life and Work

Hardcover | 22.6 x 2.2 x 28.6 cm | 176 pp

Harper Collins | 2023 | 9780007513215

A lavishly illustrated retrospective in celebration of 100 years since Judith Kerr’s birth, author of The Tiger Who Came to Tea and many other iconic books.

Judith Kerr was one of the best-loved authors and illustrators to ever put pencil to paper. The books she created, including The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Mog the Forgetful Cat, When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit and many many more, have become classics of children’s literature, loved by generations of readers.

But what of the life behind the iconic characters? Judith’s own story is riveting, from her early childhood in Berlin, dramatically cut short by the family having to flee the rising Nazi Party, to her time at the BBC in the 1950s and her long and happy marriage to the celebrated screenwriter Nigel Kneale, creator of British television’s first major hit, The Quatermass Experiment.

The joy of this very special book is in hearing this story from Judith herself, accompanied by a treasure trove of illustrations and memorabilia. All combine to give an unforgettable insight into the creative process behind these beloved stories.

In this 2023 updated centenary edition, Kerr's final working years have been wonderfully evoked in a new chapter written by her son, the author, Matthew Kneale.