Nick Sharratt


Nick Sharratt is a British illustrator and author of children's books, whose work is split between illustrating for writers, most notably Jacqueline Wilson and Jeremy Strong, but also Giles Andreae, Julia Donaldson and Michael Rosen. He was chosen to be the official illustrator for World Book Day 2006, and has illustrated around 250 books, including over 50 books by Wilson, among them The Lottie Project, Little Darlings and The Story of Tracy Beaker which was the most borrowed library book in the UK for the first decade of the 21st century. The books on which Sharrat and Wilson have collaborated have sold more than 40 million copies in the UK and sales of picture books illustrated by Sharratt exceed 10 million.

Early life

Sharratt was born in Bexleyheath, Greater London, in 1962, and grew up in Suffolk, Nottinghamshire and Manchester, with his four siblings. He attended Manchester Polytechnic where he completed an art foundation course. He was trained in graphic design at St. Martin's School of Art and took his later inspiration from the pop and graphic art of the 1960s, which he experienced as a child.

Work

Sharratt illustrates for children's authors as well as producing his own picture books for a younger audience.
Sharratt's books include Shark in the Park, Ketchup on your Cornflakes?, What's In the Witch's Kitchen?, Don't Put Your Finger in the Jelly, Nelly!, Octopus Socktopus and My Mum and Dad make Me Laugh. With he created the million-selling You Choose. He illustrated Pants, written by Giles Andreae, and Chocolate Mousse for Greedy Goose, Goat Goes to Playgroup and Toddle Waddle by Julia Donaldson. Nick has also written two chapter books, The Cat and the King and Nice Work for the Cat and the King.
Shark in the Park has been turned into a touring theatrical show by Nonsense Room Productions. His animated illustrations were an integral part of the hugely successful CBBC series The Story of Tracy Beaker and Tracy Beaker Returns. Sharratt has a touring exhibition, 'Pirates, Pants and Wellyphants', which has been seen by 140,000 visitors to date.

Awards

Sharratt has won numerous awards including the Children's Book Award, the Nestle Children's Book Award, The Right Start Award, the Under Fives non-fiction She/WHSmith Award and the Educational Writers Award. He has won regional library book prizes in Nottingham, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Perth, Sheffield, Stockport, Southampton, Portsmouth and Somerset, was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2002 and is a fellow of Hereford College of Art. He is also a recipient of a gold Blue Peter badge. Sharratt's work has been exhibited in Britain, Italy, Japan and the U.S.