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Benji Davies

Join author-illustrator, Benji Davies, as he discusses how he made his picture books, 'Tad' and 'The Snowflake'.

About The Author:

Benji Davies is an illustrator, author and animation director. His first self-penned picture book, 'The Storm Whale', was the winner of the inaugral Oscar's First Book Prize in 2014 and was also shortlisted for Booktrust's Best Book Awards. His next picture book, 'Grandad's Island', won the children's book professional category at the Association Of Illustrator's prestigious World Illustration Awards and also picked up the Sainsbury's Best Picture Book Award and was crowned overall Sainsbury's Children's Book of the Year 2015. Benji has worked on a diverse array of projects, from picture books and animated short films to music videos, commercials and title sequences. His books have been published in many languages and countries around the world. He lives in London with his wife and daughter.

About 'The Snowflake':

High, high up in the clouds a tiny snowflake is made. Perfectly small, fluffy, crystal and white, it tumbles and bounces inside the cloud. But then she begins to fall… Exquisitely told and beautifully illustrated, The Snowflake tells the tale of one snowflake and one little girl – both longing for something and looking for their own special place in the world. 'The Snowflake' is an utterly unforgettable and classic picture book from the multi-award winning and internationally bestselling picture-book creator, Benji Davies.

 

About 'Tad':

Meet Tad. She’s the smallest tadpole in a big pond, and lives there with all her tadbrothers and tadsisters. Although something else lives there too… BIG BLUB! And when everyone else starts to disappear, Tad starts to wonder if Big Blub will get her too… Or is everyone else going somewhere else; somewhere better? And if so, will Tad ever get there too? A big story about a tiny tadpole – about growing up, branching out, and taking a leap into life.

 

 

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An Introduction to 'Tad'

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The Inspiration behind 'Tad'

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A Reading from 'Tad'

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Benji's Creative Challenge

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Did you have to research how tadpoles turn into frogs?

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Is there a message behind the story of 'Tad'?

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What design choices did you make when creating the book?

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How does your use of colour help tell the story?

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How do you create a sense of movement in your underwater illustrations?

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Do you have a favourite illustration?

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An Introduction to 'The Snowflake'

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The Inspiration behind 'The Snowflake'

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A Reading from 'The Snowflake'

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Benji's Creative Challenge

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How did you create a festive, wintry atmosphere in the book?

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How did you bring Snowflake to life?

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Do you have a planning process?

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How do the illustrations and text work together to tell the story?

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Do you have a favourite illustration from the book?

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How long does it take to illustrate a book?

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Resource Download: 'Tad' Extract

Resource Download: 'The Snowflake' Extract