David Parkins was Born 1955, in Wales.
Career
Illustrator. Formerly worked for educational publishers; freelance illustrator; political cartoonist and cartoonist (with others) for British comic “The Beano.”
Awards, Honors
Nottinghamshire Libraries Acorn Award, 1993, for Blooming Cats by David R. Morgan; Smarties Book Prize shortlist, and Kurt Maschler Award shortlist, both 1994, both for Prowlpuss by Gina Wilson; National Art Library Illustration Award, 1994, for Prowlpuss, 1998, for Aunt Nancy and Old Man Trouble;Saskatchewan Young Readers Choice Golden Willow Award shortlist, 2006, for Clip Clop, by Eleanor Koldovsky.
Illustrator
PICTURE BOOKS
Angus Macaulay, Leonie and the Lion, Oxford University Press (Oxford, England), 1988.
John A. Cunliffe, The Minister’s Cat: A Cat-and-Mouse Chase through the Alphabet, Andre Deutsch (London, England), 1989.
Barrie Wade, Give a Dog a Name, Scholastic (London, England), 1992.
Eileen Browne, No Problem, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1993.
David R. Morgan, Blooming Cats, Scholastic (London, England), 1993.
Eileen Browne, Tick-Tock, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1994.
Gina Wilson, Prowlpuss, Walker Books (London, England), 1994, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1995.
Martin Jenkins, Fly Traps!: Plants That Bite Back, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1996.
Jan Mark, God’s Story: How God Made Mankind, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1997.
Phyllis Root, Aunt Nancy and Old Man Trouble,Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1998.
Phyllis Root, Aunt Nancy and Cousin Lazybones, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1998.
Marie-Agnes Gaudrat, Le petit ogre veut aller a l’école, Bayard Jeunesse (Paris, France), 2000.
Martin Waddell, Webster J. Duck, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2001.
Marie-Agnes Gaudrat, Attends, Madeleine!,Bayard Jeunesse (Paris, France), 2001.
Françoise Moreau-Dubois, Le placard aux sorcieres, Bayard Jeunesse (Paris, France), 2001.
Veronique Caylou, La sorciere qui rapetissait les enfants, Bayard Jeunesse (Paris, France), 2002.
Geraldine McCaughrean, The Epic of Gilgamesh, Walker Books (London, England), 2002, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers (Grand Rapids, MI), 2003.
Marie-Agnes Gaudrat, Le monstre amoureux,Bayard Jeunesse (Paris, France), 2003.
Laura Leuck, Jeepers Creepers: A Monstrous ABC, Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 2003.
Richard Platt, Egyptian Diary: The Journal of Nakht, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2005.
Julie Markes, Shhhhh! Everybody’s Sleeping,HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.
Alice Schertle, The Adventures of Old Bo Bear,Chronicle Books (San Francisco, CA), 2005.
Marie-Agnes Gaudrat, Le petit ogre veut voir le monde, Bayard Jeunesse (Paris, France), 2005.
Eleanor Koldovsky, Clip Clop, Tundra Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2006.
FICTION; FOR CHILDREN
Jan Mark, Nothing to Be Afraid Of, Kestrel Books (London, England), 1980.
Alan Spooner, Rainbow Cake, Kestrel Books (London, England), 1981.
Gillian Cross, The Dark behind the Curtain,Oxford University Press (Oxford, England), 1982.
Jan Mark, Handles, Kestrel Books (London, England), 1983.
Jan Mark, Trouble Half-Way, Kestrel Books (London, England), 1985, Atheneum (New York, NY), 1986.
John Cunliffe, Standing on a Strawberry, Andre Deutsch (London, England), 1987.
Penelope Lively, A House inside Out, Andre Deutsch (London, England), 1987, E.P. Dutton (New York, NY), 1988.
Judy Corbalis, Oskar and the Ice Pick, Andre Deutsch (London, England), 1988, published as The Ice Cream Heroes, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1989.
Dick King-Smith, Paddy’s Pot of Gold, Crown Publishers (New York, NY), 1990.
Dick King-Smith, The Water Horse, Viking (London, England), 1990, Crown Publishers (New York, NY), 1998.
Maggie Pearson, Stan’s Dragon, Hodder & Stoughton (London, England), 1991.
Judy Corbalis, Flying Pig to the Rescue,Hodder & Stoughton (London, England), 1991.
Dick King-Smith, Dodos Are Forever, Kestrel Books (London, England), 1991.
Dick King-Smith, The Cuckoo Child, Kestrel Books (London, England), 1991.
Dick King-Smith, Pretty Polly, Kestrel Books (London, England), 1991.
Julie Corbalis, Put a Sock in It Percy, Scholastic (London, England), 1994.
Jenny Nimmo, Ronnie and the Giant Millipede,Walker Books (London, England), 1995.
Martin Waddell, The Perils of Lord Reggie Parrot, Walker Books (London, England), 1997.
Paul Cookson, editor, Teachers’ Pets, Macmillan (London, England), 1999.
Paul Cookson, editor, You Are Not Alone,Macmillan (London, England), 1999.
Paul Cookson, editor, Ridiculous Relatives,Macmillan (London, England), 1999.
Nick Toczek, editor, Never Stare at a Grizzly Bear, Macmillan (London, England), 1999.
Paul Cookson and David Harmer, editors, Spill the Beans, Macmillan (London, England), 2000.
Nick Toczek, editor, Join in or Else, Macmillan (London, England), 2000.
Paul Cookson, editor, Superheroes, Macmillan (London, England), 2000.
Paul Cookson, editor, The Evil Doctor Mucus Spleen, Macmillan (London, England), 2001.
Paul Cookson, editor, My Mate Fancies You,Random House UK (London, England), 2001.
Paul Cookson, editor, Turn That Racket Down,Random House UK (London, England), 2001.
Paul Cookson, editor, How to Embarrass Grown Ups, Macmillan (London, England), 2003.
Susan Price, The Wolf’s Footprint, Hodder (London, England), 2003.
Geraldine McCaughrean, Dog Days, Hodder (London, England), 2003.
Sally Grindley, Captain Pepper’s Pets,Kingfisher (Boston, MA), 2004.
Linda Smith, The Inside Tree, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2006.
Paul Cookson, editor, How to Embarrass Teachers, Macmillan (London, England), 2006.
Paul Cookson, editor, Trick or Treat, Macmillan (London, England), 2006.
“STONE QUARTET” NOVELS
Roger J. Green, The Lengthening Shadow,Oxford University (Oxford, England), 1984.
Roger J. Green, The Fear of Samuel Walton,Oxford University (Oxford, England), 1984.
Roger J. Green, The Devil Finds Work, Oxford University (Oxford, England), 1984.
Roger J. Green, They Watched Him Die, Oxford University (Oxford, England), 1984.
“SOPHIE BOOKS” SERIES; FOR CHILDREN
Dick King-Smith, Sophie’s Snail, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1989.
Dick King-Smith, Sophie’s Tom, Walker Books (London, England), 1989, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1991.
Dick King-Smith, Sophie Hits Six, Walker Books (London, England), 1989, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1993.
Dick King-Smith, Sophie in the Saddle, Walker Books (London, England), 1989, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1994.
Dick King-Smith, Sophie Is Seven, Walker Books (London, England), 1989, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1995.
Dick King-Smith, Sophie’s Lucky, Walker Books (London, England), 1989, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 1996.
“SCARY STORIES” SERIES; FOR CHILDREN
Veronika Martinova-Charles, Don’t Go in There!,Tundra Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2007.
Veronika Martinova-Charles, Don’t Go near the Water!, Tundra Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2007.
Veronika Martinova-Charles, Don’t Open the Door!, Tundra Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2007.
Veronika Martinova-Charles, Don’t Walk Alone at Night!, Tundra Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2007.
Veronika Martinova-Charles, Don’t Go into the Forest!, Tundra Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2007.
Sidelights
British-born artist David Parkins has worked as a fulltime illustrator since 1978, when he graduated from the Lincoln College of Art. Among the long list of books for children that have benefited from Parkins’ diverse illustration styles are Paul Cookson’s poetry anthology Trick or Treat, Julie Markes’s picture book Shhhhh! Everybody’s Sleeping, Geraldine McCaughrean’s retelling of the Epic of Gilgamesh, and The Adventures of Old Bo Bear, by Alice Schertle. Praising Parkins’ versatility as an artist, Patricia D. Lothrop wrote in a School Library Journal review of Gilgamesh the Hero that the “thick, dark line” Parkins incorporates into his art “gains energy from its rough, unfinished edges,” making McCaughrean’s modern-day retelling “slightly archaic and wholly vigorous.” In addition to book illustration, Parkins has also worked as a political cartoonist: prior to his move across the Atlantic to Canada in 2006 his satiric renderings appeared in London’s Guardian and Observer newspapers.
Described as “wonderfully expansive and enticing” by School Library Journal contributor Martha Topol, Shhhhh! gains in its ability to comfort young children due
to Markes’ slight text and Parkins’ “bright, dynamic paintings.” The illustrator’s use of “rounded shapes” and pleasing palette make “each spread as inviting as a down comforter on a cold winter night,” a Publishers Weeklycontributor noted of the storybook. The critic also cited the “sly comic details” featured in Parkins’ art. A well-loved teddy survives the washing machine, then returns to his status as best friend to a little boy with a big imagination in The Adventures of Old Bo Bear. Parkins accompanies Schertle’s rhyming text for this title with double-page acrylic-and-pencil illustrations that were described as “irresistibly charming” by Booklist reviewer Julie Cummins. Marge Loch-Wouters, reviewing the same book for School Library Journal, predicted that the tale “will resonate with all kids who have much-loved stuffed animals facing the washing machine,” while a Kirkus Reviews critic praised Parkins’ “bold, detailed and mirthful” art. “With prankish charm,” the critic added, “Schertle and Parkins cleverly herald the delights of imaginative play.”
Biographical and Critical Sources
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 1, 1994, Kay Weisman, review of Sophie in the Saddle, p. 1448; June 1, 1994, Kay Weisman, review of Tick-Tock, p. 1835; May 1, 1996, Carolyn Phelan, review of Sophie’s Lucky, p. 1506; October 1, 1998, Ilene Cooper, review of God’s Story: How God Made Mankind, p. 343; November 15, 1998, John Peters, review of Aunt Nancy and Cousin Lazybones, p. 219; October 1, 1999, Stephanie Zvirin, review of God’s Story, p. 373; December 15, 2004, Carolyn Phelan, review of Shhhhh! Everybody’s Sleeping, p. 738; November 15, 2005, Nancy Kim, review of Egyptian Diary: The Journal of Nakht, p. 47; February 1, 2006, Julie Cummins, review of The Adventures of Old Bo Bear, p. 57.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books,March, 1994, review of Sophie in the Saddle, p. 224; December, 1998, review of Aunt Nancy and Cousin Lazybones, p. 144; January, 2004, Janice Del Negro, review of Gilgamesh the Hero, p. 198.
Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2001, review of Webster J. Duck, p. 1134; December 15, 2004, review of Shhhhh!, p. 1205; November 1, 2005, review of Egyptian Diary, p. 1187; January 15, 2006, review of The Adventures of Old Bo Bear,p. 89.
Publishers Weekly, April 13, 1992, review of Paddy’s Pot of Gold, p. 58; June 29, 1992, review of Sophie’s Tom, p. 63; February 28, 1994, review of Tick-Tock, p. 86; July 13, 1998, review of The Water Horse, p. 78; June 18, 2001, review of Webster J. Duck, p. 80; January 31, 2005, review of Shhhhh!, p. 66; February 27, 2006, review of The Adventures of Old Bo Bear, p. 60.
Resource Links, October, 2005, Victoria Pennell, review of Clip Clop, p. 5.
School Library Journal, March, 1995, Lillian N. Gerhardt, review of Prowlpuss, p. 327; April, 1996, Judith Constantinides, review of Sophie’s Lucky, p. 112; January, 1998, Patricia Pearl Dole, review of God’s Story, p. 127; December, 2003, Patricia D. Lothrop, review of Gilgamesh the Hero, p. 171; February, 2005, Martha Topol, review of Shhhhh!, p. 107; November, 2005, Helen Foster James, review of Clip Clop, p. 96; February, 2006, Coop Renner, review of Egyptian Diary, p. 135; February, 2006, Marge Loch-Wouters, review of The Adventures of Old Bo Bear, p. 109.
