{{short description|British writer and illustrator}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} {{Infobox writer | honorific_prefix = | name = Giles Andreae | honorific_suffix = | image = <!-- use the image's pagename; do not include the "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and do not use brackets--> | image_size = | alt = | caption = | native_name = | native_name_lang = | birth_name = <!-- only use if different from name --> | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1966|03|16}} | birth_place = London, England | death_date = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} --> | death_place = | resting_place = | resting_place_coordinates = <!-- {{Coord|LAT|LONG|type:landmark|display=inline}} --> | nationality = | education = Eton College, Berkshire | alma_mater = University of Oxford | known_for = | notable_works = Giraffes Can't Dance, Winnie-the-Pooh: The Great Heffalump Hunt, Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs, Purple Ronnie merchandise, Edward Monkton books | style = | movement = | spouse = | partner = | awards = <!-- {{awd|award|year|title|role|name}} (optional) --> | elected = | patrons = | memorials = | website = {{URL|gilesandreaemusic.com}} | module = }} '''Giles Andreae''' (born 16 March 1966) is a British writer and illustrator. He is the creator of the stickman poet Purple Ronnie and the humorous artist/philosopher Edward Monkton, and is the author of ''Giraffes Can't Dance'' and many other books for children.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2009/jul/07/giles-andreae-poems|title=Bottom burps, stinky feet and other poems|last=Henley|first=Jon|date=2009-07-06|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-10-07|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
==Early life== Andreae attended Eton College before attending Worcester College, Oxford University, from 1985 – 88. During his final year at Oxford, and while debuting early versions of his signature Purple Ronnie character, Andreae developed Hodgkin's lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph glands, and began an intensive course of chemotherapy and radiotherapy the day before his final exams began. He managed to sit some of his papers, and the university awarded him an upper-second-class degree. Upon graduation, Andreae worked as a trainee account manager at an advertising agency, while Purple Ronnie took on an overarching joie de vivre theme.
== Career ==
===Purple Ronnie=== Andreae debuted the Purple Ronnie character in 1987 as a stage act for an Oxford revue before picking eight poems to appear on greetings cards with simple black and white line drawings akin to doodles. He initially self-distributed the cards throughout Oxford's stationery shops, but later signed a deal with an established greetings card publisher.<ref name=":0" />
The illustrator drew the cartoon in a stick man style with a smiley face and a large oval body. Andreae typically depicts Ronnie as a comic poet, the cartoon's rhyming captions being written in a simple style and including mild taboo language. The cartoons often feature light-hearted, toilet humour-themed poems about belching or flatulence. The character featured on greetings cards, books, T-shirts and toiletries, and soft drinks company, Vimto also used the character in several advertising campaigns.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/life/books/my-poetrys-not-pants-purple-ronnie-creator-28480143.html|title=My poetry's not pants: Purple Ronnie creator|work=BelfastTelegraph.co.uk|access-date=2019-10-08|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> Andreae sold Purple Ronnie to Coolabi in April 2007 in a deal worth £4.8 million.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2007/apr/04/12|title=Purple Ronnie character sold for £3.3m|last=Wearden|first=Graeme|date=2007-04-04|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-10-07|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Since then, the company has tried to break into the US market by adapting the designs and language for American audiences and digital media.<ref name="thebookseller.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/coolabi-secures-global-licensing-rights-giraffes-can-t-dance-1093076|title=Coolabi secures global licensing rights for Giraffes Can't Dance {{!}} The Bookseller|website=www.thebookseller.com|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/av/entertainment-arts-18981561/how-is-purple-ronnie-adapting|title=How is Purple Ronnie adapting?|website=BBC News|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref>
=== Edward Monkton === Andreae also writes under the pen name Edward Monkton; a self-described "philosopher, poet, artist and interesting fellow".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://wwd.com/business-news/media/revenge-of-the-nerd-463149/|title=Revenge of the Nerd|last=Kessler|first=Sarah|date=2008-03-03|website=WWD|language=en|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref> Monkton is best known for ''A Lovely Love Story'', a story about two dinosaurs falling in love, which has become a popular reading at weddings.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bustle.com/articles/149572-17-unconventional-wedding-readings-from-literature|title=17 Unconventional Wedding Readings From Literature|website=Bustle|language=en|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref> Other Monkton stories include ''The Pig of Happiness'', a YouTube video of which Andreae financed and created after recovering from a bout of clinical depression.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6415075/Purple-Ronnie-creator-spends-35k-on-funny-film-to-make-Britain-smile.html|title='Purple Ronnie' creator spends £35k on funny film to make Britain smile|last=Adams|first=Stephen|date=2009-10-24|access-date=2019-10-08|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/lessons-from-mr-happiness-j9dnds9wt5n|title=Lessons from Mr Happiness|last=Billen|first=Andrew|date=2011-04-04|work=The Times|access-date=2019-10-08|language=en|issn=0140-0460}}</ref> Andreae expanded on ''The Pig of Happiness'' to create a series of short animated films for the BBC entitled ''World of Happy''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00rvvkv|title=CBBC - World of Happy|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref>
Like his predecessor Purple Ronnie, Edward Monkton cartoons typically feature distinctive black-line illustrations.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/2298051.purple-ronnie-artist-exhibits-in-city/|title=Purple Ronnie artist exhibits in city|website=York Press|language=en|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref>
=== Giraffes Can't Dance === ''Giraffes Can't Dance'' is Andreae's bestselling children's book about self-esteem and negative stereotypes. The book follows a simple rhyming pattern and full-colour illustrations by Guy Parker-Rees.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780439287197|title=GIRAFFES CAN'T DANCE|website=www.publishersweekly.com|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref> Since its release in 1999, the book has undergone several adaptations for children's television and theatre.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prindleinstitute.org/books/giraffes-cant-dance/|title=Giraffes Can't Dance - Teaching Children Philosophy - Prindle Institute |last1=Mejía |first1=Jessica |last2=Knuth |first2=Emily |website=www.prindleinstitute.org/teaching-children-philosophy|access-date=2020-12-09}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thebookseller.com/news/giraffes-cant-dance-heads-stage-1055681|title=Giraffes Can't Dance heads to stage {{!}} The Bookseller|website=www.thebookseller.com|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref> Publishing house, Hachette Books have translated the book into 34 languages, and the book remains a perennial bestseller in the UK and the US with reported sales of 10 million copies worldwide.<ref name="thebookseller.com"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-industry-news/article/75974-2017-in-children-s-bestsellers.html|title=2017 in Children's Bestsellers|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/75475-a-week-before-thanksgiving-unit-sales-rise-2.html|title=A Week Before Thanksgiving, Unit Sales Rise 2%|website=PublishersWeekly.com|language=en|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref>
===Winnie-the-Pooh: The Great Heffalump Hunt=== In 2017, Andreae's book, Winnie-the-Pooh: The Great Heffalump Hunt, was released. It was commissioned by A.A. Milne's publishers to celebrate the ninetieth anniversary of the publication of Milne and Shepard's first-ever Winnie-the-Pooh book.
=== Other works === Andreae collaborated on a series of children's books with illustrator Emma Dodd called the ''I Love'' series. The series includes titles such as ''I Love My Grandad, I Love My Daddy'' and ''I Love My Mummy''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/sep/03/purple-ronnie-creator-baby-book-award|title=Purple Ronnie creator wins baby book award|last=Flood|first=Alison|date=2010-09-03|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-10-08|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> Other popular titles include ''Rumble in the Jungle'' with illustrator David Wojtowycz,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.nlb.gov.sg/biblio/9283662|title=Rumble in the jungle /Giles Andreae; illustrated by David Wojtowycz. – National Library|website=www.nlb.gov.sg|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref> ''Pants,''<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.itv.com/news/anglia/2014-01-24/funny-books-get-kids-reading-your-favourites/|title=Funny books get kids reading: Your favourites|website=ITV News|language=en|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref> and ''Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/childrens-books-site/2014/sep/29/the-best-pirate-books-imaginative-play|title=The best pirate themed books|last=Eccleshare|first=Julia|date=2014-09-29|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-10-08|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
Several of his books have been adapted for television and theatre.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/aug/07/captain-flinn-and-the-pirate-dinosaurs-the-magic-cutlass-review-pleasance-edinburgh|title=Captain Flinn and the Pirate Dinosaurs: The Magic Cutlass review – timber-shivering fun|last=Wiegand|first=Chris|date=2019-08-07|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-10-08|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/search?filter=programmes&q=Giles+Andreae&edgeauth=eyJhbGciOiAiSFMyNTYiLCAidHlwIjogIkpXVCJ9.eyJrZXkiOiAiZmFzdGx5LXVyaS10b2tlbi0xIiwiZXhwIjogMTc1Nzk2NTkxNiwibmJmIjogMTc1Nzk2NTU1NiwicmVxdWVzdHVyaSI6ICIlMkZzZWFyY2glM0ZmaWx0ZXIlM0Rwcm9ncmFtbWVzJTI2cSUzREdpbGVzJTJCQW5kcmVhZSJ9.t07R6P55FGHfAjjtvWWKpyWl_aScqPimeNWuzZ19bR4|title=BBC - Search results for Giles Andreae|website=www.bbc.co.uk|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-10-08}}</ref>
==Personal life== Andreae lives with his wife, Victoria, with whom he has four children, beside the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. Before that, he lived in Notting Hill, London, where he shared a studio with screenwriter Richard Curtis.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Portal|Children's literature}} * [http://www.puffin.co.uk/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000062330,00.html Giles Andreae at Puffin Books] * [http://www.purpleronnie.com PurpleRonnie.com] — official website * [http://www.edwardmonkton.com EdwardMonkton.com] — official website
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Andreae, Giles}} Category:1966 births Category:Living people Category:People educated at Eton College Category:Alumni of Worcester College, Oxford Category:British poets Category:British male poets