Edinburgh City Libraries and Information Service - Works by Children's Book Illustrators

SHIRLEY HUGHES

Born in 1927 in Holylake near Liverpool, Shirley Hughes was educated at West Kirby High School and studied drawing and costume design at Liverpool School of Art and then Ruskin School, Oxford.

Hughes' time at Oxford was particularly influential to her career as there she was encouraged by Jack Townend to do work in the picture book format and to make lithographic illustrations. Visiting lecturer and illustrator, Barnett Freedman, also gave her encouragement and letters of introduction to a number of editors. A commission from Collins followed shortly and her ability to draw children in a naturalistic and convincing style was recognised.

After art school, Shirley Hughes moved to London and married John Vulliamy, architect and etcher, and had 3 children. During the 1950s and 1960s Shirley Hughes mainly illustrated other authors' books and is probably best known for illustrating Dorothy Edward's My Naughty Little Sister. During the 1970s and 1980s Shirley Hughes wrote and illustrated many of her own books, notably stories centred around the characters of Lucy and Tom, and Alfie and Annie Rose. In 1977 she was awarded the Kate Greenaway Medal for Dogger.

Selected Works by Shirley Hughes

Alfie Gets in First 1981
Alfie Gives a Hand 1983
Alfie's Feet 1982 Alfie's Numbers 1999
All Shapes and Sizes 1986
Angel Mae 1989
Big Alfie and Annie Rose Storybook 1990
The Big Concrete Lorry 1989
Bouncing 1993
Chips and Jessie 1985
Dogger 1977
An Evening at Alfie's 1995
Helpers 1975
Lucy and Tom at the Seaside 1992
Lucy and Tom's ABC 1984
Moving Molly 1978
Playing 1997
Rhymes for Annie Rose 1995
Stories by Firelight 1993
Two Shoes, New Shoes 1986
When we Went to the Park 1985