David McKee Books

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David McKee is a British illustrator and author who writes for children. He has been commended for his gentle, playful but insightful stories.

McKee was born in 1930 in Devon. He spent his childhood in Tavistock, eventually attending a grammar school in the area. After graduating from Plymouth College, McKee joined the army, becoming a Royal Army Educational Corps instructor.

The author was a sergeant by the time he left the military. McKee had always been an artist at heart, even before he enrolled at the Hornsey College of Art and graduated with his second degree. It was after his stint at Hornsey that the author began to pursue his carer as an illustrator and painter with fervor.

But McKee started making money from his art while in college. He used to create one-off cartoons and sell them. After college, he was able to earn a living through his painting, with his works appearing in publications like ‘The Times Educational Supplement’.

McKee’s lucky break came in 1964 when he wrote and successfully published a story about a dinosaur who learned to fly. The book earned the praise of numerous critics who loved the author’s eccentric art style and the minute details he had chosen to add to his story at a time where children’s books were relatively simple.

In the years that followed, the author’s renown grew. At first, the BBC started using some of his characters in their shows. After seeing the positive response they garnered, the broadcasting service decided to create an entire series surrounding some of his most popular books.

This cemented McKee’s place in the field of children’s fiction. People have called him amusing and unusual. The English writer’s specialty is picture books and stories, though he has written scripts for shows associated with his characters.

One of his most notable creations is Mr. Benn, a seemingly ordinary banker who goes on amazing adventures whenever he tries out a new set of clothing. Then there is Rollo, a King with a childish temperament, Melric; a sorcerer fighting to keep his position at court, and Elmer, an elephant that wants to change his colorful patchwork hide.

Besides original work, some of the author’s fans are unaware that he has produced illustrations for writers like Hazel Townson, Ursula Moray Williams, and Michael Bond, to mention but a few. McKee has even contributed drawings to the ‘Paddington Bear’ series.

McKee’s work is popular because it blends reality with fantasy. Even though his stories are targeted towards very young children, he isn’t afraid to tackle war, tolerance, equality, and other touchy subjects. In a way, the author treats his young readers like they are small adults who understand far more than other children’s authors realize.

All his stories attempt to provide some sort of moralistic insight into the human condition. His endings are not always happy. Or rather, he always adds an ironic twist. Some of his harsher critics think that his works are too sophisticated for his audience but fans disagree. If anything, they love the author because he doesn’t pull his punches.

David McKee Awards

McKee received a Hans Christian Andersen Award nomination in 2006. He has an honorary doctorate of Arts (Plymouth University).

David McKee Books into Movies

The BBC created TV shows based on the ‘King Rollo’ and ‘Mr. Benn’ characters. The ‘Tall Stories Theater Company’ also adapted the ‘Mr. Benn’ character for stage.

Best David McKee Books

McKee has been praised for ‘skewing the concept of happy endings’, with some of the best books in his bibliography including:

Elmer: Elmer isn’t like other elephants. He would like to be. But his hide has colored patchwork that makes him stand out like a sore thumb. The others keep laughing at him and Elmer wants them to stop. The brightly colored elephant just wants to fit in. And he believes that he can make all his dreams come true by changing the color of his hide.

He believes that the transformation will make everything better. But things are not quite what they seem.

Elmer’s Special Day: Elmer Day is fast approaching for the Elephants. They are all so excited to wear their colorful outfits and participate in the parade. But their excitement has become a headache for everyone else. The other animals are upset. To smooth things over, Elmer changes the rules and invites them to partake in Elmer Day.

When Does The Next David McKee book come out?

David McKee doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is Elmer Opposites and was released on April, 9th 2020. It is the newest book in the Elmer Series.

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