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Bob Graham Bob Graham i(A14858 works by) (a.k.a. Robert Donald Graham)
Born: Established: 1942 Sydney, New South Wales, ;
Gender: Male
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BiographyHistory

Known as both a writer and illustrator, Bob Graham was born in 1942 in Sydney, New South Wales. He studied drawing and painting at the Julian Ashton Art School. Later he travelled to the United Kingdom where he worked at many varied jobs. In 1969, he returned to Sydney and began his career as an illustrator and designer.

He started illustrating children's books while taking some time off from work due to illness, and his first picture book Pete and Roland was published in 1981. His many projects include a six page, monthly comic strip for a French children's magazine called Belle Histoires, illustrations for various commercial enterprises, illustrating non-fiction works and his first love, writing and illustrating children's books.

Graham's illustrations reflect his surroundings and familiar daily events. His drawings exude gentleness, warmth, humanity and family life. A depth of perception, feeling and observation are evident in his work. Graham has written and illustrated many acclaimed, popular and award winning books.

Graham's book Silver Button won the Prime Minister's Literary Award for children's fiction in 2014. He donated $10,000 of the prize money to the Asylum Seeker's Resource Centre, an organisation defunded by the Federal Liberal Government shortly after gaining government in 2013.

Most Referenced Works

Notes

  • Australian musical director and composer George Ellis set some of Bob Graham's titles to music using original and adapted musical compositions. Some of these works were performed at the Children's Book Council of Australia (New South Wales Branch) Conference, Sydney, New South Wales, 19 June, 2010.
  • Bob Graham Teacher's notes available from Scholastic Australia website.

Awards for Works

y separately published work icon The Concrete Garden Newtown : Walker Books Australia , 2023 26515818 2023 single work picture book children's

'After a cold, dark winter, doors opened. Children spilled out like sweets from a box. Amanda was last one out of the tower block. She brought some chalk with her. On every inch of the concrete outside, the children drew pictures of everything they could think of, from flowers and snails, to spaceships and queens. Before long, a beautiful and exotic garden spread out across the concrete.

'From master storyteller Bob Graham comes a charming, and gently post-pandemic story about finding optimism after a dark spell, and the nurturing power of community friendships in an urban setting. The Concrete Garden will resonate with anyone who has been apart from their loved ones, and will encourage us all to find the brightness and colour within ourselves.' (Publication summary)

2024 shortlisted CBCA Book of the Year Awards Book of the Year: Early Childhood
2024 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Notable Book Picture Books
2024 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Notable Book Early Childhood
2024 longlisted Yoto Carnegies Library Association Awards (UK) CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) Awards Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration
y separately published work icon The Concrete Garden Newtown : Walker Books Australia , 2023 26515818 2023 single work picture book children's

'After a cold, dark winter, doors opened. Children spilled out like sweets from a box. Amanda was last one out of the tower block. She brought some chalk with her. On every inch of the concrete outside, the children drew pictures of everything they could think of, from flowers and snails, to spaceships and queens. Before long, a beautiful and exotic garden spread out across the concrete.

'From master storyteller Bob Graham comes a charming, and gently post-pandemic story about finding optimism after a dark spell, and the nurturing power of community friendships in an urban setting. The Concrete Garden will resonate with anyone who has been apart from their loved ones, and will encourage us all to find the brightness and colour within ourselves.' (Publication summary)

2024 shortlisted CBCA Book of the Year Awards Book of the Year: Early Childhood
2024 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Notable Book Picture Books
2024 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Notable Book Early Childhood
2024 longlisted Yoto Carnegies Library Association Awards (UK) CILIP (Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals) Awards Yoto Carnegie Medal for Illustration
y separately published work icon Jigsaw : A Puzzle in the Post Newtown : Walker Books Australia , 2022 24818797 2022 single work picture book children's

'“Oh, let’s do it!” say Kitty and Katy and Mum when a thousand-piece jigsaw puzzle mysteriously arrives in the post. “I have time on my hands,” agrees Dad. Starting in winter with the edges, by autumn they’re almost done, only to discover that one piece is missing. Mum is sure that it must have accidentally gone out with the rubbish, so the Kellys pile into the car to comb through the local tip (“shouldn’t take long”). There they uncover forgotten letters, train tickets, discarded newspapers, and old photos yellow with age, but finding the missing piece is starting to seem like wishful thinking. “Let’s wish, then,” says Katy. As in all of Bob Graham’s work, the beauty here is in the details, with visual perspectives that offer a bird’s-eye view or take us underfoot, wordless sequences letting us in on a secret. Is it sheer luck – or perhaps the power of hope – that creates an ending to the story?'

Source: Publisher's blurb.

2023 shortlisted Queensland Literary Awards Griffith University Children’s Book Award
2023 shortlisted CBCA Book of the Year Awards Book of the Year: Early Childhood
2023 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Notable Book Picture Book
2023 CBCA Book of the Year Awards Notable Book Early Childhood
Last amended 4 Aug 2017 09:49:57
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