John Butler has had a life long fascination with wildlife and drawing. Growing up in a small cottage with a wild garden meant he spent his early years immersed in the wild things that happened outside his back door. Never expecting to make a living from these interests, he trained as a teacher. After qualifying he took a temporary job in a south London parks office creating a small exhibition of the wildlife to be found in the parks.

This led to a job designing wildlife wall charts in a studio in east London. From there he went traveling in 1975 to West Africa with nothing particular in mind except not getting a proper job. On his return he fulfilled this ambition by becoming a freelance illustrator. He has worked for a variety of clients. The Sesame Street Workshop in New York, Time magazine and various advertising agencies around the world. He was illustrating wildlife sculptures in Oman when Kuwait was invaded. He illustrated his first children's book in 1979. He knew this was what he had been looking for. Since then he has illustrated over 40 books, a quarter of which he has written, and all of which have a wildlife theme. Somehow he had made a career out of drawing and the wild back garden.

Can You Cuddle Like a Koala, written and illustrated by John was shortlisted for The Southampton Best Book to Share Award and Hush Little Ones was shortlisted for the Booktrust Early Years Award. Ten in the Den is a simple counting story with irresistible baby animal illustrations. Ten in the Meadow, John's latest book, publishes in August 2006.

John is married to Catherine and has two daughters. He lives in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.

To learn more about John Butler you can visit his website at www.johnbutlerart.com

Award Winning John Butler
Southampton Best Book to Share 2004 - Shortlist
Booktrust Early Years Award 2004 - Shortlist
Norfolk Children's Book Award - Shortlist
The Sheffield Children's Book Award - Shortlist
BP Conservation Award - Shortlist
The Children's Book Award - Shortlist
The Sheffield Children's Book Award - Highly Commended
Florida Reading Association Children's Book of the Year - Silver Medal
Bank Street College of Education New York Best Children's Book of the Year - 2002 and 2004

Bibliography

Picture Books written by Sally Grindley Little Elephant Thunderfoot Little Tang Polar Star Board Books written by John Butler Can You Cuddle Like a Koala? Hush Little Ones While You Were Sleeping

Picture Books written by John Butler Can You Cuddle Like a Koala? Hush Little Ones Pi-Shu the Little Panda Ten in the Den Ten in the Meadow While You Were Sleeping

Copyright © 2006: The Watts Publishing Group.