Shirley Hughes was born in West Kirby, near Liverpool, in 1927, and studied fashion and dress design at Liverpool Art School, before continuing her studies at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art in Oxford. She started her career as a freelance illustrator in London, illustrating other writers' work, including Noel Streatfeild, Alison Uttley, Ian Seraillier and notably Dorothy Edwards's My Naughty Little Sister series. Alfie and Annie Rose's neighbor, Mr. MacNally, is very sad. His old cat Smokey has died. As it is nearly his birthday, his family decides to hold a surprise party and buy a particularly special present to cheer him up. It is left to Alfie to look aft... Beloved children’s author and illustrator Shirley Hughes has passed away at the age of 94. Her family have confirmed that she died on Friday 25 February. In her lifetime, Hughes wrote and illustrated over 50 books for children, with her most popular being the Alfie series, and Dogger . Her books at bedsides all around the country for the past 50 years are a testament to how well loved they have been by so many.

Good buddies Chips and Jessie star in these five stories, and as in Hughes's Alfie stories, the friends and their neighbors are true to life. ""The By-gone Fox'' is actually a fox scarf, accidentally Continue reading » Join Alfie and Dad as they spend time together in this wonderful collection of stories from the award-winning Shirley Hughes. Alfie's dad is always there for Alfie and Annie Rose. He's there to reassure Alfie during a restless night; he's there to fi...Tiny pen-and-ink drawings sparkle in the margins of this meandering fantasy about a lonely girl and a statue that springs to life. Hughes (Stories by Firelight) is a master of expressive line: Continue reading » I've been trying to put my finger on why I love Shirley Hughes's Alfie books so much. Why should the everyday tales of a four-year-old boy and his toddler sister Annie Rose so lift my spirits - as well as those of my two young children - at the end of a dog-tiring day? Young children are able to find the extraordinary in every day ordinary scenes, like losing a beloved stuffed animal, helping your baby sister eat with her spoon, and going to a friend's birthday party. In a brand new collection of stories and poems, Alfie has a spooky late-night adventure with an owl and introduces us to his secret den in the garden.

She also collaborated with her daughter, Clara Vulliamy, on the Dixie O'Day series; which saw Shirley with an illustrator for the first time with Shirley writing the text and Clara creating the illustrations. Alfie and Grandma are very special friends, and together they have lots of adventures! Whether it's saving the day and finding a lost pet, or explor... I realised just how discernable Hughes’ work is whilst writing this after I looked up another family favourite, A Throne for Sesame , which I believed to have been written by Hughes thanks to her iconic illustrations. The book was actually written by Helen Young. Hughes was featured on the BBC show “Read All About It” in 1978 , just after Dogger was published. In her interview, she discusses how all her stories begin with the illustrations. She says she “thinks visually,” and the words come afterwards “like the captions of a silent movie.” Even for those who cannot read, the brilliance of Hughes’ illustrations provide all the information a child may need to understand a rough storyline. In a sequel to Alfie Gets in First and Alfie's Feet, Alfie goes to his first birthday party all by himself, clinging to his blanket. But when the birthday boy tries to frighten another guest with a Continue reading »Lily, like most preschoolers, is a creature of habit. So when Mom's flu and Dad's job requires her to spend a day at the house of Melanie, a grown-up family friend she barely remembers, Lily is Continue reading » Hughes (the Alfie books) once again uses small, everyday moments to craft a powerful story. To find work, Abel Grable must journey far and wide, leaving his wife and three boisterous boys. But when Continue reading »

After more than 50 years of writing and illustrating children’s books, two-time Greenaway Medal–winner Hughes delivers her first novel, a tense and emotional thriller set during the German occupation Continue reading »Adorable! I can very easily see a child doing this. Alfie's character will amuse the children, teach a good lessons and likely bring a fond smile to any parents face. As a child, Hughes’ books were a part of my nighttime reading from as early as I can remember. Dogger was a particular favourite in our household, with myself and my siblings able to relate to the attachment to a much loved soft toy, and understanding Dave’s feelings when Dogger goes missing. The book’s success has been global , with it proving popular despite it being very “English” as far the story and the setting go (a large portion of the book is spent at a jumble sale). But, the universality of losing something dear to you appeals to a worldwide audience, making Dogger Hughes’ most successful book. Hughes captures the beauty in our quotidien lives as children through her colourful, detailed drawings

Alfie's painting at the Big School's Harvest Fair is judged worthy of one of the main prizes. But Alfie is more taken with the consolation prize... Dad is, a mite irritatingly, always sitting reading his paper. But, it's a minor gripe. Mostly, everyone looks happy - cheerfully resigned to the mess of early childhood. Alfie and Bernard are very best friends and together they have lots of adventures. Join them as they go to the library, take part in scooter races and make a very special club with only two special members! A heart-warming tale of friendship by the a... Shirley began to write and draw her own picture books when her children were young. Her first book - Lucy and Tom's Day - was published in 1960, and she followed it with, among others, Dogger and the Alfie series.

Born and raised in West Kirby, a quiet seaside town on the Wirral, Shirley Hughes spent her childhood drawing, painting and making up stories with her two sisters. Encouraged and inspired by visits to Liverpool’s magnicent Walker Art Gallery, Shirley developed a lifelong interest in “narrative painting”, or pictures that tell stories. This led to a year at Liverpool Art School studying fashion and costume design followed by fine art at the Ruskin School of Drawing and Fine Art in Oxford. Shirley began to write and draw her own picture books when her children were young. Her first book - Lucy and Tom's Day - was published in 1960, and she followed it with, among others, Dogger, and the Alfie series. Her books include the wordless picture book Up and Up, collection of rhymes and poems Out and About, and for the very young The Nursery Collection. Meet Alfie's mum. She has reddish brown curly hair which often gets untidy, but Alfie likes it like that. Alfie and Mum love to tell stories together, to explore and have adventures -- over fields, across streams, and even into big dark houses! Bu...