Child was the cover artist for all three volumes and the author of at least the first volume's introduction. Other characters who feature in the stories are Charlie’s best friend Marv (who lives in the flat downstairs) and his sausage dog, Sizzles; Lola’s best friend Lotta; and Lola’s imaginary friend, Soren Lorensen. Betty Moody is Clarice Bean's best friend, and they do most things together. Clarice and Betty both love the Ruby Redfort series. Betty also loves dogs, and in the first book she received a dog from Clarice's grandad's best friend. She appears in the series wearing glasses. She and her parents traveled a lot, along with call-me-Mol and call-me-Cecil. In the last book, she moves to San Francisco because call-me-Mol goes to California for a vacation, but finds a job and decides to stay there. My Uncle is a Hunkle, Says Clarice Bean - picture book - Clarice's parents have gone away and she is looked after by her Uncle.

Readers see Clarice’s world through her eyes. “When she describes her father’s office, she sees the glamour, and if that’s true, then he has a really important job. But I don’t think he does, because they live in a very average London house. It’s not very big. I imagine that they inherited it from her grandfather and they moved in with him to look after him. They are living a very ordinary life.” Clarice’s home in Clarice Bean: Think Like an Elf by Lauren Child As of 2022, the Ruby Redfort series has concluded with 6 instalments. [3] Ruby Redfort Books [ edit ] Child grew up in Wiltshire as the middle child of three sisters and the daughter of two teachers. She has always been interested in the many aspects of childhood, from gazing into toy shop windows to watching American children's shows from the 1960s. After attending two Art Schools, she travelled for six months, still unsure about which career to embark upon.The Clarice Bean series is a series of children's books written and illustrated by English author Lauren Child from 1999. The stories follow middle schooler Clarice Bean and her challenges navigating the complex ethical, social and philosophical questions children deal with at school and at home. She studied Art at Manchester Polytechnic and London Art School, after which she worked in a variety of jobs, including assistant to Damien Hirst. She also started her own company, 'Chandeliers for the People', making exotic lampshades. Charlotte Zolotow Award Books". Cooperative Children's Book Center. University of Wisconsin - Madison . Retrieved 26 September 2018. That, she says, is the moment she loves most of all. “There is a moment when, instead of being in agony – I find writing an agony – there is a tipping point. Not long in, I start to think, ‘I hate writing more than anything else. I can’t think of anything to say, I don’t know what it’s really about.’

Child's illustrations contain different media including magazine cuttings, collage, material and photography as well as traditional watercolours. She is the illustrator of the Definitely Daisy series by Jenny Oldfield.In 1999 she had two picture books published, I Want a Pet! (1999) and Clarice Bean, That's Me (1999) , the latter being shortlisted for the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize. In 2000 she won a Kate Greenaway Medal for I Will Not Ever, Never Eat a Tomato (2000) and a second Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in 2002 for That Pesky Rat (2002) . In the same year, she wrote her first children's novel, Utterly Me, Clarice Bean (2002). Her second book in this series, Clarice Bean Spells Trouble was shortlisted for the 2005 British Book Awards Children's Book of the Year. In don't look now, new girl Clem comes to take Betty 's place. Clarice is jealous because she spends a lot of time with Karl. She is also very upset that Betty has moved away to America. She was about to invite her to a ruby redfort movie in the cinema. She is also worried her parents were planning for the family to move away. Clarice Bean, Don't Look Now! - novel - Clarice has a worry list and is wondering what her worst worry is. What Planet Are You From, Clarice Bean?, Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, Bronze award: 6–8 years category The stories explore the way in which Charlie and Lola use their imaginations and creativity to deal with these everyday dilemmas, and their sibling relationship is founded on the way they help each other to do this. Thus, the absence of adult presence enables Child to highlight this element of their relationship. In I Will Not Ever, Never Eat A Tomato, Charlie use his imagination to persuade Lola to eat her vegetables:

Utterly Me, Clarice Bean - novel - Clarice has to do a dreary book project but there's a prize she wants to win. Before writing and illustrating children's books Child started her own company 'Chandeliers for the People' making lampshades. It was only when she came to write and illustrate the book Clarice Bean, That's Me that she decided to devote her time to writing and illustrating books for children, which combines her fascination for childhood and her talent for designing and creating. Child gets her inspiration from other people's conversations or from seeing something funny happen. Clarice Bean,That's Me" was also a highly commended runner-up for the Kate Greenaway Medal, the annual British Library Association award for children's book illustration. [2] [a] "Clarice Bean Spells Trouble" made the shortlists for both the British Children's Book of the Year and the Red House Children's Book Award.Lauren Child cites her artistic inspirations as E.H. Shepherd, Quentin Blake, Carl Larssen (the Swedish illustrator) and Ludwig Bemelman’s Madeleine books. The story is full of holiday cheer, and I loved hearing about all the family traditions that Clarice Bean celebrated with her family. It got me into the holiday spirit! a b Bedell, Geraldine (21 June 2009). "Child at heart". The Observer. London . Retrieved 8 July 2010.