Ashley Spires Explained

Ashley Spires
Birth Date:[1]
Birth Place:Tsawwassen, British Columbia
Canada
Education:Emily Carr University of Art and Design
Sheridan College
Occupation:Children's book author and illustrator

Ashley Spires is a Canadian children's book author and illustrator. She is the creator of the Binky the Space Cat graphic novels series and the 2014 bestseller, The Most Magnificent Thing.

Biography

Spires was born and raised in Tsawwassen, British Columbia. She studied photography at the Emily Carr University of Art and Design, where she was inspired to pursue illustration after taking a class on book-making.

After graduation, she earned a contract with Lobster Press, for which she illustrated Peter Kuitenbrouwer's 2004 book, Our Song: The Story of O Canada, the Canadian National Anthem. [2] She later attended a postgraduate illustration program at Ontario's Sheridan College.[3]

Spires is the author and illustrator of the Binky the Space Cat graphic novel series, about a cat who believes his house is a space station.[4] The first book in the series, Binky the Space Cat, won the 2011 Silver Birch Express Award, presented by the Ontario Library Association.[5] On September 7, 2019, a TV series based on the series, called , premiered on Treehouse TV.

Spires's 2014 book, The Most Magnificent Thing, earned a starred review from Kirkus[6] and was listed among the ALA Notable Books for Children 2015.[7] It has sold over 500,000 copies and been translated into multiple languages. The book was adapted into a 22-minute animated short film directed by Arna Selznick, featuring narration by Whoopi Goldberg and voice acting by Lilly Bartlam and Alison Pill.[8] It aired on Canadian children's channel YTV in 2019 and was shown at a number of film festivals, including the 2019 San Diego International Film Festival[9] and the 2019 Chicago International Children's Film Festival.[10]

Selected works

As author and illustrator:

As illustrator only:

References

  1. Web site: BC children's author builds Magnificent career. Szklarski. Cassandra. 2019-09-06. The Times Colonist. 2020-01-29.
  2. Hanson. Cheryl. March 2012. An artist's growing menagerie. Quill & Quire. 78. 2. 18–20.
  3. Web site: Creativity and Perseverance. 2019-09-10. Ovation, Sheridan's Alumni Magazine. en-US. 2020-02-03.
  4. Web site: South Delta author Ashley Spires excited to see work on small screen. Jacques. Ian. 2019-09-06. Delta Optimist. 2020-01-29.
  5. Web site: Ashley Spires. 2018-06-27. CBC Books. 2020-01-28.
  6. Web site: The Most Magnificent Thing. 2014-02-26. Kirkus Reviews. 2020-01-27.
  7. Web site: 2015 Notable Children's Books. 2015-12-15. Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). en. 2020-01-29.
  8. Web site: Children's book 'Most Magnificent Thing' jumps to the screen with short film. Szklarski. Cassandra. 2019-10-08. CityNews. 2020-01-27.
  9. Web site: San Diego International Film Festival Announces 2019 Films & Honorees San Diego International Film Festival. 2019-09-05. en-US. 2020-01-29.
  10. Web site: Ainslie Henderson's 'Archie' wins Best of Fest at the 2019 Chicago Children's International Film Festival Reel Chicago - Midwest film, audio, production, TV, and advertising. 2019-11-11. Reel Chicago - Midwest film, audio, production, TV, and advertising. en-US. 2020-01-29.
  11. Web site: Binky the Space Cat. 2009-10-16. Quill and Quire. 2020-01-29.
  12. Web site: Small Saul. de Mariaffi. Elisabeth. 2011-03-28. Quill and Quire. 2020-01-29.
  13. Book: Spires, Ashley, 1978-. Binky : license to scratch. Li, Karen,, Ucar, Yasemin. September 2013. 978-1-55453-963-5. Toronto, ON. 825160809.
  14. Web site: Fluffy Strikes Back (A P.U.R.S.T. Adventure). Ozirny. Shannon. 2016-03-29. Quill and Quire. 2020-01-29.
  15. Web site: The Thing Lou Couldn't Do. Cotter. Charis. 2017-03-09. Quill and Quire. 2020-01-29.
  16. Web site: Non-payment not the only allegation against Simply Read books. Robertson. Becky. 2015-06-18. Quill and Quire. 2020-01-29.

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