Sarah Gibb Explained

Sarah Gibb is an English illustrator and author, predominantly of children's books. Her best known books are adaptations of fairytales, both as an illustrator and an author.[1]

Her drawings have also appeared in national newspapers, magazines, and greetings cards. She studied at London's St. Martin's College before completing an MA in Sequential Illustration at Brighton College of Art.

Career

Gibb has illustrated three picture books by Ursula Jones—a retired British actress and the surviving sister of Diana Wynne Jones, published by Orchard Books. The Princess Who Had No Kingdom was published in 2009, and was translated into French, Spanish, Dutch and Japanese.[2] [3] It's been described as a book "for parents who are really sick of princess books".[4] It was followed by a sequel, The Princess Who Had No Fortune, and subsequently a retelling of Beauty and the Beast.[5] Gibb's "lacy" black and white silhouettes and gold, foiled covers were noted in reviews.[6]

She has illustrated at least a dozen books in The Tiara Club series by Vivian French, which carry titles such as Princess Alice and the Glass Slipper, and Princess Charlotte and the Birthday Ball. (The Library of Congress catalogues 12 volumes featuring 6 named princesses with U.S. editions released in 2007.)

Gibb's first book as both author and illustrator was a traditional retelling of Grimms' Rapunzel, published by HarperCollins in 2011. In a NYT review, Pamela Paul drew attention to Gibb's dramatic silhouettes and "curlicued flourishes".[7] Two more retellings followed: Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, all published by HarperCollins.[8]

She's illustrated a number of other authors' books, including the Emily Windsnap Series by Liz Kessler, and The Last Duchess by Laura Powell.[9] [10]

Turning again to fairytales, in 2017 Gibb illustrated Hilary McKay's Fairy Tales, which was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal.[11] A sequel, Straw into Gold: Fairy Tales Re-Spun, followed in 2018. Both were published by Macmillan.

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Paul . Pamela . Children's Books - 'Rapunzel' by Sarah Gibb and 'Twelve Dancing Princesses' by Brigette Barrager . The New York Times . 25 May 2011.
  2. Web site: Children's Book Review: The Princess Who Had No Kingdom . Publishers Weekly . 4 June 2021.
  3. http://www.ursulajones.co.uk/princess-who-had-no-kingdom.html "The Princess Who Had No Kingdom"
  4. News: Barry . Aoife . The new breed of children's books . 12 June 2021 . TheJournal.ie . 26 March 2017.
  5. News: Children's Book Review: Beauty and the Beast by Ursula Jones, illus. by Sarah Gibb . 12 June 2021 . Publishers Weekly.
  6. Web site: Beauty and the Beast: Kirkus Reviews . Kirkus Reviews . 15 June 2021.
  7. News: Paul . Pamela . Children's Books - 'Rapunzel' by Sarah Gibb and 'Twelve Dancing Princesses' by Brigette Barrager . The New York Times . 25 May 2011.
  8. News: Hennessy . Claire . Children's books: imaginary friends and real-life enemies . 12 June 2021 . The Irish Times . 14 Nov 2015.
  9. Web site: Emily Windsnapp author Liz Kessler . BookTrust . 4 June 2021.
  10. News: Russell Williams . Imogen . The best children's books of 2017 . 12 June 2021 . The Guardian . 2 December 2017.
  11. News: Eyre . Charlotte . Poetry looms large on Carnegie and Kate Greenaway longlists . 12 June 2021 . 19 February 2019.