RiP Babette Cole

English children’s author and illustrator Babette Cole has died, aged 66.

Cole wrote and illustrated more than 150 children’s books, including the revisionist fairytale picture books Princess Smartypants (Puffin) and Prince Cinders (Puffin), both of which won the Kate Greenaway medal. Cole’s Princess Smartypants and the Missing Princes (Hodder Children’s Books), based on the ‘Princess Smartypants’ series, was published in 2016. Another book in the series written by Cole will be released in May this year.

Cole is also known for her books Doctor Dog (Vintage), Mummy Laid an Egg (Red Fox) and ‘The Trouble Withs’ series (Egmont).

Hodder Children’s Books’ senior publisher Anne McNeil writes in the Bookseller:

‘Her passion and talent as a children’s book writer and illustrator will be much missed. She was, in particular, a real leader in developing a more open, humorous and child-friendly way to talking to children about the facts of life in accessible picture-book form. It’s difficult to comprehend the loss of someone who was so quintessentially full of life. Our thoughts are with Babette’s family and friends.’

Category: Obituaries