Jan Ormerod

Jan Ormerod (23 September 1946 – 23 January 2013), born Janet Louise Hendry, was an Australian illustrator of children's books. She first came to prominence from her wordless picture book Sunshine which won the 1982 Mother Goose Award. Her work was noted for its ability to remove clutter to tell a simple story that young children could enjoy, employing flat colours and clean lines. She produced work for more than 50 books throughout her career, including publications by other authors, such as a 1987 edition of J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan and David Lloyd's retelling of "The Frog Prince". Ormerod began her illustrative career in Britain after moving to England in 1980, but she returned to themes connected to her home country with Lizzie Nonsense, Water Witcher (2008) and the award-winning Shake a Leg (2011) for Aboriginal writer Boori Monty Pryor.

Career

Janet Louise Hendry was born in 1946, the youngest of four daughters, in the port city of Bunbury in Western Australia. Her childhood was spent following artistic pursuits, drawing inspiration from British schoolgirl annuals and American comics. She studied at art college in Perth, and on graduation she taught art on enrichment courses in secondary schools and later lectured at a teachers' college and art schools. She married Paul Ormerod, a children's librarian, in 1971 and after spending several years moving between Britain and Australia they settled in Cambridge in 1987. Sunshine was also voted Australian Picture Book of the Year. A panel from Sunshine (1981) showing Ormerod's clean lines and uncluttered style. Ormerod followed Sunshine with Moonlight (1982), a companion book following the same child as she prepares herself for bed. Many of Ormerod's early work concentrated on family life and in 1985 she started the Jan Ormerod Baby Book series beginning with Sleeping and Dad's Back. These books explored the relationship between infant and father. These were followed by the Jan Ormerod New Baby Book (1987), this time focusing on a child and her pregnant mother, which mirrored Ormerod's own situation when she was pregnant with her second daughter, Laura.

Works

Sunshine (1981) – her first book Bend and Stretch (1987) This Little Nose (1987) Mum's Home (1987) Peter Pan (1987) by J. M. Barrie, an edition of Peter and Wendy (1911) Sleeping (1988) Reading (1988) Kitten Day (1989) The Saucepan Game (1989) The Frog Prince (1991) by David Lloyd, an edition of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale When We Went to the Zoo (1991) Midnight Pillow Fight (1993) Rock-a-Baby (1994) Goodbye Mousie (1994) by Robie Harris To Baby with Love, Rhymes for Babies (1994) Two Bears and Joe (1995) by Penelope Lively Ms McDonald had a Class (1998) A Twist in the Tail: Animal Stories from Around the World (2001) by Mary Hoffman Miss Mouse's Day (2001) If You're Happy And You Know It! (2003), illustrated by Lindsey Gardiner Lizzie Nonsense (2004) Emily and Albert (2004) by David Slonim When an Elephant Comes to School (2005) The Buffalo Storm (2007) by Katherine Applegate Whoosh Around the Mulberry Bush (2007), illustrated by Lindsey Gardiner Ballet Sisters: The Duckling and the Swan (2007) Ballet Sisters: The Newest Dancer (2008) Water Witcher (2008) Molly and Her Dad (2008) by Carol Thompson Over in the Clover (2009), illustrated by Lindsey Gardiner Maudie and Bear (Prahan, Victoria: Little Hare, 2010), illustrated by Freya Blackwood Itsy-bitsy Babies (Surry Hills, NSW: Little Hare Books, 2010) by Margaret Wild, Itsy-bitsy Animals (Little Hare, 2011) by Margaret Wild, The Animal Bop Won't Stop! (2011), illustrated by Lindsey Gardiner Shake a Leg (2011) by Boori Monty Pryor The Baby Swap (2015), illustrated by Andrew Joyner;