Jane Ray

Jane Ray (born 11 June 1960) is an English illustrator of more than 70 children's books. The first book Jane illustrated A Balloon for Grandad written by Nigel Gray, is included in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up. She is the writer and illustrator of some including Can You Catch a Mermaid? (Orchard Books), Ahmed and the Feather Girl (Frances Lincoln), and The Elephants Garden (Boxer Books). She won the 1992 Nestlé Children's Book Prize in the 6- to 8-year-old readers category for the Story of the Creation, published by Orchard Books , and has been shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal several times. She was also a nominee for the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava 2017.

Early life Jane Ray was born in Chingford, London and is the daughter of Donald Edwin and Barbara May, both teachers and musicians. Her interest in literature started at a young age with Alice in Wonderland being the first book she ever read. Ray started making books at age five during a summer holiday, her first book which she still owns is called Mr Teddy and Mrs Teddy go for a picnic. Other early influences of Ray's include Lucy Boston, Brian Wildsmith, Arthur Rackham and Jan Pienkowski.

Ray cites her art teacher at school as an influence on her decision to go to art school. Ray began her career by designing greetings cards and wrapping paper published by Roger La Borde. Her first full colour picture book, A Balloon for Grandad by Nigel Gray was published in 1989. She has illustrated books by Carol Ann Duffy (The Lost Happy Endings, pub. Bloomsbury), Jeanette Winterson (The King of Capri, Bloomsbury), Michael Rosen (Romeo and Juliet, Walker Books) and Kevin Crossley-Holland (Heartsong, Orchard Books).

Ray takes a hands-on approach to her work, preferring not to use digital technology. Ray takes a cross-cultural approach to her work, often looking for inspiration in the British Museum. Multi-culturalism is an important aspect of Ray's work, with her stating:"The children I meet are ethnically diverse, and I would frankly, be embarrassed if my "audience" wasn't represented in the books I am making for them. So, from the beginning of my career I have included characters of different ethnicities, and I have particularly enjoyed bringing those differences to the traditional "flaxen haired" European traditions of Grimm, Perrault and Andersen." She produced works for Shannon Ward women's psychiatric intensive care unit at St. Charles Hospital in West London. The project was later extended to Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.

A Balloon for Grandad – by Nigel Gray, Orchard Casting a Spell and Other Poems – anthology by Angela Huth, Orchard Island of the Children – anthology by Angela Huth, Orchard The Orchard Book of Creation Stories – Margaret Mayo, Orchard The Orchard Book of Mythical Birds and Beasts – Margaret Mayo, Orchard The Orchard Book of Magical Tales – Margaret Mayo, Orchard The Orchard Book of Love and Friendship – Geraldine Mccaughrean, Orchard Heartsong – Kevin Crossley Holland, Orchard The Unicorn Prince – Saviour Pirotta, Orchard Song of the Earth – Mary Hoffman, Orion Sun, Moon and Stars – Mary Hoffman, Orion Arion and the Dolphin – Vikram Seth, Orion Mother Gave a Shout – edited by Morag Styles and Suzanna Steele, Fairy Tales – retold by Berlie Doherty, Walker Books The Bold Boy – Malachy Doyle, Walker Books Lugalbanda – Kathy Henderson, Walker Books Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet – Michael Rosen, Walker Books Hummingbirds – Nicola Davies, Walker Books The King of Capri – Janette Winterson, Bloomsbury The Lost Happy Endings – Carol Ann Duffy, Bloomsbury Jinnie Ghost – Berlie Doherty, Frances Lincoln Greek Myths – Sally Pomme Clayton, Frances Lincoln Zeraffa Giraffa – Dianne Hofmeyr, Frances Lincoln The Glass Makers Daughter – Dianne Hofmeyr, Frances Lincoln The Moonbird – Joyce Dunbar, Doubleday Stories for a Fragile Planet – Keneth Steven, Lion Hudson Classic Christmas Stories – Mary Joslin, Lion Children's Books The Stolen Childhood and Other Dark Fairy Tales – Carol Ann Duffy, Penguin From a Distance – Julie Gold, Dutton Myths and Legends of the Near East – Rachel Storm, The Folio Society Celtic Myths and Legends – Caitlin and John Matthews, The Folio Society The Arabian Nights – Powys/Mathews, Folio Society Corey's Rock – Sita Brahmachari, Otter-Barry Books Worry Angels – Sita Brahmachari, Barrington Stoke The Dolls House – Rumer Godden, Macmillan The Fairy Doll – Rumer Godden, Macmillan Give the Ball to the Poet – poetry anthology edited by Georgie Horrell, Aisha Spencer and Morag Styles, Commonwealth Education Trust Books The Pied Piper – Collins Big Cat

As author and illustrator

Can You Catch a Mermaid? – Orchard The Apple Pip Princess – Orchard The Dolls House Fairy – Orchard Ahmed and the Feather Girl – Frances Lincoln The Elephant's Garden – Boxer Books

As adaptor and illustrator

Noah's Ark – Orchard The Story of the Creation – Orchard The Story of Christmas – Orchard The Happy Prince – Orchard Adam and Eve and the Garden of Eden – Eden Project The Twelve Dancing Princesses – Orchard Hansel and Gretel – Walker Books Snow White – (pop-up) – Walker Books Cinderella – (pop-up) – Walker Books The Twelve Days of Christmas – Orchard Books The Nutcracker – Orchard Books The Emperors Nightingale and other Feathery Tales – Boxer Books The Little Mermaid and other Fishy Tales – Boxer Books The Lion and the Unicorn and other Hairy Tales – Boxer Books

As contributor

Lines in the Sand – Mary Hoffman and Rhiannon Lassiter, Frances Lincoln Frances Lincoln A Collection of Just So Stories – Rudyard Kipling, Walker Books Play the Shape Game – Anthony Browne, Walker Books Fairy Tales of Hans Christian Andersen – Folio Society Dare to be Different – Amnesty International We Are All Born Free – Amnesty International Over the Hills and far Away – Frances Lincoln The Orchard Book of Stories from the Opera – Orchard Just So Stories – Walker Books Under the Sun and Over the Sea – John Agard and Grace Nichols, Walker Books

Prizes and awards

1989 shortlisted for the Mother Goose Award for A Balloon For Grandad. 1991 shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award for Noah's Ark. 1992 shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award for The Story of Christmas. 1992 winner of the Smarties Award (6–8 years) for The Story of Creation. 1992 winner of Nestlé Children's Book Prize in the 6- to 8-year-old readers category for the Story of the Creation, published by Orchard Books . 1995 shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award for The Happy Prince. 1995 shortlisted for the Kurt Maschler Award for The Song of the Earth. 2001 shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award for Fairy Tales. 2005 shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award for Jinnie Ghost. 2008 shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Award for The Lost Happy Endings. 2017 nominated for the Biennial of Illustration Bratislava. 2018 BBY UK Illustrator nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Awards.