Rodney Peppé

Rodney Darrell Peppé (24 June 1934 – 27 October 2022) was a British author and illustrator in the children's fiction and crafts genres. He was the author and illustrator of more than 80 children's books, publishing his first children's book in 1968 The Alphabet Book with Constable Young Books. His craft books teach how to build mechanical toys and automata.

While he created toys and automata, Peppé did not sell his creations; his works were on display in various museums and on tour in his one-man show The Wonderful World of Rodney Peppé.

Early life Born on 24 June 1934 in Eastbourne, England, Peppé was the twin brother of Mark and son of Lionel Hill Peppé and Winifred Vivienne (Parry). Although born in Eastbourne, due to the career of Lionel in the British Royal Navy and Royal Indian Navy the family lived in India near the Himalaya Mountains during the children's early years. In 1942 when Vivienne returned with the twins to Eastbourne, Rodney and his brother Mark were enrolled in boarding school at St Bede's School, Sussex. Peppé was soon employed and married.

Early career Before publishing his first children's book The Alphabet Book in 1968, Peppé was employed as an art director for S. H. Benson and J. Walter Thompson in 1960 (ending in 1965), a consultant designer for Ross Foods Ltd. in 1965 (ending in 1973), and as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator in 1965 (lasting to the present day). They had two sons, Christen Rodney and Jonathan Noel. Whiteway,