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Ben Mantle

Ben Mantle began his illustration career early, picking up his first award in a local library colouring-in competition aged seven. He went on to study Animation at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design before working as an animator. Ben has illustrated a number of children’s books including Rudey’s Windy Christmas (HarperCollins) and Callum’s Incredible Construction Kit (Egmont) which won the 2013 Bishop’s Stortford Picture Book Award. He is also the creator of the award-winning The Best Birthday Present Ever! and The Best Christmas Present Ever! published by Macmillan Children’s Books. Ben lives and works in Brighton.

Ben Mantle is represented by Arabella Stein — to work with Ben please email Arabella

Awards

Blackwell's Children's Book of the Month - January: Listed on Blackwell’s Children’s Book of the Month for January. Written by Christopher Edge and published by Chicken House.

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FANTASTIC BOOK AWARDS 2020-2021 - NOMINATED: Nominated for the following titles for The Fantastic Book Awards 2020-2021, ran by Lancashire School Libraries.

‘I, Cosmo’. Written by Carlie Sorosiak and published by Nosy Crow.

‘Boot, Small Robot, Big Adventure’. Written by Shane Hegarty and published by Hodder Children’s Books.

‘The Secret Dragon’, written by Ed Clarke and published by Puffin.

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BookTrust’s Great Books Guide 2020: Selected for BookTrust’s Great Books Guide 2020 with ‘I, Cosmo’, by Carlie Sorosiak (Nosy Crow)

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Waterstones Book of the Month July 2020: ‘The Wild Way Home’ picked as Waterstones Children’s Book of the Month July 2020. Illustrated by Ben Mantle, written by Sophie Kirtley, published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books.
Tir na n-Og Children's Book Awards 2020 shortlist: ‘The Secret Dragon’ shortlisted for the Tir na n-Og Children’s Book Awards 2020. Cover art by Ben Mantle, written by Ed Clarke. Published by Puffin.

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READING AGENCY'S SUMMER READING CHALLENGE 2020 PICK: ‘Bunnies on the Bus’ picked for the Reading Agency’s Summer Reading Challenge 2020.

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Sainsbury's Childrens Book Awards 2019 - Shortlisted: Shortlisted for the Sainsbury’s Childrens Book Awards 2019 for ‘Boot’, published by Hachette Children’s Books.

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Waterstones Book of the Month August 2019 - The Land of Roar: ‘The Land of Roar’ selected for the Waterstones Book of the Month August 2019, published by Egmont UK

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Parents' Choice Award Winner 2015: Parents’ Choice Award Winner 2015 for ‘Land Shark’
The Florida Sunshine State Young Reader Award Jr. 2015: The Florida Sunshine State Young Reader Award Jr. list 2015, for ‘There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight’
Best in Rhyme Award 2015: Best in Rhyme Award 2015 for ‘There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight!’

Reviews

"All aboard for a great storytime pick." — Kirkus Review: “There’s a vintage feeling to the digitally manipulated pastel illustrations that would make Little Train and his family seem right at home alongside Hardie Gramatky’s Little Toot and Watty Piper’s Little Engine That Could. The story, too, has a classic feel to it, as Little Train’s journey follows a home-away-home plotline…All aboard for a great storytime pick.” — Kirkus Reviews for ‘Follow the Track All the Way Back’
"Mantle's expressive and bright cartoon illustrations...are a perfect match" — Publishers Weekly: “Klostermann’s debut is a rollicking and warped Medieval take on the well-worn cumulative rhyme. Prolific British animator and illustrator Mantle’s expressive and bright cartoon illustrations of the red, horned dragon (and the contents of his stomach) are a perfect match.” — Publishers Weekly for ‘There Was An Old Dragon Who Swallowed A Knight’
"Full of excitement and originality." — Read it Daddy: “An amazing new adventure series perfectly pitched to draw in reluctant readers, and full of excitement and originality.” — Read it Daddy for ‘Dinostars and the Planet Plundering Pirates’