Photo of Mick Inkpen

Mick Inkpen

Mick Inkpen is one of the most popular author/illustrators in the world. His books have sold over 4 million copies, and have been translated into over twenty different languages. His best-loved characters are probably Kipper and Wibbly Pig – who are both stars of their very own TV series!

He began his career as a graphic designer, and worked with another children’s author Nick Butterworth (of Percy the Park Keeper fame) on a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express. In 1989 The Blue Balloon was published to great acclaim, and established him as an important and original voice in children’s picture books. He and his wife, Debbie, also had children of their own by this point: “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”

Mick lives in Essex with his wife and two children.

He began his career as a graphic designer, declining a place to study English at Cambridge University. During this period he worked with Nick Butterworth, a fellow children’s author, from whom he learned design and typography. Together they developed a cartoon strip for the Sunday Express magazine, later to become a first series of children’s picture books. They also worked in children’s television.

In 1989 The Blue Balloon established him as a truly original voice in children’s picture books, by which time Mick and his wife Debbie had two children of their own. “Without the experience of having children of my own I doubt that I would have been capable of writing effectively for children. And yet it’s true that good work really springs from trying to please yourself”

Books by Mick Inkpen

  • Hide Me, Kipper

    Hide Me, Kipper

  • Hide Me, Kipper!

    Hide Me, Kipper!

  • Is it Bedtime Wibbly Pig?

    Is it Bedtime Wibbly Pig?

  • Jasper's Beanstalk

    Jasper's Beanstalk

  • Kipper

    Kipper

  • Kipper (25th Anniversary Edition)

    Kipper (25th Anniversary Edition)

  • Kipper (Board Book)

    Kipper (Board Book)

  • Kipper's Birthday

    Kipper's Birthday

  • Kipper's Birthday

    Kipper's Birthday

  • Kipper's Birthday

    Kipper's Birthday

  • Kipper's Christmas Eve

    Kipper's Christmas Eve

  • Kipper's Christmas Eve

    Kipper's Christmas Eve

  • Kipper's Snowy Day

    Kipper's Snowy Day

  • Kipper's Snowy Day

    Kipper's Snowy Day

  • Kipper's Snowy Day (Board Book)

    Kipper's Snowy Day (Board Book)

  • Kipper's Toybox

    Kipper's Toybox

  • Kipper's Toybox

    Kipper's Toybox

  • The Nativity Play

    The Nativity Play

  • Wibbly Pig Has 10 Balloons

    Wibbly Pig Has 10 Balloons

  • Zoe and Beans: Pants on the Moon!

    Zoe and Beans: Pants on the Moon!

  • Zoe and Beans: The Magic Hoop!

    Zoe and Beans: The Magic Hoop!

  • Zoe and Beans: Zoe’s Christmas List

    Zoe and Beans: Zoe’s Christmas List

Awards

Mick won the Red House Children’s Book Award for Threadbear in 1991, and the Nestle Smarties Award for Kipper’s A-Z in 2001.