British author and illustrator Judith Kerr, "whose debut picture book The Tiger Who Came to Tea introduced generations of pre-school children to the joyful chaos of uncontrolled appetites," died May 22, the Guardian reported. She was 95. Kerr, "who dreamed up the tiger to amuse her two children," only started publishing in her 40s. Last week, she was named illustrator of the year at the British Book Awards.
Kerr published more than 30 books, including the 17-title Mog series and the semi-autobiographical Out of the Hitler Time trilogy (When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit, Bombs on Aunt Dainty (originally published as The Other Way Round) and A Small Person Far Away). A new work, The Curse of the School Rabbit, described by HarperCollins as a "laugh-out-loud story of a boy, a rabbit, and a lot of bad luck," will be released in June.
Children's author David Walliams remembered Kerr as a "legendary author and illustrator, whose stories and illustrations gave pleasure to millions around the world," while children's laureate Lauren Child recalled her as "generous" and "such a lovely person to be around.... She was just so funny. Even last week she was joking with me on the phone about she was rather pleased that she was exactly the same weight she'd always been, but that she'd let it go a bit far. She could always make me laugh. She always seemed to see the good."
Ann-Janine Murtagh, Kerr's publisher at HarperCollins Children's Books, told the Bookseller: "It has been the greatest honor and privilege to know and publish Judith Kerr for over a decade, though of course her history with HarperCollins goes back over 50 years. She came to visit our offices frequently--always bringing her books in person; often arriving on the number 9 bus and leaving us all full of laughter and in awe of her astonishing zest for life and absolute commitment to delivering the very best books for children. Her incisive wit and dry humor made her both excellent company and a joy to publish. She embraced life as one great big adventure and lived every day to the full."
HarperCollins CEO Charlie Redmayne called Kerr "a wonderful and inspiring person who was much loved by everyone at HarperCollins. She was a brilliantly talented artist and storyteller who has left us an extraordinary body of work. Always understated and very, very funny, Judith loved life and loved people--and particularly she loved a party. Beautifully dressed and with a smile on her face she would light up the room and would always be one of the last to leave. Time spent in her company was one of life's great privileges and I am so grateful to have known her."
"There was steel under the sweetness," Nancy Banks-Smith wrote in the Guardian. "All great children's literature is slightly disturbing beneath the surface and no one could draw the smile on the face of the tiger like Judith. Her voice on the phone became tissue paper-thin, but she was determined to finish her last book and, knowing she was dying, she did it."