Kes Gray | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1960 (age 63–64) Chelmsford, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Known for | Children's Literature |
| Notable work | Oi Frog! |
Kes Gray (born 1960) is a British author of children's books.
Gray attended Great Baddow Comprehensive, then graduated from the University of Kent with an honours degree in English and American literature.[1]
He is one of the UK's bestselling writers for children, with over two million copies of his stories sold.[2] He is best known for the award-winning DAISY picture books, illustrated by Nick Sharratt, the chart-topping Oi! series illustrated by Jim Field and a collaboration with the athlete Mo Farah.[citation needed] The Oi! series books were narrated as audiobooks by comedian and actor David Mitchell, [3] who also narrated Gray's books, How Many Legs? and Quick Quack Quentin.
Gray was listed as one of the top ten children's authors in the UK in 2003.[4] He has won the Sainsbury's Children's Book Award and the Laugh Out Loud Book Award and has been shortlisted for the British Book Awards.[5]
In 2019, Hughes and Pins & Needles Productions adapted Gray and Field's children's book series Oi Frog and Friends for the stage.[6] The script was developed and written by Richy Hughes, Emma Earle, Zoe Squire and Luke Bateman, with lyrics by Hughes. The production premiered at Frensham Heights School in October 2019,[7] before going on to a critically acclaimed run at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End.[8] In 2020, the show was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Family Show.[9]
