Horacek, Petr
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BIOGRAPHY
Original picture book artwork by Petr Horacek is available for purchase from Images of Delight.
Petr grew up in Prague in the Czech Republic. He always wanted to be an illustrator, preferring to look at the pictures inside books rather than to read them. He would listen to the story or watch a film and then fill up his sketchbook with pictures and images from the story.
He studied at the Academy of Fine Art in Prague where he painted and drew for six years. Every autumn the students were taken to the countryside where they were left for a few weeks to paint and draw the landscape. This instilled in him a love of the season and the outdoors. One day an English girl came into his studio and before he knew it, he was living in England. They married and now have two daughters who are the biggest inspiration for his work.
His first books, Strawberries are Red and What is Black and White?, received the Books for Children Newcomer Award 2001 - the last recipient of this award. Since then he has written and illustrated numerous books and received many awards, including Picture Book of the Year 2008 in Holland for A New House for Mouse. Silly Suzy Goose was also on the 10 book shortlist of the award. A New House for Mouse has also been selected for the 2008 Book Start pack which will distribute 150,000 copies to new parents throughout the U.K. Butterfly, Butterfly was listed first in the Sunday Times list of summer reading in the 0-3 category, July 1st 2007. Silly Suzy Goose has also earned Petr this fabulous review in The Washington Post, April 9th 2006 ,"Czech artist Petr Horacek is one funny guy, as well as a natural-born teacher and a whiz with a paintbrush. Put him down as the thinking tot's Eric Carle."
You can find out more about Petr on his own website www.petrhoracek.com
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ILLUSTRATIONS
Please click on image to enlarge and view details of size, price etc.
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|  | Suzy Goose and the Christmas Star
This is the third in the wonderful series about Suzy, the silly goose with a mind of her own!
When Suzy Goose decides that the Christmas tree is missing a star, she sets off on a journey to fetch the shiny star in the sky. No matter how far she travels, she never reaches it. But when she finds herself back at the tree, everyone has a beautiful Christmas surprise! |
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|  | Elephant, written and illustrated by Petr Horacek and first published 2009 by Walker Books Ltd.
Julia Eccleshare's picture book choice, The Guardian, March 2009
"Dreaming up and imaginary friend on the scale of an elephant stretches improbability in a satisfying way. Lonely and bored, a little boy needs someone to play with: why not an elephant? An elephant can play football as well as being a perfect companion on a jungle adventure; he is also an obvious candidate when it comes to taking the blame for anything from a trampled flowerbed to an accident with a vase. And do the adults believe in him? Here, this is finely judged: they carry the make-believe far enough to make it look as if they do, so allowing all readers to enjoy the fantasy."
The Ultimate Book Guide's Book of the Week (8), 2009. The following is a short extract from the complete review.
...Mixing pencil-scribbles (for the elephant hide) and paint and collage, most of the illustrations are set simply against plain white backdrops, which works to great bold effect when this changes to a colour to enrich a particular moment of sadness or wild fantasy or magic. And there are magical moments aplenty... |
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|  | Hello, little bird. Published 2005 by Walker Books Ltd. |
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|  | A New House for Mouse. Published 2006 by Walker Books Ltd.
'Petr Horacek has created a delightful book for young readers. The illustrations are bright and simple, which children will enjoy.' Write Away! |
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|  | Look Out, Suzy Goose comes hard on the heels of the enormously popular Silly Suzy Goose.
"The illustrations in his new picture book are gorgeous." Time Out
Suzy Goose is fed up with her noisy flock and heads off for a solitary walk in the woods. But Suzy is not alone. Tiptoe, tiptoe, creep, creep Bear, Wolf and Fox follow her deeper into the woods. They all spy dinner! A narrow escape later, Suzy hurries back to her flock. It's nice to be safely back home. |
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|  | Butterfly, Butterfly, written and illustrated by Petr Horacek and published April 2007 by Walker Books Ltd (U.K.) and Candlewick Press (U.S.)
In this inventive peep-through-the-holes picture book from an award-winning children's book creator, Lucy searches for a butterfly in her garden.
Nicolette Jones' round-up of the best reads for summer in The Sunday Times (1 July 2007) listed Butterfly, Butterfly first in the 0-3 category.
"Butterfly, Butterfly by Petr Horacek (Walker £9.99), an introduction to colours and insects, is one to read in the park or garden. It has a gorgeous silver cover and the inside recalls Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. A little girl looking for a butterfly finds an array of garden insects, and cleverly placed holes in the pages invite readers to guess what comes next." |
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|  | Silly Suzy Goose, first published 2006 by Walker Books Ltd (U.K.) and Candlewick Press (U.S.)
This book has made a tremendous impact on both sides of the Atlantic, reprinting literally days after publication, winning numerous awards and receiving great critical acclaim;
Child Magazine's Best Children's Book Award, USA
Parenting Books of the Year Awards, USA
Washington Post Book World Best Children's Books of the Year, USA
Shorlisted for the Picturebook of the Year, 2008, Holland
In the U.K. it has been selected for the Bookstart programme in 2007 and has also been made into film. A DVD will be available from August 2007.
The Independent, U.K. 31/3/06:
"In Silly Suzy Goose by Petr Horacek, Suzy Goose goes from wanting to run from the crowd, to wanting to run to the crowd, over 22 blooming, beautifully designed pages. If only she could be different, she thinks. If she as a bat, she could flap her wings. If she was a toucan, she could make a loud squawk. If she was a lion, she could roar. The whole book is a nicely measured brew of naive, paired-down design and warm hearted emotion."
Kirkus Reviews, USA, 02/15/2006
"Attractive mixed-media illustrations, and a well-designed cover, utilize bright colors, textures and size contrasts to energize the spare shapes."
Publishers Weekly, USA, 02/13/2006
"The poster-like impact of the pictures, combined with Suzy's featherbrained adventure scheme, should strike a chord with young audiences."
School Library Journal, USA, 04/01/2006
"Animal movements and sounds, along with the large, bright pictures and interesting compositions, make this an attractive choice to share with young audiences."
Booklist, USA, starred review 02/15/2006
"Created in mixed media, the art jumps off the pages, a fitting verb for a clever, clever book, alive in every way."
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
The following titles have been written and illustrated by Petr and have all been published by Walker Books Ltd. Choo Choo, 2008 Beep, Beep, 2008 Look Out, Suzy Goose, 2008 Butterfly, Butterfly, 2007 Silly Suzy Goose, 2006 Flutter By, Butterfly, 2005 A New House for Mouse, 2004 This Little Cat, 2005 Strawberries Are Red, 2001 When the Moon Smiled, 2003 Run, Mouse, Run!, 2005 What Is Black and White?, 2001 Hello, Little Bird, 2005
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. Alternative artwork from <i>A New House for Mouse</i>, published 2006 by Walker Books Ltd. <br>280mm x 280mm. Mixed media, signed and unmounted, £175'))
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. Alternative artwork from <i>A New House for Mouse</i>, published 2006 by Walker Books Ltd. <br>180mm x 270mm. Mixed media, signed and unmounted, £155'))
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. Preliminary artwork from <i>Butterfly, Butterfly</i>, written and illustrated by Petr Horacek. <br>First published 2007 by Walker Books Ltd and Candlewick Press. 200m x 165mm. Mixed media, signed and unmounted, £135'))
. Preliminary artwork from <i>Butterfly, Butterfly</i>, written and illustrated by Petr Horacek. <br>First published 2007 by Walker Books Ltd and Candlewick Press. 200mm x 160mm. Mixed media, signed and unmounted, £135'))
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. Preliminary artwork from <i>Butterfly, Butterfly</i>, first published 2007 by Walker Books Ltd and Candlewick Press. <br>320mm x 520mm. Mixed media, signed and unmounted, £325'))
. Preliminary artwork from <i>Butterfly, Butterfly</i>, written and illustrated by Petr Horacek. <br>First published 2007 by Walker Books Ltd and Candlewick Press. 340mm x 350mm. Mixed media, signed and unmounted, £175'))
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. Preliminary artwork from <i>Silly Suzy Goose</i>, <br>first published 2006 by Walker Books. 270mm x 255mm. Mixed media, signed and mounted £175'))
. Preliminary artwork from <i>Silly Suzy Goose</i>, <br>first published 2006 by Walker Books Ltd. 265mm x 490mm. Mixed media, signed and unmounted £225'))
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. Preliminary artwork from <i>Silly Suzy Goose</i>, <br>first published 2006 by Walker Books Ltd. 275mm x 260mm. Mixed media, signed and unmounted £183'))
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. Preliminary artwork from <i>Silly Suzy Goose</i>, <br>first published 2006 by Walker Books. 270mm x 490mm. Mixed media, signed and mounted £375'))
