Debi Gliori (born 1959) is a Scottish writer and illustrator of children's books.[1][2]

Debi Gliori
Born1959 (age 64–65)
Glasgow, Scotland
OccupationWriter, illustrator
NationalityScottish
GenreChildren's literature, picture books
Children5

Life and career

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Gliori was born in Glasgow and grew up there as an only child.[2] She started writing children's books in 1976 and attended art school in Edinburgh from 1979 to 1984.[2] She then received an Andrew Grant travelling scholarship award to go to Milan, and worked as a freelance from 1984.[2] In 1989, independent children's book publisher Walker Books signed her,[3] and she acquired an agent three years later.[3]

Gliori is the creator of many children's books including the Mr Bear picture book series. She wrote the black comedy Pure Dead series for older children, with Pure Dead Magic being her first novel.[1]

Gliori has five children.[2] She lives in Haddington, East Lothian.[3][4]

Awards

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Mr. Bear won the Red House Children's Book Award for picture books in 1997.[1][2][5] Mr. Bear to the Rescue was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 1997;[1][6] Mr. Bear Babysits, Mr. Bear's Picnic and Mr. Bear to the Rescue were all awarded a Gold award in the Petit Filous Best Toy Awards,[2] and Mr. Bear Says Goodnight was chosen for the Booktrust's Bookstart project.[2] Where, Oh Where, is Baby Bear? was shortlisted for the Sainsbury's Baby Book Award in 2001. Always and Forever, written by Alan Durant and illustrated by Debi Gliori, was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2003.[7] Her work has also been shortlisted for the Scottish Arts Council Award (for Pure Dead Wicked in 2003),[8] and for the Royal Mail Award[9][10] (for Stormy Weather in 2010).[11] On 6 November 2018 she was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letter at Strathclyde University.

Reception

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What's the Time, Mr Wolf? Reviewing the same work in We Love This Book, Caroline Downie writes, "Gliori's illustrations are a delight, full of detail and surprises",[12] with "so many things on each page to discover, share, count and laugh at."[12]

On the Booktrust website, What's the Time Mr Wolf? is described as "a delightful story, inspired by traditional fairy tales as well as the familiar playground game, 'What's the Time Mr Wolf?'"[13] The reviewer found the book to contain much "lively detail" and "beautiful illustrations"[13] and suggested that it would make a perfect and soothing bedtime story.[13]

At SchoolZone, schools librarian Joy Court found What's the Time Mr Wolf? to be "an enchantingly original story" and "a delight to read aloud". She writes that the book is "perfect for practising telling the time" and for the [British] educational Key Stage 1.[14]

At Parents in Touch, the reviewer writes that the book is humorous, "filled with much loved characters" and contains "catchy text" which is "a joy to read aloud".[15] The reviewer adds that the illustrations are "packed with thoughtful detail" and an "utter delight".[15]

Other reviews

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  • Craig, Amanda (3 November 2012). "Children's book of the week: The Tobermory Cat". The Times. News Corporation. Retrieved 3 November 2012. (subscription required)

Media coverage

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The Tobermory cat

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Two small cats known as The Distillery Cats appear on The Tobermory Distillery Sign.[16] In 2012, the origin of the idea of Gliori's book, 'The Tobermory Cat' came under fierce online dispute. There have been a number of creative works using the name "Tobermory",[17][18][19] most notably an illustrated children's book, The Tobermory Cat by Debi Gliori and the earlier Facebook page and book entitled Tobermory Cat by the Isle of Mull artist Angus Stewart.

Selected works

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[1][20]

Series

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Pure Dead

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Pure Dead Magic (2001)[21]
Pure Dead Wicked (2002)[22]
Pure Dead Brilliant (2003)[23]
Deep Trouble (2004) aka Pure Dead Trouble
Deep Water (2005) aka Pure Dead Batty
Deep Fear (2006) aka Pure Dead Frozen
Pure Dead Magic / Pure Dead Wicked / Pure Dead Brilliant (omnibus) (2004)

Witch Baby

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Witch Baby and Me (2008)[24]
Witch Baby and Me Go to School (2009)
Witch Baby and Me After Dark (2009)
Witch Baby and Me on Stage (2010)[25]

Collections

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Debi Gliori's Bedtime Stories (2002)

Picture books

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Anthologies (as editor)

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Noisy Poems (1997)
Book of Nursery Rhymes (2001)

Articles

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Staff. "Debi Gliori". Scottish Book Trust. Archived from the original on 11 January 2011. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Staff. "Orchard Books > Author A to Z : G > Debi Gliori Profile". Orchard Books. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Bale, Karen (7 October 2012). "Children's best-selling author reveals her garden is where she finds her inspiration". Daily Record. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  4. ^ "What's the Time, Mr Wolf? by Debi Gliori". coles-books.co.uk. Retrieved 21 May 2022.
  5. ^ Staff. "Red House Children's Book Award – Past Winners". Red House Children's Book Award. Federation of Children's Book Groups. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  6. ^ Brennan, Geraldine (11 May 2008). "Library favourites: Kate Greenaway Medal shortlist illustrators". TES magazine. TSL Education Ltd. Archived from the original on 12 October 2017. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  7. ^ Judges (2004). "Press Desk: The CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal Shortlist 2003: Judges Comments". The CILIP Carnegie & Kate Greenaway Children's Book Awards. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  8. ^ Judges (23 May 2003). "Scottish Arts Council book of the Year Award 2003: Announcement of shortleet (sic)". Scottish Arts Council. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  9. ^ Staff. "Debi Gliori Gallery". Booktrust. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  10. ^ Staff. "Debi Gliori's Profile". Caroline Sheldon Literary Agency Ltd. Archived from the original on 20 April 2013. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  11. ^ Anderson, Donald (6 October 2010). "Shetland Inspired Book Short Listed for Major Prize". Shetland Arts. Shetland Arts Development Agency. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
  12. ^ a b c Downie, Caroline (2012). "What's the Time Mr Wolf?". We Love This Book. The Bookseller Media Group. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  13. ^ a b c d Staff (2012). "What's the Time, Mr Wolf?". Booktrust. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  14. ^ a b Court, Joy (2012). "What's the Time, Mr Wolf?". SchoolZone. ReadingZone. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  15. ^ a b c Staff (2012). "Book reviews – fiction age 2 to 5 (page 6): What's the Time, Mr Wolf? by Debi Gliori". Parents in Touch. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  16. ^ Staff (22 July 2010). "Tails from an Island: Tobermory Replaces Iconic Sign". PRLog Press Release Distribution. Retrieved 2 November 2012.
  17. ^ For example, Tobermory is the name of a talking cat in the short story Tobermory by Hector Hugh Munro (1870–1916), who wrote as Saki.
  18. ^ Flood, Alison (30 October 2012). "Cat at centre of bitter children's book scrap". The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  19. ^ Saki. "Tobermory by Saki". Literature of the Fantastic. Retrieved 1 November 2012. The story may be found in The Chronicles of Clovis.
  20. ^ Staff. "Worldcat search for "Debi Gliori"". WorldCat. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  21. ^ Staff (1 August 2001). "PURE DEAD MAGIC by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  22. ^ Staff (1 July 2002). "PURE DEAD WICKED by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  23. ^ missylybmouse (19 October 2011). "Pure Dead Brilliant by Debi Gliori – review". The Guardian Children's Books. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  24. ^ Staff (1 July 2010). "WITCH BABY AND ME by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  25. ^ Staff (1 July 2011). "WITCH BABY AND ME ON STAGE by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  26. ^ Staff (15 August 1991). "NEW BIG SISTER by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  27. ^ Staff (15 May 1992). "NEW BIG HOUSE by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  28. ^ Staff (1 June 1994). "MR. BEAR BABYSITS by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  29. ^ Staff (15 January 1999). "MR. BEAR'S NEW BABY by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  30. ^ Staff (1 November 1999). "NO MATTER WHAT by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  31. ^ Staff (1 March 2001). "FLORA'S BLANKET by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  32. ^ Staff (15 December 2002). "FLORA'S SURPRISE! by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  33. ^ Staff (15 January 2005). "WHERE DID THAT BABY COME FROM? by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  34. ^ Staff (15 September 2008). "THE TROUBLE WITH DRAGONS by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  35. ^ Staff (15 October 2009). "STORMY WEATHER by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  36. ^ Staff (1 April 2012). "THE SCARIEST THING OF ALL by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  37. ^ Repa and Amirah, 2 (4 October 2012). "What's the time, Mr Wolf? by Debi Gliori – review". The Guardian Children's Books. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 26 October 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  38. ^ Eccleshare, Julia (September 2012). "What's the Time, Mr Wolf?".
  39. ^ Eccleshare, Julia (October 2012). "What's the time Mr Wolf?". mumsnet. Mumsnet Limited.
  40. ^ Staff (1 September 2012). "WHAT'S THE TIME, MR. WOLF? by Debi Gliori". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
  41. ^ Craig, Amanda (3 November 2012). "Children's book of the week: The Tobermory Cat". The Times. News Corporation. Retrieved 3 November 2012. (subscription required) The lead paragraphs featuring the controversy may be viewed without a subscription.
  42. ^ Staff (7 November 2012). "Untitled (about the Tobermory cat)" (iPlayer video). Reporting Scotland. BBC Scotland. Retrieved 8 November 2012. The programme was broadcast at 6:30pm, UK time, on 7 November 2012. The piece runs from 24:33 onwards and was available online until 6:59pm on Thursday 8 November 2012.
  43. ^ Staff (7 November 2012). "Buaireadh mu chat ann am Muile" (video). BBC Naidheachdan. BBC Television. Retrieved 8 November 2012. The BBC Scotland piece is also available in this Gaelic language version. (in Scottish Gaelic)

Further reading

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Videos