Melling, David

Personal

Born in Oxford, England; married; children: two. Education: Studied art in college.

Addresses

Home—Oxfordshire, England.

Career

Author and illustrator of children's books. Has also worked as a painter and designer in an animation studio.

Awards, Honors

Smarties Book Award shortlist, 1994, for Brilliant the Dinosaur; Kate Greenaway Medal longlist, for What's That Noise?, and shortlist for The Kiss That Missed; Pulcinella Award shortlist for Best TV Movie, 2005, for The Tale of Jack Frost.

Writings

SELF-ILLUSTRATED

Cartwheels in the Kitchen, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2001.

Just like My Dad, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2002.

The Kiss That Missed, Barron's (New York, NY), 2002.

The Tale of Jack Frost, Barron's (New York, NY), 2003.

The Ghost Library, Barron's (New York, NY), 2004.

Good Knight Sleep Tight, Barron's (New York, NY), 2005.

The Scallywags, Barron's, (New York, NY), 2006.

Two by Two and a Half, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2007.

ILLUSTRATOR

Richard Stilgoe, Brilliant the Dinosaur, Pavilion (London, England), 1994.

(With Colin Reeder) Nicola Baxter, The Little Red Car, Ladybird (Loughborough, England), 1995.

Sandi Toksvig, If I Didn't Have Elbows, De Agostini Children's Books (New York, NY), 1996.

Diane Bentley, Monty at the Seaside, Heinemann Educational (Oxford, England), 1996.

Diana Bentley, Monty and the Ghost Train, Heinemann Educational (Oxford, England), 1996.

Diana Bentley, Monty at McBurgers, Heinemann Educational (Oxford, England), 1996.

Diana Bentley, Monty at the Party, Heinemann Educational (Oxford, England), 1996.

Francesca Simon, What's That Noise?, Barron's (Hauppage, NY), 1996.

Jim Eldridge, Tractor and Digger Save the Day, Bloomsbury (London, England), 1997.

Nigel Boswall, Jerry's Trousers, Macmillan Children's Books (London, England), 1998.

Vivian French, Iggy Pig's Party, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 1998.

Vivian French, Iggy Pig's Skippy Day, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 1998.

Hilary McKay, Cold Enough for Snow, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 1998.

Hilary McKay, A Birthday Wish, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 1998.

Francesca Simon, Where Are You?, Peachtree (Atlanta, GA), 1998.

Vivian French, Iggy Pig's Big Bad Wolf Trouble, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

Vivian French, Iggy Pig's Dark Night, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 1999.

Vivian French, Iggy Pig's at the Seaside, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 1999.

Vivian French, Iggy Pig's Shopping Day, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 1999.

Vivian French, Iggy Pig's Snowy Day, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 1999.

Hilary McKay, A Strong Smell of Magic, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 1999.

Ian Whybrow, Jump In!, Barron's (Hauppage, NY), 1999.

Neil Morris, My First Words to See and Learn, Passport Books (Chicago, IL), 1999, published as My First Oxford Book Of Words, Oxford University Press (Oxford, England), 1999.

Joan Powers, editor, Over the Moon!: A Collection of Best-loved Nursery Rhymes, Templar Publishing (London, England), 1999, Dutton (New York, NY), 2000.

Neil Morris, My First Spanish Words to See and Learn, Passport Books (Chicago, IL), 1999, published as My First Oxford Spanish Words, Oxford University Press (Oxford, England), 2000, bilingual edition published as Oxford First Spanish Words, 2002.

Neil Morris, My First French Words to See and Learn, Passport Books (Chicago, IL), 1999, published as My First Oxford French Words, Oxford University Press (Oxford, England), 1999, bilingual edition published as Oxford First French Words, 2002.

Haiwyn Oram, Gerda the Goose, Barron's (Hauppage, NY), 2000.

Peter Patilla, My First Oxford Book of Numbers, Oxford University Press (Oxford, England), 2000.

Margaret Ryan, Rainbow to the Rescue, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2000.

Margaret Ryan, Smiler Gets Toothache, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2000, Scholastic, (New York, NY), 2003.

Neil Morris, My First Oxford German Words, Oxford University Press (Oxford, England), 2000, bilingual edition, 2002.

James and Deborah Howe, Bunnicula: A Rabbit-Tale of Mystery, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2000.

James Howe, Bunnicula Strikes Again!, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2000.

James Howe, Howliday Inn: The Nightmare Hotel, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2000.

James Howe, Return to Howliday Inn, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2000.

James Howe, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2000.

James Howe, Nighty-Nightmare, Hodder Children's Books (London, England) 2000.

Mike Haines, Count Down to Bedtime, Hyperion Books (New York, NY), 2001.

Margaret Ryan, Bumpy's Rumbling Tummy, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2001.

Ian Whybrow, All Change!, Barron's (New York, NY), 2001.

Margaret Ryan, Fuzzbuzz Takes a Tumble, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2001, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2003.

Francesca Simon, The Adventures of Harry, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2004.

Lucy Daniels, Hattie's New House, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2004.

Mike Haines, First Adventures of Fidget and Quilly, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2004.

Lucy Daniels, Oscar's Best Friends, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2004.

Lucy Daniels, Party Time, Poppy!, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2004.

Lucy Daniels, Fergal's Flippers, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2005.

Lucy Daniels, Sammy's Secret, Hodder Children's Books (London, England), 2005.

Adaptations

The Tale of Jack Frost was adapted as an animated television show, produced by British Broadcasting Corporation, 2004.

Sidelights

David Melling is a popular and prolific illustrator of books for young readers. Born in Oxford, England, Melling has provided the artwork for titles by such respected authors as Vivian French, Francesca Simon, and James Howe. "Becoming a children's book illustrator came about through a natural progression of events rather than an early inspiration," he told a Children's Bookcase online interviewer. One of Melling's early influences was his father, a sculptor, and he chose to study art in college. After pursuing a career in photography, Melling took a job at an animation studio, where he drew backgrounds, painted cells, and assisted with design work. "By now I had become very interested in drawing characters and telling stories with pictures and, eventually I met someone who suggested I look at illustrating children's books," he remarked. "This was such a revelation for me as I realised immediately that this was what I wanted to do."

Melling made his literary debut in 1994 when he illustrated Richard Stilgoe's Brilliant the Dinosaur, an environmental tale. He has since worked on dozens of other books, including Where Are You? by Francesca Simon. In this story, a small dog named Harry becomes distracted by the smell of cupcakes while shopping with his grandfather. When the doggie duo realizes they have become separated, each frantically winds his way through the aisles in search of the other. "Melling's pictures are both comic and dramatic," noted School Library Journal contributor Stephanie Zvirin in her review of the book.

Over the Moon!: A Collection of Best-loved Nursery Rhymes, edited by Joan Powers, features such favorite verses as "Humpty Dumpty," "Little Miss Muffet," and "Hickory Dickory Dock." "Melling's cartoonish spreads add fun details," observed a reviewer in Publishers Weekly. In Melling's artwork for Count Down to Bedtime, a lift-the-flap book by Mike Haines, Bandit the raccoon and Spike the porcupine find plenty of things to keep them busy—including brushing their teeth and checking under the bed for monsters—in the ten minutes before they turn in. "Brightened with colorful washes, the cartoonlike drawings are clearly delineated and easy to follow," wrote Carolyn Phelan in Booklist.

Melling has also published a number of highly regarded self-illustrated works. In The Kiss That Missed, a king blows an enchanted kiss toward his young son, but it sails past its intended target and enters a forest that is guarded by a dragon. "The tale is refreshingly original and relevant, showing a busy family full of love," remarked School Library Journal contributor Be Astengo. Another story dealing with royalty, Good Knight Sleep Tight, concerns a loyal knight's quest for the perfect stuffing to repair the baby princess' damaged pillow. "Melling's watercolor-and-ink pictures bubble with a pleasing slapstick tone … and a mock-serio theatricality," noted a Publishers Weekly critic, and Piper L. Nyman, writing in School Library Journal, commented that "dramatic shifts in perspective and the inclusion of comic-style mini-illustrations add to the absurdity and sense of adventure" in Melling's art.

A mysterious boy with unusual powers helps the enchanted creatures of the forest fend off a gaggle of nasty goblins in The Tale of Jack Frost. "Readers who like their fairy tales served with physical comedy will revel in the detailed illustrations" in this book, a reviewer in Publishers Weekly stated. The members of a disgusting family of wolves attempt to change their ways, with surprising results, in The Scallywags, "a thoroughly delightful romp" by Melling, according to Judith Constantinides in School Library Journal. "Melling turns cartoon-style art, which in lesser hands would seem ordinary, into an art form," concluded Booklist contributor Ilene Cooper of The Scallywags, and in the London Guardian Julia Eccleshare praised the author-illustrator's "thought-provoking and refreshing storyline."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, December 1, 1998, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Where Are You?, p. 672; December 1, 2000, Ilene Cooper, review of Over the Moon!: A Collection of Best-loved Nursery Rhymes, p. 728; June 1, 2001, Carolyn Phelan, review of Countdown to Bedtime, p. 1890; February 1, 2006, Connie Fletcher, review of Good Knight, Sleep Tight, p. 56; February 1, 2007, Ilene Cooper, review of The Scallywags, p. 46.

Guardian (London, England), August 10, 1999, review of What's That Noise?, p. 5; February 6, 2001, Lindsey Fraser, review of If I Didn't Have Elbows, p. 57; January 20, 2007, Julia Eccleshare, review of The Scallywags, p. 20.

Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2006, review of The Scallywags, p. 1271.

Publishers Weekly, July 20, 1998, review of Where Are You?, p. 217; October 30, 2000, review of Rhyme and Reason, p. 78; October 27, 2003, review of The Tale of Jack Frost, p. 68; January 2, 2006, review of Good Knight, Sleep Tight, p. 60; February 5, 2007, review of The Scallywags, p. 57.

School Library Journal, May, 1999, Christie J. Flynn, review of Where Are You?, p. 97; July, 2001, Kathleen Simonetta, review of Countdown to Bedtime, p. 82; December, 2002, Be Astengo, review of The Kiss That Missed, p. 102; March, 2004, Lee Bock, review of The Tale of Jack Frost, p. 178; March, 2006, Piper L. Nyman, review of Good Knight, Sleep Tight, p. 199; March, 2007, Judith Constantinides, review of The Scallywags, p. 182.

Scotsman, November 17, 2000, Jane Ellis, review of Countdown to Bedtime, p. 13.

ONLINE

Children's Bookcase Web site,http://www.thechildrensbookcase.com/ (December 20, 2007), interview with Melling.