Anita Jeram author page

Anita Jeram biography

Anita Jeram is an English author and illustrator of children’s picture books. She was born in Portsmouth in 1965 and studied illustration at Manchester Polytechnic, graduating with a BA in 1990.

Her debut book, Bill’s Belly Button, was published by Walker Books in 1991, followed by her second self-illustrated title, It Was Jake!. She went on to write and illustrate several other books including Contrary Mary (1995), Bunny, My Honey (1999), and I Love My Little Storybook (2002).

Jeram gained widespread recognition as the illustrator of Sam McBratney’s bestselling picture book Guess How Much I Love You, first released in 1994. That title was shortlisted for the 1994 Kurt Maschler Award, one of two shortlists at the 1994 Publishing News British Book Awards in the Illustrated Children’s Books category, and won the American Booksellers Book of the Year Award in 1996.

She has also illustrated works by Dick King-Smith, including All Pigs Are Beautiful and I Love Guinea Pigs, and collaborated with Amy Hest on titles such as Kiss Good Night and Don’t You Feel Well, Sam?.

Jeram publishes illustrated greeting cards through Two Bad Mice Publishers Ltd and continues to be recognised for her gentle watercolour-and-ink style, especially featuring animal characters.

The most recent milestone in her career is the enduring global success of Guess How Much I Love You, which had sold over 28 million copies and been translated into 53 languages by 2013.