René Guillot
Encyclopedia
René GuillotRené Guillot (1900 – March 26, 1969, in Paris
, France
) was a French
children's author
who lived, worked and travelled in French
Africa
.
After studying science
, he moved to Senegal
to work as a teacher, spending over 20 years in Africa. Most of the material for his many books comes from this time.
His books include "Kpo the Leopard
," "The King of Cats," "Sirga: Queen of the African Bush," and "Oworo."
"Kpo the Leopard" was published in 1955 and was also included in "The Hamish Hamilton Book of Wise Animals," edited by Eilis Dillon, illustrated by Bernard Brett (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1975. ISBN 0241021561), together with pieces featuring "fabulous animals" such as Edgar Allan Poe
's "The Raven
," E. Nesbit
's "Psammead," T. S. Eliot
's "Mr. Mistoffelees," and "Rollicum Bitem the Fox" by John Masefield
.
In 1964, he received a literary award for "Fodai and the Leopard-Men." This was the Hans Christian Andersen Award
, sometimes known as the "Little Nobel Prize", named after the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen
. It is the highest international recognition given to an author (and an illustrator) of children's books, and is awarded every two years. His book The 397th White Elephant won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
in 1958.
Two films, (both directed by Patrick Grandperret
) have been made from Guillot's children's books:
L'Enfant Lion ("The Lion Child") ~ 1993, based on Guillot's "Sirga the Lioness," and Le Maître des éléphants ("The Elephant Master") ~ 1995.
A live-action version of "Little Dog Lost" featuring a Welsh Corgi, was made for the "Disneyland" show and was broadcast in 1963.
There was also a movie, Fort de la solitude (1948), directed by Robert Vernay, based on one of René Guillot's adult novels.
René Guillot died in Paris in 1969.
(OUP, Oxford Children's Library 1955 ~ 160pp.)
(3rd Eng. printing, 1967)
Illustrated by Joan Kiddell-Monroe
, translated by Gwen Marsh
The 397th White Elephant
(SG Phillips 1957)
Illustrated by Christian Heinrich
Grishka And The Bear
(NY, Criterion Books 1960 ~ 115pp)
Translated by Gwen Marsh. Illustrated by Joan Kiddell-Monroe
Master of the Elephants
(OUP: London 1961 ~ 146pp)
Translated by Barbara Seccombe
Riders Of The Wind
(Rand McNally 1962 ~ 174pp)
Illustrated by Richard Kennedy
The Wind of Chance
(Oxford University Press London 1963 ~ 188pp)
Translated by Norman Dale
Little Dog Lost
(Librairie Hachette, Paris 1964)
(English translation 1967)
(US revised English translation published by
Lothrop, Lee & Shepard and by
William Morrow ~ 1970. ISBN 0688511392)
Translated by Joan Selby-Lowndes, illustrated by Wallace Tripp
Balloon Journey
(Clark McCutcheon 1966)
Illustrated by David Knight
The Castle of the Crested Bird
(NY: Watts 1968)
Illustrated by Paul Durmand.
Fodai and the Leopard-Men
(Funk & Wagnalls 1970 ~ 164pp.)
Illustrated by Michel Jouin
Tales of Magic
(Eng edition in translation ~ 1973)
Illustrated by Paul Durmand
Pascal and the Lioness
(Random House New Acorn Library ~ 1976)
ISBN 0370109007
Translated and Adapted by Christina Holyoak
Illustrated by Barry Wilkinson
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
children's author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
who lived, worked and travelled in French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
After studying science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, he moved to Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
to work as a teacher, spending over 20 years in Africa. Most of the material for his many books comes from this time.
His books include "Kpo the Leopard
Kpo the Leopard
Kpo the Leopard is an African wildlife story about a female leopard-cub written by French children's writer René Guillot , who lived, worked and travelled for much of his life in French Africa....
," "The King of Cats," "Sirga: Queen of the African Bush," and "Oworo."
"Kpo the Leopard" was published in 1955 and was also included in "The Hamish Hamilton Book of Wise Animals," edited by Eilis Dillon, illustrated by Bernard Brett (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1975. ISBN 0241021561), together with pieces featuring "fabulous animals" such as Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
's "The Raven
The Raven
"The Raven" is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. It is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow descent into madness...
," E. Nesbit
E. Nesbit
Edith Nesbit was an English author and poet whose children's works were published under the name of E. Nesbit. She wrote or collaborated on over 60 books of fiction for children, several of which have been adapted for film and television...
's "Psammead," T. S. Eliot
T. S. Eliot
Thomas Stearns "T. S." Eliot OM was a playwright, literary critic, and arguably the most important English-language poet of the 20th century. Although he was born an American he moved to the United Kingdom in 1914 and was naturalised as a British subject in 1927 at age 39.The poem that made his...
's "Mr. Mistoffelees," and "Rollicum Bitem the Fox" by John Masefield
John Masefield
John Edward Masefield, OM, was an English poet and writer, and Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1930 until his death in 1967...
.
In 1964, he received a literary award for "Fodai and the Leopard-Men." This was the Hans Christian Andersen Award
Hans Christian Andersen Award
The Hans Christian Andersen Award, sometimes known as the "Nobel Prize for children's literature", is an international award given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature"...
, sometimes known as the "Little Nobel Prize", named after the famous Danish author Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen
Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author, fairy tale writer, and poet noted for his children's stories. These include "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," "The Snow Queen," "The Little Mermaid," "Thumbelina," "The Little Match Girl," and "The Ugly Duckling."...
. It is the highest international recognition given to an author (and an illustrator) of children's books, and is awarded every two years. His book The 397th White Elephant won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
The Lewis Carroll Shelf Award was started in 1958 by Dr. David C. Davis with the assistance of Prof. Lola Pierstorff, Director Instructional Materials Center, Univ. of Wisconsin and Madeline Allen Davis, WHA Wisconsin Public Radio. Awards were presented annually at the Wisconsin Book Conference...
in 1958.
Two films, (both directed by Patrick Grandperret
Patrick Grandperret
Patrick Grandperret is a French film director, screenwriter and producer. His film Meurtrières was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.-Selected filmography:* Court circuit...
) have been made from Guillot's children's books:
L'Enfant Lion ("The Lion Child") ~ 1993, based on Guillot's "Sirga the Lioness," and Le Maître des éléphants ("The Elephant Master") ~ 1995.
A live-action version of "Little Dog Lost" featuring a Welsh Corgi, was made for the "Disneyland" show and was broadcast in 1963.
There was also a movie, Fort de la solitude (1948), directed by Robert Vernay, based on one of René Guillot's adult novels.
René Guillot died in Paris in 1969.
Partial bibliography
Kpo the Leopard(OUP, Oxford Children's Library 1955 ~ 160pp.)
(3rd Eng. printing, 1967)
Illustrated by Joan Kiddell-Monroe
Joan Kiddell-Monroe
Joan Kiddell-Monroe was a British-born author and illustrator of children's books, particularly notable for her folk-tale illustrations.-Biography:Joan Kiddell-Monroe was born on August 9, 1908 in Clacton-on-Sea, England...
, translated by Gwen Marsh
The 397th White Elephant
(SG Phillips 1957)
Illustrated by Christian Heinrich
Grishka And The Bear
(NY, Criterion Books 1960 ~ 115pp)
Translated by Gwen Marsh. Illustrated by Joan Kiddell-Monroe
Master of the Elephants
(OUP: London 1961 ~ 146pp)
Translated by Barbara Seccombe
Riders Of The Wind
(Rand McNally 1962 ~ 174pp)
Illustrated by Richard Kennedy
The Wind of Chance
(Oxford University Press London 1963 ~ 188pp)
Translated by Norman Dale
Little Dog Lost
(Librairie Hachette, Paris 1964)
(English translation 1967)
(US revised English translation published by
Lothrop, Lee & Shepard and by
William Morrow ~ 1970. ISBN 0688511392)
Translated by Joan Selby-Lowndes, illustrated by Wallace Tripp
Balloon Journey
(Clark McCutcheon 1966)
Illustrated by David Knight
The Castle of the Crested Bird
(NY: Watts 1968)
Illustrated by Paul Durmand.
Fodai and the Leopard-Men
(Funk & Wagnalls 1970 ~ 164pp.)
Illustrated by Michel Jouin
Tales of Magic
(Eng edition in translation ~ 1973)
Illustrated by Paul Durmand
Pascal and the Lioness
(Random House New Acorn Library ~ 1976)
ISBN 0370109007
Translated and Adapted by Christina Holyoak
Illustrated by Barry Wilkinson