Gilles Bachelet

Gilles Bachelet, born in 1952 in Saint-Quentin, is one of the most important contemporary French authors and illustrators. In 1971 he enrolled at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs where he studied Illustration with Alain Le Foll. In his career he worked for the press, communications and advertising, before moving to children’s publishing. He has written and illustrated dozens of books, translated all over the world. From the beginnings with Harlin Quist and the collaborations with Patrick Curatin, up to the most famous titles published in France by Seuil. He made his name in Italy with My Cat is Crazy (published by Il Castoro) to which a series of three stories is dedicated. He then published Napoleon Champignon (Motta Junior), La Signora Coniglio Bianco (Rizzoli). With My Cat is Really Crazy he won the 2004 Baobab prize at the Salon du livre et de la presse jeunesse. In 2016 he obtained the Andersen Award for Best Illustrated Book for The Belly Knight. In 2019 he won La Grande Ourse, the lifetime achievement award of the Salon du livre et de la presse jeunesse de Montreuil. In 2022 he was selected for the prestigious Hans Christian Andersen Prize. Since 2001, he has taught illustration and editorial techniques at the Cambrai Higher School of Art. He lives and works in Paris.