Mini Grey


Mini Grey is a British illustrator and writer of children's books, especially picture books for young children. She won the annual Kate Greenaway Medal from the professional librarians, recognising the year's best-illustrated children's book published in the UK, for The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon, published by Jonathan Cape in 2006.
WorldCat reports from participating libraries that her most widely held work is Traction Man is Here, about the household adventures of a boy's action figure; published in 2005 by Cape and in the US by Random House.

Life

Mini Grey was born in a Mini car in Newport, a city in southern Wales. She uses only her nickname, after the automobile model. She was raised in Taplow, Buckinghamshire, England. After working in theatre, Grey pursued a Master of Arts in Sequential Design and Illustration at the University of Brighton.
As of 2025 she lives in Oxford with her partner Tony and her adult son.

Career

As a professional school project, Grey created a pop-up version of Gulliver's Travels.Egg Drop – The Pea and the Princess ; US title, The Very Smart Pea and the Princess-to-be Biscuit Bear ; US title, Ginger Bear – Traction Man
  • * Traction Man is Here
  • * Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog
  • * Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey
The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon –

Works

As author and illustrator

All these books have been published by Jonathan Cape in the UK and by the Random House imprint Alfred A. Knopf in the US Where one date is given, the American edition appeared in the same calendar year.Egg Drop The Pea and the Princess ; US title, The Very Smart Pea and the Princess-to-beBiscuit Bear ; US title, Ginger Bear Traction Man is Here The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon Traction Man Meets Turbo Dog Three by the Sea Traction Man and the Beach Odyssey Toys in Space Hermelin: The Detective Mouse Space Dog The Bad Bunnies' Magic Show The Last Wolf
  • ''The Greatest Show on Earth''

As illustrator

The Crocodile is Coming! Into the Woods, by Lyn Gardner —400-page fantasy novelThe Twin Giants, by Dick King-Smith —a picture bookJim, Who Ran Away from His Nurse, and Was Eaten by a Lion Out of the Woods, by Lyn Gardner —350-page sequel to Into the WoodsPippi Longstocking, by Astrid LindgrenPippi Longstocking in the South Seas, by Astrid LindgrenPippi Longstocking Goes Aboard, by Astrid LindgrenEmil and the Sneaky Rat, by Astrid LindgrenEmil's Clever Pig, by Astrid LindgrenThe Book of Not Entirely Useful Advice, by A.F. HarroldLotta Makes a Mess, by Astrid LindgrenLotta Says 'No!', by Astrid LindgrenKarlsson on the Roof, by Astrid LindgrenKarlsson Flies Again, by Astrid LindgrenThe Children of Noisy Village, by Astrid LindgrenNothing but Fun in Noisy Village, by Astrid LindgrenHappy Times in Noisy Village, by Astrid LindgrenMoney-Go-Round, by Roger McGough

Awards and recognitions

;Awards
Grey has won three annual book awards.2004 Biscuit Bear won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, ages category 6–8 years.2005 Traction Man is Here won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award, Picture Book.2007 The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon won the Kate Greenaway Medal.
;Runners-up, etc.2003 The Pea and the Princess made the Greenaway Medal shortlist.2005 Biscuit Bear made the Blue Peter Book Award shortlist.Traction Man is Here made the 2005 Greenaway shortlist, the 2006 Blue Peter shortlist, and the 2007 Hampshire Illustrated Book Award shortlist.2006 The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon was bronze runner up for the Smarties Prize, ages 0–5 years.2011 Jim, Who Ran Away from His Nurse, and Was Eaten by a Lion made the Greenaway shortlist.