Nick Butterworth

Children’s author and illustrator Nick Butterworth is best known for his eight Percy the Park Keeper picture books which follow the gentle park warden on his daily rounds encountering and helping a variety of woodland animals. ...

Born in North London in 1946, Butterworth had a varied career before turning to writing, with stints as a graphic designer, TV presenter, magazine editor and cartoon strip illustrator – it was not until he was in his 40s that his most famed creation came to life. Thought to be inspired by Raphael Park in Romford, where Nick walked with the family dog Jake, the Percy the Park Keeper series begins with One Snowy Night (1989) and includes an unlikely rescue party, a secret path and treasure hunt before ending with A Flying Visit (2021). Percy has been credited with encouraging children to care for the natural world and the books, which have sold 4.5 million copies around the world, have earned a place on the UK’s national curriculum.

Butterworth has written a number of other children’s books, including The Whisperer which won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize in 2005 and Wonderful Earth which was written in conjunction with Mick Inkpen, the author and illustrator of the popular series Kipper.