David McKee, the best selling British author and the creator of Mr Benn and Elmer the patchwork elephant, has died at the age of 87 with his second wife, Bakhta.
It was confirmed that the author, David McKee, has sadly passed away after a short illness in his home in the south of France. McKee’s publisher, Andersen Press, issued a statement after finding out the news.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of David McKee, beloved author and illustrator for children, and creator of iconic children’s books Elmer, Not Now, Bernard and Mr Benn.
“All at Andersen Press hope his spirit lives on for many more generations through his joyful, heartfelt stories.”
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RIP: Author and illustrator dies aged 87
McKee was a well-known author and illustrator and started his career young after attending the Plymouth College of Arts.
It was here that he began selling one-off illustrations and comics, particularly to the national press.
After college, he continued to support himself by selling his art and illustrating for a number of publications like Punch, Reader’s Digest and The Times Educational Supplement.
In 2011, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Arts from Plymouth University.
He was also given a BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020 for his body of work, to which he declared it a shock but fantastic, claiming that he’s never been one for the spotlight or awards.
Who was David McKee’s wife? The author’s two marriages explored
In his lifetime, McKee was married twice and had a son with his first wife, Violet, who also became an author, and who David often illustrated for.
Violet was of Anglo-Indian descent. After an upsetting moment in which his daughter, Chantel, was racially abused while she was walking, the event inspired him to write a story including his iconic character Elmer struggling to fit in because of his patchwork skin.
He said in a 2014 interview with The Guardian: “My daughter was upset. I thought, he’s talking about my daughter.
“I couldn’t believe it. She is darker skinned because her mother was Anglo-Indian, but my daughter is beautiful – as was my wife.”
Later in life, he moved to the south of France to live with his second wife, Bakhta, who was a French-Algerian art dealer. The pair shared an interest in collecting drawings and African tribal art.
However, neither of them liked to be in the public eye, so information on their relationship is limited.
In an interview with The Guardian in 2003, David spoke fondly of her, saying: “She’s just a happy person and doesn’t ask for anything,
“If we walk hand in hand that’s enough.”
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After the news broke of the author’s death, old and new fans posted their condolences on social media, sharing their exciting experiences with the man himself and the characters he created.
Fans of McKee’s work shared their favourite episodes of Mr Benn, an adaptation of the books shown on the BBC, and also explained that his work is still being read to future generations.
Some heartwarming comments were posted under breaking news bulletins, all showing the love and happiness that McKee taught through his stories.
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