Rodney Peppé
Rodney Darrell Peppé (24 June 1934 – 27 October 2022) was a British author and illustrator in the children's fiction and crafts genres. He was the author and illustrator of more than 80 children's books, publishing his first children's book in 1968 The Alphabet Book with Constable Young Books. His craft books teach how to build mechanical toys and automata.
Also recorded as Rodney Peppe
Rodney Peppé
- Name
- Rodney Peppé
- Born
- 24 June 1934
- Birthplace
- Eastbourne, England
- Died
- 27 October 2022
- Occupation
- Author, illustrator
- Spouse
- Tatjana Tekkel (1960–2022)
- Nationality
- United Kingdom
- Languages
- English
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Documentary summary
Rodney Darrell Peppé (24 June 1934 – 27 October 2022) was a British author and illustrator in the children's fiction and crafts genres. He was the author and illustrator of more than 80 children's books, publishing his first children's book in 1968 The Alphabet Book with Constable Young Books. His craft books teach how to build mechanical toys and automata.
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Rodney Peppé (1934–2022) was a British illustrator and writer. The illustrator was born in Eastbourne. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q7357033 · wikipedia · Rodney Peppé
In this article
Biography
Biography
While he created toys and automata, Peppé did not sell his creations; his works were on display in various museums and on tour in his one-man show The Wonderful World of Rodney Peppé.
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Rodney Peppé • Born — 24 June 1934 • Birthplace — Eastbourne, England • Died — 27 October 2022 • Occupation — Author, illustrator • Period — 1934–2022 • Genre — Children's fiction, crafts • Spouse — Tatjana Tekkel (1960–2022) • Children — Christen Rodney, Jonathan Noel
Early life
Early life
Born on 24 June 1934 in Eastbourne, England, Peppé was the twin brother of Mark and son of Lionel Hill Peppé and Winifred Vivienne (Parry). Although born in Eastbourne, due to the career of Lionel in the British Royal Navy and Royal Indian Navy the family lived in India near the Himalaya Mountains during the children's early years. In 1942 when Vivienne returned with the twins to Eastbourne, Rodney and his brother Mark were enrolled in boarding school at St Bede's School, Sussex. After achieving a National Diploma in Design in 1958 from the Eastbourne School of Art, and a Diploma in Illustration in 1959 from the London County Council Central School of Arts and Crafts, Peppé was soon employed and married.
Early career
Early career
Before publishing his first children's book The Alphabet Book in 1968, Peppé was employed as an art director for S. H. Benson and J. Walter Thompson in 1960 (ending in 1965), a consultant designer for Ross Foods Ltd. in 1965 (ending in 1973), and as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator in 1965 (lasting to the present day).
Personal life
Personal life
Peppé married textile artist Tordis Tatjana Tekkel on 16 July 1960. They had two sons, Christen Rodney and Jonathan Noel. After marriage and children, Peppé and his family lived in various locations in England including Surrey, Whiteway, and Torquay. Peppé died on 27 October 2022, at the age of 88.
Huxley Pig series
Huxley Pig series
• Here Comes Huxley Pig (1989) • The Adventures of Huxley Pig (1989) • Huxley Pig at the Beach (1989) • Huxley Pig at the Restaurant (1989) • Huxley Pig's Aeroplane (1989) • Huxley Pig the Clown (1989) • Huxley Pig in the Haunted House (1989) • Huxley Pig at the Circus (1989) • Huxley Pig's Dressing Up Book • Huxley Pig Makes a Movie • Huxley Pig's Motor Car • Huxley Pig on a Desert Island
Angelmouse series
Angelmouse series
• Cloud Nine (1999, Storybook 1) • Windy Weather Day (1999, Storybook 2) • Lost Thingamajig (1999, Storybook 3) • An Important Message (1999, Storybook 4) • Angelcake (2000, Storybook 5) • My Friend Angelmouse (2000, Storybook 6) • Missing Skates (2000) • Rainbow Paint (2000) • Be Good Angelmouse (2002) • You're a Good Friend Quilly (2002) • What Do You Like Baby Ellie? (2002) • Be Careful, Oswald (2002)
My Surprise Pull-out Word Book series
My Surprise Pull-out Word Book series
• Indoors (1980) • Outdoors (1980)
Mice series
Mice series
• The Mice Who Lived in a Shoe (1981) • The Kettleship Pirates (1983) • The Mice and the Flying Basket (1985) • The Mice and the Clockwork Bus (1986) • The Mice on the Moon (1992) • The Mice and the Travel Machine (1993)
Other
Other
• The Alphabet Book (1968) • Circus Numbers: A Counting Book (1969) • The House That Jack Built (1970) • Hey Riddle Diddle: A Book of Traditional Riddles (1971) • Cat and Mouse: A Book of Rhymes (1973) • Odd One Out (1974) • Puzzle Book (1977) • Block Book. Animals (1985) • The Magic Toy Box (1996)
Television
Television
Two of Rodney Peppé's children's book series have been adapted for animated television. • Huxley Pig (1989–1990) • Angelmouse (1999–2000) In a 1982 episode of The Friendly Giant Circus Fun, the Giant reads aloud from the book Circus Numbers.
Angelmouse series novelty and activity books
Angelmouse series novelty and activity books
• The Special Package (1999, Activity Book) • Baby Ellie's Presents (2000, Novelty Peep-Through Window Book) • Angelmouse Coloring Book (2002) • Fun With Angelmouse Sticker Book (2002)
Little Toy Board Books series
Little Toy Board Books series
• Little Circus (1983) • Little Dolls (1983) • Little Games (1983) • Little Numbers (1983) • Little Wheels (1983)
Primary material
Documents and archives
reference work
- “Rodney Peppé”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
authority record
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q7357033: Rodney Peppé
General reference · Wikidata
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Gale Research Company. Something about the Author, Volume 74. 186. 1993. 978-081-032284-4.
- 2.Ferrara, Miranda H. The Writers Directory 2005, Volume 2. St. James Press. 1325. 2004. 978-1-558-62528-0.
- 3.Torre Abbey. The Wonderful World of Rodney Peppe. 21 November 2009.
- 4.Museum in the Park. The Wonderful World of Rodney Peppé. 17 September – 13 November 2011.
- 5.University of the Arts London. University of the Arts London Magazine: autumnwinter 2005. 37. April 2018.
- 6.Peppé, Rodney. Automata and Mechanical Toys. Crowood Press. 4. 2003. 978-1-861-26510-4.
- 7.Peppé, Rodney. Circus Numbers. Delacorte Press. 32. 1985. 978-0-385-29424-9.
- 8.Roscoe, Barley. Rodney Peppé obituary. The Guardian. 2 December 2022.
- 9.Maas, Dorothy. Books for babies are made for the youngster's hand. Lodi News-Sentinel. 18. 28 May 1985.
- 10.WorldCat Search.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessauthority record
General reference
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
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