René Guillot

René Paul Guillot (24 January 1900 – 26 March 1969) was a French writer of children's books who lived, worked and travelled in French West Africa.

For his lasting contribution as a children's writer Guillot received the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1964. The award conferred by the International Board on Books for Young People is the highest recognition available to a writer or illustrator of children's books.

Biography Guillot was born at his parents' home in Courcoury in the Charente-Maritime department. After studying science, he moved to Senegal to work as a teacher, spending over 20 years in Africa. Most of the material for his many books comes from this time.

His books include ''Kpo the Leopard'', ''The King of Cats'', ''Sirga: Queen of the African Bush'', and ''Oworo''.

''Kpo the Leopard'' was published in 1955 and was also included in ''The Hamish Hamilton Book of Wise Animals'', edited by Eilis Dillon, illustrated by Bernard Brett (Hamish Hamilton, London, 1975. ), together with pieces featuring "fabulous animals" such as Edgar Allan Poe's Raven, E. Nesbit's Psammead, T. S. Eliot's Mr. Mistoffelees, and Rollicum Bitem the Fox from ''The Midnight Folk'' by John Masefield.

''The 397th White Elephant'' was named to the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award list in 1958.

Two [films], (both directed by Patrick Grandperret) have been made from Guillot's children's books: ''L'Enfant Lion (The Lion Child)'' in 1993, based on Guillot's ''Sirga the Lioness'', and ''Le Maître des éléphants (The Elephant Master)'' in 1995.

A live-action version of ''Little Dog Lost'', featuring a Welsh Corgi, was made for the ''Disneyland'' show and was broadcast in 1963.

There was also a movie, ''Fort de la solitude'' (1948), directed by Robert Vernay, based on one of René Guillot's adult novels.

René Guillot died in Paris in 1969. Provided by Wikipedia