On returning from my trip oversees I received an e-mail from a friend telling me of the sad news that one of my illustration heroes had died in December 2009. I thought it would be discourteous not to post anything, especially seen as I completely overlooked the passing on of a chap that has brought so much wonder and talent to British book illustration – not to mention enormous delight to my eyes.

Berry was a classic example of having unfaltering passion for what he did. His geniality, grass-roots upbringing and tremendous sense of visual realisation meant that he could beautifully transcribe real-life objects, events and places from the social sphere around him with a magical balance somewhere between ‘fairy-tale’ and crystal clear reality. His employment history is a rich and diverse patchwork that hardly does justice to his incredible talents. But the part of his CV that interests me the most is when he worked for Ladybird books from the the end of the 1950′s right up until the 1980′s. Berry put his name to some of the finest Ladybird books of all time: In a big Store, The Ladybird book of London and one my favourites (which I featured on Colourschool quite recently) Come to Holland.

Berry was cut from a mold that is sadly now all too rare and I’m glad that I have been fortunate to have been exposed to the inspiring and formative illustration that he brought to my childhood. Here is a rather fitting eulogy to him from the Guardian.