Raymond Briggs, creator of Fungus the Bogeyman and the Snowman, dies at 88
The Guardian|August 11, 2022
Raymond Briggs, the writer and illustrator who delighted children and adults with bestselling cartoons and picture books, has died aged 88.
Richard Lea
Raymond Briggs, creator of Fungus the Bogeyman and the Snowman, dies at 88

In books ranging from the enchanting magic of The Snowman to a nuclear apocalypse in When the Wind Blows, Briggs created a host of much-loved characters including the angst-ridden Fungus the Bogeyman and a grumpy Father Christmas.

Hilary Delamere, Briggs’ literary agent, said: “Raymond liked to act the professional curmudgeon, but we will remember him for his stories of love and of loss. I know from the many letters he received how his books and animations touched people’s hearts. He kept his curiosity and sense of wonder right up to the last.”

Aled Jones, the singer whose version of Walking in the Air, the tune played in the TV version of the Snowman, launched his career, said: “What a legacy he leaves behind. His books have touched millions of people all around the world, and what a debt of gratitude I owe to his greatest creation of all. Thank you, Raymond.”

Born in 1934, Briggs went to the local grammar school in Wimbledon. His decision to leave school at 15 to go to Wimbledon Art College may have puzzled his milkman father, but he was not dreaming of becoming Michelangelo.

This story is from the August 11, 2022 edition of The Guardian.

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This story is from the August 11, 2022 edition of The Guardian.

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