Life and career

She grew up as an only child in Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

, and when young began drawing and writing stories. She started writing children's books in 1976, and attended art school in Edinburgh

Edinburgh

Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...

 from 1979 to 1984. She then received a travelling scholarship award to go to Milan, and worked as a freelance from 1984 onwards.

She is the author/illustrator of many books for children including Mr Bear, the winner of a Children's Book Award. She is best known for her black comedy

Black comedy

A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...

 Pure Dead

Pure Dead series

The Strega Borgia Chronicles by Scottish writer Debi Gliori, follows the Strega Borgia family, a quirky, bizarre, Italian family, Signor and Signora Strega-Borgia and their four children, Titus, Pandora, Damp and Nieve, who live with their mythical companions in their fictitious home...

series for older children, which display strong elements of family lives amid dark and fantasy-based plots.

Debi Gliori has written and illustrated numerous picture books. Pure Dead Magic was her first novel. She has at least five children, one golden retriever, and a colony of sea monkeys.

Pure Dead

Pure Dead Magic (2001)

Pure Dead Wicked (2002)

Pure Dead Brilliant (2003)

Deep Trouble (2004) aka Pure Dead Trouble

Deep Water (2005) aka Pure Dead Batty

Deep Fear (2006) aka Pure Dead Frozen

Pure Dead Magic / Pure Dead Wicked / Pure Dead Brilliant (omnibus) (2004)

Witch Baby

Witch Baby and Me (2008)

Witch Baby and Me Go to School (2009)

Witch Baby and Me After Dark (2009)

Witch Baby and Me On Stage (2010)

Picture Books

New Big Sister (1991)

New Big House (1992)

My Little Brother (1992)

Dulcie Dando, Soccer Star (1992)

Lizzie and Her Friend (1993)

Lizzie and Her Puppy (1993)

A Lion at Bedtime (1993)

Lizzie and Her Dolly (1993)

Oliver's Alphabets (1993)

Mr. Bear Babysits (1994)

The Snowchild (1994)

When I'm Big (1994)

A Present for Big Pig (1994)

Willie Bear and the Wish Fish (1995)

Mr. Bear's Picnic (1995)

The Snow Lambs (1995)

Mr. Bear to the Rescue (1996)

Lizzie and Her Kitty (1996)

Princess and the Pirate King (1996)

Mr. Bear Says Are You There, Baby Bear? (1997)

Mr. Bear Says a Spoonful for You (1997)

Mr. Bear Says Good Night (1997)

Mr. Bear Says I Love You (1997)

Mr. Bear Says Peek-A-Boo (1997)

Mr. Bear Novelty Book (1997)

Corragan Is Ordagan (1998)

Hello, Baby Bear (1998)

Mr. Bear Says Hello, Baby Bear (1998)

Mr. Bear's New Baby (1998)

Mr. Bear Says a Little Hush Please (1998)

Mr. Bear Says Can I Have a Hug? (1998)

Mr. Bear Says Let's Go Outside (1998)

Mr. Bear Says Tickly Under There (1998)

Give Him My Heart (1999)

No Matter What (1999)

Mr. Bear's Vacation (2000)

Mr. Bear's Holiday (2000)

Polar Bolero (2000)

Flora's Blanket (2001)

Where, Oh Where, Is Baby Bear? (2001)

Tell Me What It's Like to Be Big (2001)

Tell Me Something Happy Before I Go to Sleep (2002)

Can I Have a Hug? (2002)

Tickly Under There (2002)

Penguin Post (2002)

Flora's Surprise (2003)

Flora's Flowers (2003)

The Big Mr Bear Storybook (2003)

Where Did That Baby Come From? (2004)

Woodland Tales: Hush Little Chick (2005)

Woodland Tales: Little Fox's Picnic (2005)

Little Owl's Swim (2005)

Wake Up Little Rabbit (2005)

Goodnight, Baby Bat! (2007)

Little Bear and the Wish Fish (2008)

The Trouble with Dragons (2008)

Are You There, Baby Bear? (2009)

Bear's Bedtime Lullaby (2009)

Stormy Weather (2009)

Mr. Bear's Birthday (2010)

The Scariest Thing Of All (2011)

External links

• Biography at Bloomsbury Publishing
• http://fiddleandpins.blogspot.com/ Debi Gliori blog
• Debi Gliori's picture books