Rene Goscinny (1926-77), born in Paris, lived most of his early years in Buenos Aires and New York. He returned to France in the 1950s where he met Jean-Jacques Sempe and together they created the character for Nicholas, the famous schoolboy. He later worked with Alberto Uderzo, on making the adventures of Asterix the Gaul. A prolific and internationally successful childrens author, he is also the creater of
Lucky Luke and
Dingodossiers, among others. He also received Cesars for his numerous animated cartoons
Jean-Jacques Sempe (b.1932) is one of the world's most successful illustrators and cartoonists. He is the illustrator of the classic children's-book character, Nicholas, and author of a collection of some thirty albums of his cartoons and graphic novels, all published or to be published by Phaidon. His world-renowned illustrations and cartoons are featured on the cover of the
New Yorker and in
Paris Match.
Anthea Bell was awarded the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize and the Helen and Kurt Wolff Prize (USA) in 2002 for her translation of W.G. Sebald's Austerlitz. Her many works of translation from French and German (for which she has received several other awards) include the Nicholas books and, with Derek Hockridge, the entire Asterix the Gaul saga by Rene Goscinny and Albert Uderzo.