Raymond Briggs, the author and illustrator best known for treasured children's classic The Snowman, has died aged 88, his family has confirmed.
Briggs was behind the story and iconic pencil crayon illustrations in the beloved 1978 wordless Christmas tale, which went on to win over new generations of fans after being adapted into a TV film in 1982 and being followed by sequel The Snowman and the Snowdog three decades later in 2012. The talented cartoonist won more than a dozen prestigious awards for his work over the years, including the Kurt Maschler Award, Children’s Book of the Year, and the Dutch Silver Pen Award.
Raymond’s family confirmed the sad news in a statement, saying: "We know that Raymond’s books were loved by and touched millions of people around the world, who will be sad to hear this news. Drawings from fans - especially children’s drawings - inspired by his books were treasured by Raymond, and pinned up on the wall of his studio.
