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Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids

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This article is about the children's book series, as well as the franchise, as a whole. For the first book in the series, see Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (book). For the cartoon adaptations, see Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (TV series).

Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids
Created byJamie Rix
Original workGrizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids by Jamie Rix (1990)
Print publications
Book(s)13
Films and television
Animated series
  • Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (2000–2006)
  • Grizzly Tales: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam! (2011–2012)
Miscellaneous
Country of originUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (often nicknamed Grizzly Tales) is the generic trademarked title for a series of award-winning children's books by British author Jamie Rix which were later adapted into an animated television series of the same name produced for ITV. Known for its surreal black comedy and horror, the franchise was immensely popular with children and adults, and the cartoon became one of the most-watched programmes on CITV in the 2000s; a reboot of the cartoon series was produced for Nickelodeon UK and NickToons UK in 2011 with 26 episodes (split into 2 series) with the added tagline of Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam!. The first four books in the series were published between 1990 and 2001 by a variety of publishers (such as Hodder Children's Books, Puffin, and Scholastic) and have since gone out of print but are available as audio adaptations through Audible and iTunes. The ITV cartoon was produced by Honeycomb Animation and aired between 2000 and 2006 with 6 series; reruns aired on the Nickelodeon channels along with the 2011 series.

Each book in the franchise contained several cautionary tales about children of many ages and the consequences of their antisocial actions. Due to how far-fetched and fantastical the stories could become, it is up to the reader whether they found the series frightening or amusing, but the franchise is usually categorised as children's horror. When the series was adapted for the CITV/Nickelodeon cartoons, the book chapters became ten-minute episodes that were narrated by comic actor Nigel Planer, and created by Honeycomb Animation, with author Rix as co-director.

The franchise received critical acclaim, noted by the themes of horror surrealism and adult paranoia blended with common children's book absurdity. The Daily Telegraph said of the CITV cartoon, "Mix Dahl with Belloc and you can anticipate with glee these animated tales of Jamie Rix. Even William Brown's antics pale..."[1] and The Sunday Times wrote: "They are superior morality stories and Nigel Planer reads them with a delight that borders on the fiendish."[1]

Plot

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The Grizzly Tales series features short stories about cautionary tales and imitates an episodic anthology horror (similar to The Twilight Zone or Tales from the Darkside) with each book chapter a different short story. The typical structure would be a brief glance at a main character's typical day in their life, followed by a change in their routine (e.g. a new possession comes their way or a decision made by them/a supporting character) which eventually goes wrong in a hoisted with their own petard way, with the story ending with the main character either being killed, mutilated, involuntarily shapeshifting, or kidnapped by something/someone supernatural as punishment. They usually star children whose misbehaviour (laziness, greediness, vanity, lying, etc.) is failed to be reined in by their parents or guardians, who vary from encouraging it, ignoring it, failing to be firm with their punishments, or do nothing because they are used to being submissive (and are sometimes the victims of their child's abuse). There are exceptions, however, as some stories are about adults, or set in the past, or are pastiches.

Book series

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Development

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Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids
AuthorJamie Rix
IllustratorBobbie Spargo, Ross Collins, Steven Pattison
Cover artistBobbie Spargo, Ross Collins, Honeycomb Animation, Sue Heap, Steven Pattison
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
GenreChildren's horror, black comedy
PublisherAndré Deutsch, Orion, Scholastic UK, Puffin Books, Hatchette, Hodder
Media typePrint (hardback & paperback), Audiobook (cassette, CD & MP3), E-book
No. of books13

The first story Rix ever created was The Spaghetti Man, after using this new cautionary tale as a white lie to his first son.[2] It was about a little boy who refused to behave at the kitchen table and is kidnapped by an invisible force, that takes him to a factory to turn him into lasagne. Rix took note of how the lie had made his four-year-old eat every meal without hesitations, which would inspire a series that could scare children into behaving themselves.[2] The story of the Spaghetti Man would be included in the franchise debut's Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids,[3] which was published in 1990 by André Deutsch's eponymous publishing house. Its popularity led to three sequels: Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids (1992), Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids (1996), and More Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (2001); the latter book was released as the first cartoon aired on CITV. Possibly due to the franchise gaining popularity, the first four books have been re-released numerous times amongst Puffin and Orion. A variety of illustrators designed the front covers, but the success of the CITV cartoon led to the front covers being redesigned by Honeycomb Productions to look like screencaps of the cartoon characters.[4] After an unspecified number of years, the books went out of print.[1]

Six years later, Rix created a new series for the franchise, now named Grizzly Tales: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam!; eight books were published between 2007 and 2008, the ninth a compilation full of 12 previously published stories from the first and second in the brand.[1] This series borrowed heavily from the CITV cartoon's format by imitating its framing device style of a character telling the stories to the audience, whereas the previous book series was only a collection of short stories. This new character was The Night Night Porter,[1] a creepy owner of a hotel (named The Hot Hell Darkness)[1] that used vague anecdotes and proverbs to show the reader how they would relate to the stories he was about to tell, and would open his check-in book where the stories have been placed. After telling the stories, he would punish the misbehaving kids to spend eternity in one of his hotel rooms.[5]

Recurring features

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Locations of stories varied. Some took place in fictionalised versions of English towns (e.g. Colchester)[6] and others did not (Saucy by Sea).[7] Not all took place in the country of the franchise's origin: "It's Only a Game, Sport!" was set in Australia, for example.[8] "The Chipper Chums Go Scrumping" is a pastiche of the works of Enid Blyton and is set in the Kentish countryside in 1952.[9]

Naming conventions highlighted the humour. The Independent on Sunday pointed out, "Jamie Rix’s splendidly nasty short stories can be genuinely scary, but as the protagonists are obnoxious brats with names like Peregrine and Tristram, you may find yourself cheering as they meet their sticky ends."[1] Some of the characters' surnames implied their roles in the story (Mr and Mrs Frightfully-Busy were workaholics,[10] Johnny Bullneck is an aggressive school bully,[11] and Serena Slurp is greedy)[12] whereas the more ridiculous the family name is, the more unpleasant they are in the story: Fedora Funkelfink the con artist;[13] and the upper-middle-class Crumpdump family, who trophy hunt to impress their spoilt children.[14] "Knock Down Ginger", meanwhile, is set in a fictional town called Nimby, a notorious home for middle-class snobs.[15] Some of the punishments that the horrible characters have are based on puns: loud-mouthed Dolores from "Silence is Golden" is taken to an alchemist and is turned into a gold statue;[6] "Kiss and Make Up" was a double meaning title about a girl who used make up to look prettier so that she could have her first kiss with a handsome boy in her school.[16] Other titles are pop-culture references ("Fatal Attraction",[17] "The Big Sleep",[18] "The Barber of Civil",[7] "Monty's Python",[19] etc.).

Story issues and morals were relatable to the reader (particularly the parents that would be reading to their children), such as television addiction,[20] sibling rivalry,[19][12] trying to fit in with their friends,[21] personal hygiene,[22] refusing to eat their dinner,[3] punctuality,[23] but others are about theft[24] and deforestation,[25] as well as an implied anti hunting message in "An Elephant Never Forgets".[14] Supernatural characters varied from witch doctors (Doctor Moribundus,[26] The Barber of Civil),[7] poltergeists (The Spaghetti Man),[3] to snake-oil salesmen.[27] There were also fairies, talking animals,[19] aliens,[22] inanimate objects coming to life (such as drawings), and witches, as well as cursed objects,[28] and absurd occurrences (such as piglets travelling across the countryside disguised as a man);[29] other villains, like Farmer Tregowan,[9] were regular people with extremely violent methods of punishment.

Children could be shapeshifted,[12] eaten alive,[29] kidnapped, or turned into food.[3] Due to many of the parents' child neglect and lack of discipline, many of the outcomes of their children's stories do not appear to affect their lives. Some of the workaholic parents are too busy to notice that their child has either been maimed or has disappeared[3] and others are implied to be such insignificance in their children's lives that they do not appear as characters in the story. Meanwhile, happy (or bittersweet) endings were about the character learning from their bad behaviour and turning their lives around before things got worse.[30]

Book list

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See also: Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids § List of published short stories
No. Title Date of publication No. of pages Publisher Notes Original ISBN Other ISBN Ref.
1 Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids 17 May 1990 112 André Deutsch Limited Out of print by 2010 ISBN 9780233985312
2 Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids 14 February 1992 144 ISBN 9780590540049
3 Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids 8 April 1996 224 Hodder Children's Books ISBN 978-0340667354 ISBN 978-0340640951
4 More Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids 19 January 2001 304 Scholastic ISBN 9780439998185 n/a [39]
5 Nasty Little Beasts 5 April 2007 128 Orion Children's Books ISBN 978-1842555491
6 Gruesome Grown Ups 5 April 2007 128 ISBN 978-1842555507 [42][a]
7 The "Me!" Monsters 5 July 2007 128 ISBN 978-1842555514 [43][a]
8 Freaks of Nature 5 July 2007 128 ISBN 978-1842555521 [44]
9 Terror Time Toys 7 February 2008 128 ISBN 978-1842555538 [45]
10 Blubbers and Sickers 7 February 2008 128 ISBN 978-1842555545 [46]
11 The Gnaughty Gnomes of "NO!" 1 July 2008 128 ISBN 978-1842556474 [47]
12 Superzeroes 1 July 2008 128 ISBN 978-1842556481 [48]
13 A Grizzly Dozen 4 June 2009 256 ISBN 978-1444000122 [49]

Television series

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Main articles: Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (TV series) and List of Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids episodes

Between 2000 and 2012, two animated adaptations were made for CITV and NickToons. Both were produced and animated by Honeycomb Animation as well as Rix's own television company Elephant (later renamed Little Brother).[50] Producing partner Nigel Planer performed in the cartoons as the narrator of the stories during each episodes' framing devices.[51] The first animated adaptation aired on CITV between January 2000 and October 2006,[52][53][54][55] and the second aired on Nicktoons between May 2011 and November 2012.

Merchandise

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Kindle versions of the first four books were briefly available to buy in 2011.[56]

Nigel Planer was the narrator for this series and played Uncle Grizzly. He also narrated Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids on audiobook.[57] Bill Wallis narrated More Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids,[58] and Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids and Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids were both read by Andrew Sachs.[59][60] Orion Audiobooks have also released full CD recordings of the books,[32] read by Rupert Degas.[5] Audio Go have re-released the original Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids audiobook on CD and download.[61]

Reception

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The franchise received a positive reaction from critics, and audiences of many ages. The second cartoon programme frequently appeared on audience-rated "favourite programme" lists on Nickelodeon.[62] A reporter for The Sunday Times noted "I played all five [audiobook adaptations] to my own junior jury aged 12, 7 and 5. They sat spellbound for 75 minutes, a rare event."[1] Books for Your Children predicted that the series would be entertaining for everyone: "An excellent book of stories for all but the most timid ... the accumulation of grimness is also part of the effect, so older children can enjoy this collection by themselves and adults can have a marvellous time reading them to younger ones",[1] whereas The Evening Standard encouraged it: "It may be a children's story, but many a modern-day trendy parent could watch and learn."[1] The School Librarian added: "Jamie Rix tells us that bad ghosts always stay that way but bad children can improve, which is reassuring because his stories are full of unpleasant children."

Honeycomb producer Susan Bor explained: "What really appealed to me about adapting these wonderful stories for TV was that they were new and fresh, there was nothing out there like it and I particularly wanted the design and look of the series to have that originality."[63] When the CITV cartoon debuted, Carol McDaid of The Observer referred to it as "a quirky new animated series".[64] Reviews noted a connection between the franchise and other respected children's media: "This beautifully conceived and executed series follows in the centuries-old Grimm tradition of sadistic fairy-tale fantasy," wrote Victor Lewis-Smith in The Evening Standard, "and there's something reminiscent of Heinrich Hoffman's Shockheaded Peter about the fiendishly cruel (yet satisfyingly appropriate) fates that befall badly behaved children..."[65] The Daily Telegraph compared the series to Roald Dahl, William Browne, and Hilaire Belloc,[1] a possible reference to Belloc's poetry book Cautionary Tales for Children.

Stories from the books were read by Nigel Planer on radio throughout the 1990s.[63][66][67][68] From 1990, the show appeared on BBC Radio 5,[66][67][69][70] and in 1994, it appeared on BBC Radio 4.[68]

Awards and nominations

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Both the books and the two television adaptations have received awards and nominations for their work.

Books

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Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref
1990 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize Fiction, Age 9-11 Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids Won

Television

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Main article: Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (TV series) § Awards and nominations

List of published short stories

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Key
N/A Denounces information needed but is not included yet
— Denounces information that did not happen

Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (1990)

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Further information: Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (book)

Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids (1992)

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Main article: Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids

Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids (1996)

[edit]
Main article: Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids

More Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids (2001)

[edit]
Main article: More Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids

Nasty Little Beasts (April 2007)

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Main article: Nasty Little Beasts
No. Title Theme Cartoon Episode
Episode Name Series Episode number Air date
1The Grub A Blub BlubLaziness"The Grub A Blub Blub"50531 March 2006
Savannah Slumberson prefers living in her bedroom and is furious when her active parents adamantly decide to go on a camping holiday at resort miles away from their city. While she is sleeping in the tent, a group of grubs used a web-like coating to turn her into a Grub A Blub Blub. While her parents are doing their daily exercise, Savannah is trapped in an animal centre.
2Monty's PythonSibling rivalry, animal abuse"Monty's Python"50430 March 2006
Monty tortures his sister Mayflower with traumatising pranks and decides to take them to the next level by buying a python (he names "SisterEater") to terrorise her more. But when Mayflower warns her brother about his pet biting his groin off, he is terrified of SisterEater. The large python takes him down the sewers where he is taught a lesson while his sister flushed the toilet to shut him up.
3The Lobster's ScreamSpoilt children"The Lobster's Scream"60917 October 2006
Shannon Shellfish is empowered when her parents follow her demands but when they ask her what she wants, she is stunned, and soon becomes obsessed with a restaurant owner's lobster costume. After being insulted and cooked alive, a group of enraged lobsters pick her up and put her into a pot of boiling water in the kitchen of the restaurant.
4Wolf ChildEnvy, kidnapping, sibling rivalry and age regression."Wolf Child"5063 April 2006
Garth MacQueen tries to get his baby sister Moira kidnapped when his family hears about wolves terrorising their neighbourhood because of their ancestor killing one member of the pack. After the kidnapping, many people believe that he is either eaten or raised as a wolf pup. But others fear that Garth might end his family's bloodline permanently.
5The Fruit BatFussy eater and laziness"The Fruit Bat"50329 March 2006
Cherie Stone tells her parents she refuses to eat fruit when they force her to do so. When she hears a hungry fruit bat following her, she is reluctant to go to school. That night, the same fruit bat goes into her bedroom and eats both the tangerine as well as the plum in her pyjama pocket. The next morning, Cherie is turned into a fruit bat due to an accidental bite to her chest.
6The Clothes PigsLaziness, greed"The Clothes Pigs"60320 September 2006
In the city, a boy named Trueman "Truffle" Snuffle makes his parents do everything for him. In a nearby farmland, piglets starve as their greedy family members push them out of the way to get a bigger helping in the trough. Despite his parents warning about the Clothes Pigs, Truffle is eaten alive by them, only to leave his clothes behind in his bedroom.

Gruesome Grown Ups (April 2007)

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No. Title Theme Cartoon Episode
Episode Name Series Episode number Air date
1Jamie's School DinnersFussy eater"Jamie's School Dinners"60118 September 2006
A boy named Jamie is obsessed with junk food and is forced to go on a diet. When a new dinner lady named Ambrosine visits the school, she makes his favourite meals out of processed meat which made him obese and confused. Later that night, he is taken to her island due to a radio receiver in his chocolate pizza where she fattens him up, killing him instantly. She turns him into chicken nuggets and never goes back to Jamie's neighbourhood, revealing herself as a high priestess or a witch.
2Silence Is GoldenManners and rudeness"Silence is Golden"5107 April 2006
A girl named Dolores Bellicose enjoyed shouting because it made her the most heard person in her school. The school librarians are not impressed and plan to teach her a lesson by hiring an alchemist who can turn her into a gold statue. When they try to load her onto a ship, a group of pirates drop Dolores into the ocean while the silence project becomes a big success.
3The Old Tailor of Pelting MoorObsession with one's appearance"The Old Tailor of Pelting Moor"61018 October 2006
A boy named Jumbo Ferrari wants a new "life suit" when he meets the Old Tailor of Pelting Moor in his bedroom closet. When he discovers that his skin has been swapped with him, the tailor tells him that pride can easily take over one's life if they are obsessed with their looks. Once the tailor vanished in a bright light, Jumbo walks around with wrinkles and torn up clothing every day, much to his dismay.
4Her Majesty's MoleyAnimal abuse"Her Majesty's Moley"51110 April 2006
A girl called Mattie (or Millie) enjoys torturing/killing moles with her father. But when he dies of gangrene due to a severe injury to his foot, she is sent to prison for her crimes after obtaining a mole's paw which was turned into a keyring. After a group of moles use a magic spell to cover Mattie in moleskin, she crawls around beneath the floor and smashes lamps in the ceiling to hide her appearance from the world. Meanwhile, the Queen is shaving moleskin off of her chin within the bathroom.
5The Soul StealerBlackmail, abuse of power"The Soul Stealer"51312 April 2006
A girl called Poppy is given a new mobile phone with a camera and uses it to blackmail people around her, including her parents and students from school. When she chases Anna through a store in town, her father warns Poppy about the Soul Stealer if she continues her pranks. After she comes home, she sees herself in each photograph and is literally sealed into them for all eternity. Thanks to the Soul Stealer, justice is finally served.
6Nobby's NightmareRelationships"Nobby's Nightmare"60716 October 2006
A boy named Nobby finds it hard to distinguish whether he is in a dream or not, but Sophie really is the girl of his dreams. When her parents meet Nobby's parents who are naturists, she reveals herself as an alien from another planet. However, Nobby discovers that Sophie is in love with another boy and is eaten by her, so that she can hide the relationship from him.

The "Me!" Monsters (July 2007)

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No. Title Theme Cartoon Episode
Episode Name Series Episode number Air date
1The Apostrophic ExpositorRudeness"The Apostrophic Expositor"8037 September 2011
A chatterbox named B.S. Brogan (or a female version) interrupts peoples conversations by speaking non-stop and insulting the school students or teachers. One day, after getting kicked out, a young man known as the Apostrophic Expositor, who works as an English teacher at school, visits the family home and teaches his student about the importance of punctuation to correct one's sentences.
2Kiss and Make UpInsecurity and makeup"Kiss and Make Up"5085 April 2006
A girl named Holly Hotlips wants to have her first kiss and is visited by a (literal) two-faced fairy, who gives her advice and some makeup to look prettier. However, her new makeup causes her to become emotionally insecure. But when her face is swapped with the fairy, she is devastated and horrified.
3The Kingdom of WaxLying and stealing."Kingdom of Wax"7119 May 2011
A young boy named Nebuchadnezzar (or Nathaniel) is born to a family of Christians until he steals wax from each sculpture in the museum for different reasons. To keep himself out of trouble, he lies to his parents about the wax until the sculptures get their revenge. But he accidentally burns himself with a torch, causing the Kingdom of Wax to melt to the ground.
4The Blood DoctorPride in one's appearance"The Blood Doctor"8015 September 2011
A young girl named Georgina "Georgie" Sutcliffe does everything to win each pageant contest by being cocky. Later, a Haematologist known as the Blood Doctor decides to replace her bad blood with something else that will change her personality. But when another special ingredient is injected into her bloodstream, her punishment for her narcissism comes true.
5The Ugly PrinceRelationships and revenge"The Ugly Prince"7033 May 2011
A boy named Prince Spencer ends up being dumped by Princess Britney after she took off his disguise. When the fairy godmother refused to take part in his vengeful plan, he steals a potion that transforms him into a frog. However, he ends up being sliced in half by a lawn mower and put into a blender.
6Big HeadPride and arrogance"Big Head"61118 October 2006
A boy named Samuel "Sammy" Slitherall becomes smug when he is picked as a team mascot. As he visits an abandoned shop in town, a medicine specialist named Dr. Chu puts an end to his narcissistic ways by using facial cream and a face wrap, making his head shrink down.

Freaks of Nature (July 2007)

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No. Title Theme Cartoon Episode
Episode Name Series Episode number Air date
1Frank Einstein's MonsterPyromania"Frank Einstein's Monster"80729 October 2012
A boy named Frank Einstein does everything to win a competition so he can strap his creation to a rocket and make it explode. As Frank works on his new invention, his parents receive a surprise visit from the Fire King who says that a firework is the only cure for his Pyromania. However, an hour later, the monster decides to teach Frank about the dangers of explosives by turning the tables. But when he does not get his own way, his victim is burnt alive on a bonfire.
2RecyclopsRecycling"Recyclops"60219 September 2006
A young girl named Scabby gets a surprise visit from a sentient robot named Recyclops, who teaches her how not to waste one's possessions when there is nothing wrong with them. After he reinvents her, she starts to realize that the robot is right while he returns to his duties in other places. Today, he is keeping his one good eye on naughty children who throw new things such as toys, household objects and cutlery away like trash.
3The Weather WitchElderly abuse and not checking the warning signs in cold weather."The Weather Witch"5074 April 2006
A boy named Jack Frost does not understand how horrible cold weather is, especially to the elderly. When he kept ignoring the dangers of frozen lakes and thin ice, he receives not one, but two surprise visits from the Weather Witch. A ghostly woman who was keeping kids safe from icy hazards. But he does not listen to what she says and is turned into a glacial statue before being melted away by the sunlight. Two snowdrops grow out of the ground near the greenhouse after the water gets into their roots.
4William The ConkererGreed, arrogance and destroying nature"William the Conkerer"5096 April 2006
A boy named William is determined to be the Conkers king of the school playground so he sneaks out of his house at midnight to destroy every conker tree in the area, angering a hermit who lives in a treehouse. To prevent more conker trees from being damaged, he uses a supernatural conker that sucks his victim into it and eats another person to stay alive. With that, revenge becomes a dish best served and nature is never in danger again.
5Hear No Weevil, See No WeevilObsession with one's size, cheating, ignorance"Hear No Weevil See No Weevil"7043 May 2011
A girl named Broccoli Brassica uses a special syringe to make her vegetables grow to a massive size, hoping to beat her opponents by cheating. Despite her parents warning about wolf-sized insects known as Weevils, she is determined to win the competition, but is reduced to an empty corpse when a hungry Weevil literally sucks the flesh and bones out of her body to survive. Once the Weevils return to their home, Mother Nature taught Broccoli how to not force change on the cycle between life and death.
6Tom TimePunctuality"Tom Time"61319 October 2006
A boy named Tom is never on time for anything in his life and when science discovers that the end of the world is imminent, Tom's mother is determined to make him on time for the evacuation spaceships. When his parents leave him behind due to a heated argument, he does not make it to the vehicle until he is encased in a bubble while Mother Earth is reduced to nothing. One hour later than the rest of the world, Tom's luck and time runs out, sealing his fate.

Terror Time Toys (February 2008)

[edit]
No. Title Theme Cartoon Episode
Episode Name Series Episode number Air date
1The Butcher BoyGreed and attention-seeking"The Butcher Boy"50228 March 2006
Gilbert Saint Patrick is obsessed with money and fame and does anything to be the richest boy in his school who gets the most attention. When he ends up stealing Chuck's bike, Grandpa Gideon decides to get revenge on him by turning him into sausages. Once he completed his objective, his grandson gives his friends their new gifts as an act of kindness.
2The Bugaboo BearMistreatment of toys"The Bugaboo Bear"50127 march 2006
A girl named Emily Stiff gets a new teddy bear from the latest popular brand but soon becomes bored with it and starts to vandalise it. When Cutie has had enough of his owner's abusive attitude towards him, he decides to take justice into his own hands. He stuffs Emily with sawdust and takes her to another girl who repeats the same abuse while Cutie sets the other toys free from the torment. Whenever a toy is in serious trouble, Cutie is there to prevent the same mistreatment from happening to it.
3Why Boys Make Better BurglarsRobbery"Why Boys Make Better Burglers"60421 September 2006
The Burglar family welcome a new son named Billy and his father cannot wait to teach him the family's tricks. Due to a robbery gone wrong, Mr and Mrs Burglar teach their young daughter how to be a burglar while Billy is serving time in jail. The story showed that both boys and girls can be burglars wherever they go, which shows that burglary can sometimes become a family affair in any place of the world.
4Puppet on a StringLaziness"Puppet on a String"51211 April 2006
A boy named Calloway prefers to be more of a slacker, rather than help his parents with clothes or dishes. When a clown-like puppet visits him in the middle of the night, his father tells him about the Puppetmaster who visited him since he was young. One day, as Calloway walks to school, he discovers many black strings on his body and is sent to the theatre. The shocking situation makes the theatre close down permanently while he helps his parents.
5The Death RattleEgo and jealousy."The Spelling Bee"7129 May 2011
N/A
6eBoyComputer addiction"eBoy"60616 October 2006
A school student named Eric sits by his computer in his bedroom. Displeased by his time on the Internet, his parents explain about the dangers of Cyberspace but their son does not listen to them, much to their frustration. When Eric typed in the name of a website known as "Phantom Postman", he is sent into the world of Cyberspace until a virus attacks his computer. After a long journey through the Interweb, he is finally sent home.

Blubbers and Sicksters (February 2008)

[edit]
No. Title Theme Cartoon Episode
Episode Name Series Episode number Air date
1The Piranha SistersGaslighting"The Piranha Sisters"61219 October 2006
A girl named Dorothy May Piranha loves pranking her sister, Petey, but these pranks are malicious and warp Petey's common sense, which gets her in trouble with their parents. When Petey's birthday arrives, Dorothy May plans to make the party an unforgettable one, but a skeleton-like spirit warns her that her pranks might go horribly wrong, but she does not listen and is eaten alive by piranhas in the bathtub.
2The Crystal EyeSelfishness"A Grizzly New Year's Tale: The Crystal Eye"41531 December 2004
A boy named Fick is tired of sharing everything with his twin brother Finn but then the family receives a mirror for Christmas. When the magic mirror reveals a kind and compassionate version of Fick, he tells his polar opposite about how his narcissism and greed can turn a special holiday sour. But when he refuses to listen to a gypsy and his reflection, Fick's fate is sealed when he is turned into a zombie. The good Fick fills the empty hole in his family's life and goes on an exciting shopping trip to New York City in the United States.
3Cat's EyesAbusing the trust of others"Cat's Eyes"7064 May 2011
A mean older sister named Cat Clore tries to coerce her siblings into doing her wishes. By doing dangerous stunts, she does everything to be the best of the best, only to discover that her brothers and sisters refuse to do what she said. When a young boy encourages them to stand up to bullies, Cat does not back down and grabs Tiny Tim so she can get revenge. Miraculously, a group of crows manage to save him. But after a stunt went wrong, she falls onto an open road where a steam roller crushes her to death and turns her into another crow.
4The Hair FairiesJealousy and pride"The Hair Fairies"8026 September 2011
Fairies visit a boy named Hemp Sock when he envies his sister Moonunit's hair. After cutting it all off, he asks his parents if they like him more than her, their father says that he likes Hemp Sock less which makes him very angry. After destroying his family's possessions by snipping them and smashing them, he is turned into a wooden statue by the Hair Fairies who prevent his vandalism from reaching dangerous levels.
5The Watermelon Babieswasting water"The Watermelon Babies"60522 September 2006
Two sisters named Kitty and Winnie Camel who live in a country suffering from a severe drought ignore the Hosepipe ban and abuse their power over water for their entertainment. When a plumber, who is in fact a hitman in disguise, comes to the family home, he discovers 2 indigo watermelon seeds in the kitchen sink. When he warns both parents about their daughters wasting more and more water, his prophecy wants true when Kitty and Winnie are turned into watermelons, possibly due to a magic spell. Their dehydrated classmates eat the watermelons and walk away from the house.
6The Nuclear Wartnuclear power, sibling rivalry"The Nuclear Wart"8132 November 2012
Tom and Jerry are two brothers who despise each other to the point of their negative energy manifesting into an ever-growing wart. After fighting over the smallest of things for a long time, their consciences get the best of them as the Nuclear Wart puts positive energy into the citizens of Mother Earth. Once it consumes the nuclear power and the planet's core, there is nothing left of it, except for a blackish brown shield that conceals the Earth as it floats through the depths of space.

The Gnaughty Gnomes of "NO!" (July 2008)

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No. Title Theme Cartoon Episode
Episode Name Series Episode number Air date
1TinkerbellNot eating one's food"Tinklebell"7012 May 2011
A schoolboy named Gilbert Sparrow refuses to eat what is on his plate, causing the relationship between him and his parents to become strained. While his mother hires a fairy known as Tinkerbell to fix the problem, he makes a bet by saying that if they refuse to what is on their dish, he wins until the week is up. When Tinklebell visits the family home outside, he gives them some new cutlery. But near the end of the week, Gilbert tells them to eat him. They say no but instantly realise what they have done.
2The Long FaceSulking and jealousy"The Long Face"7106 May 2011
Green with envy, Petty Gambrel-Fetlock does everything to be a horse rider when she meets an Irish boy named Stewart Piddle who worked as a blacksmith in a stable. But when she keeps on sulking due to not getting everything she wants, the Headless Horseman chooses to operate on her face. When she regains consciousness, her head is horse-like, much to her horror. And later, she returns home while Stewart achieves his childhood dream as an equestrian, but his head falls off when a horse jumps.
3The Dragon MothIgnoring the warning signs"The Dragon Moth"7096 May 2011
Josiah Reeks never obeys the warning signs such as not using a broken toilet or running across the road when traffic is moving. One night, he visits a mysterious lighthouse when an old man appears in front of him. Inside the lighthouse was a massive moth-like monster that picks Josiah up by his arms and drops him onto the rocks, killing him almost instantly.
4Sick To DeathThrowing up, skipping school, absentee parents and tantrums"Sick To Death"7022 May 2011
In the early 1950's, a schoolgirl named Victoria Spew vomits indigested food onto the floor so she can get she wanted. Her father worked hard by selling dustpans to people, but her mother insisted on buying a new vacuum cleaner known as the Shark Deluxe. This causes their marriage to become strained. After coming home from school, she is warned about the new invention by a mysterious man. She tried to tell her mother about him and the Shark Deluxe, but has her limbs and vital organs ripped from her whole body.
5Message in a BottleJobs and self-isolation"Message in a Bottle"7075 May 2011
Pottering Partridge is embarrassed by his father's job and isolates himself from his parents and the outside world. To make matters worse, he hides in a boiler room and refuses to go to school which causes his parents to become worried sick. When he climbs onto a tree, he discovers a French man who covers him in a special glue and shoves him into a glass bottle. When both of his parents find him, they set off on a tour around the globe to make money.
6LazybonesLaziness"Lazy Bones"80610 September 2011
Ida Lydon relaxes herself on the couch, also known as a sofa, by drinking juice and eating pizza. When the doctor and the school principal tell her parents that her heart will not be used to exercise, possibly due to a heart condition, they try to help her get fit but she continuously refuses to do so. While Mr and Mrs Lydon go out to get some groceries, a sentient skeleton from Japan known as the Boneshaker reconnects her bones into the proper position.

Superzeroes (July 2008)

[edit]
No. Title Theme Cartoon Episode
Episode Name Series Episode number Air date
1Fatal AttractionEgo"Nerves of Steel"8048 September 2011
When Charlie Chicken lies about what he experienced, everyone believes him except for people who discover his true colours. Desperate for a way out, he does everything to get away from his past, but ends up paying the price when justice finally catches up to him.
2Little AngelDishonesty and blackmail"Little Angel"7085 May 2011
A girl named Eliza Toadley blackmails her younger brother, Wycombe, to her parents, Terry and Laura. When a group of gargoyles hear about her false accusations against him in a gothic castle, they decide to help Wycombe give his mean sister her just desserts by turning her into a stone statue. As the family drive off, Eliza has been transformed into a gargoyle herself with a halo on top of her head.
3The Flat-Pack KidDestruction and vandalism"The Flat Pack Kid"71310 May 2011
Humpty Egg breaks multiple items in the family home so he can discover the outside world. But when the vandalism spins out of control, a businessman named DIY Dye warns him about the incidents and instantly reduces him to a pile of connectable pieces after he does not heed the final word.
4The WormPlaying pranks that are not funny"The Worm"8059 September 2011
Eustace Colon enjoys scaring Evie to death by putting worms in his mouth or her bedroom, but his parents do not find his pranks amusing. When Evie discovers a pale blue tapeworm with antenna, she reaches her breaking point by telling her brother to eat it which causes him to turn into a tapeworm himself. As his father tries to bring him into a shop, Eustace is sliced in half by the front door which made a terrified mob run towards the family home. As the citizens tell Evie to open her brother's bedroom window, Mr and Mrs Colon are horrified by their son's disappearance.
5The Little Flower GirlAdmiration, arrogance"The Little Flower Girl"81030 October 2012
In the future, a girl named Petal Stalewater gives people flowers to admire her. But the Central Flower Court and a local gardener are not convinced by her gestures when she steals the last flower on Earth known as the Black Angel. Later, a small doll known as the Little Flower Girl gives her just desserts by turning her into the same flower that Petal stole from the ground.
6The Rise And Fall of the Evil GuffManners and etiquette"The Rise and Fall of The Evil Guff"7054 May 2011
A boy named Bart Thumper uses flatulence to get his way after eating a cauliflower. But when he does not get anything he wanted, he makes terrorist-like threats towards people in the world including his own parents, which makes him a danger towards society. As he flew into the O-Zone layer, he is sent into the Stone Age where he decomposes.

A Grizzly Dozen (2009)

[edit]

This was a compilation book containing stories from the previous books in the Grizzly Tales: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam! series.

  1. The Grub A Blub Blub
  2. Monty's Python
  3. The Lobster's Scream
  4. Wolf Child
  5. The Fruit Bat
  6. The Clothes Pigs
  7. Jamie's School Dinners
  8. Silence Is Golden
  9. The Old Tailor of Pelting Moor
  10. Her Majesty's Moley
  11. The Soul Stealer
  12. Nobby's Nightmare

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Translated into Swedish by Lena Ollmark in 2008[40]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Grizzly Tales – Jamie Rix". jamierix.com. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  2. ^ a b "About – Jamie Rix". jamierix.j-host.co.uk. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  3. ^ a b c d e Rix, Jamie (17 May 1990). "The Spaghetti Man". Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (1st ed.). Andre Deutsch. ISBN 9780233985312.
  4. ^ Bor, Simon (11 April 2012). "The Grizzly Corner of My Bookshelf". simons-head.blogspot.com. Blogspot. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  5. ^ a b "Books and Other thoughts – Grizzly Tales: Nasty Little Beasts". booksandotherthoughts.com/. Blogspot. 27 March 2011. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  6. ^ a b Rix, Jamie (5 April 2007). "Silence is Golden". Gruesome Grown Ups. Orion Publishing. ISBN 978-1842555507.
  7. ^ a b c Rix, Jamie (17 May 1990). "The Barber of Civil". Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (1 ed.). Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780233985312.
  8. ^ Rix, Jamie (19 January 2001). "It's Only a Game, Sport!". More Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids. Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780439998185.
  9. ^ a b Rix, Jamie (8 April 1996). "The Chipper Chums Go Scrumping". Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids. Hodder Children's Books. ISBN 978-0340640951.
  10. ^ Rix, Jamie (17 May 1990). "The New Nanny". Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids (first ed.). Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780233985312.
  11. ^ Rix, Jamie (8 April 1996). "Fat Boy with a Trumpet". Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids. Hodder Children's Books. ISBN 978-0340640951.
  12. ^ a b c Rix, Jamie (8 April 1996). "Death by Chocolate". Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids. Hodder Children's Books. ISBN 978-0340640951.
  13. ^ Rix, Jamie (8 April 1996). "The Cat Burglar". Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids. Hodder Children's Books. ISBN 978-0340640951.
  14. ^ a b Rix, Jamie (14 February 1992). "An Elephant Never Forgets". Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids (1 ed.). Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780590540049.
  15. ^ Rix, Jamie (19 January 2001). "Knock Down Ginger". More Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids. Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780439998185.
  16. ^ Rix, Jamie (5 July 2007). "Kiss and Make Up". The "Me!" Monsters. Orion Publishing. ISBN 978-1842555514.
  17. ^ Rix, Jamie (1 July 2008). "Fatal Attraction". Superzeroes. Orion Publishing. ISBN 978-1842556481.
  18. ^ Rix, Jamie (14 February 1992). "The Big Sleep". Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids (1 ed.). Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780590540049.
  19. ^ a b c Rix, Jamie (5 April 2007). "Monty's Python". Nasty Little Beasts. Orion Publishing. ISBN 978-1842555491.
  20. ^ Rix, Jamie (17 May 1990). "Glued to the Telly". Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids (1st ed.). Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780233985312.
  21. ^ Rix, Jamie (8 April 1996). "Well'ard Willard". Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids. Hodder Children's Books. ISBN 978-0340640951.
  22. ^ a b Rix, Jamie (19 January 2001). "Dirty Bertie". More Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids. Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780439998185.
  23. ^ Rix, Jamie (5 July 2007). "Tom Time". Freaks of Nature. Orion Publishing. ISBN 9781842555521.
  24. ^ Rix, Jamie (14 February 1992). "Tag". Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids (1 ed.). Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780590540049.
  25. ^ Rix, Jamie (14 February 1992). "Burgers". Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids (1 ed.). Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780590540049.
  26. ^ Rix, Jamie (8 April 1996). "Doctor Moribundus". Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids. Hodder Children's Books. ISBN 978-0340640951.
  27. ^ Rix, Jamie (19 January 2001). "The Gas-Man Cometh". More Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids. Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780439998185.
  28. ^ Rix, Jamie (8 April 1996). "Athlete's Foot". Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids. Hodder Children's Books. ISBN 978-0340640951.
  29. ^ a b Rix, Jamie (2007). "The Clothes Pigs". Nasty Little Beasts. Orion Publishing. ISBN 978-1842555491.
  30. ^ Rix, Jamie (17 May 1990). "The Princess' Clothes". Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids. Scholastic Books. ISBN 9780233985312.
  31. ^ "Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids by Jamie Rix Hardback Book The Cheap Fast Free". OCLC 20523065. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  32. ^ a b c Rix, Jamie. "jamierix-cv-march2012.pdf [Jamie Rix's CV]" (PDF). jamierix.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  33. ^ "Grizzly Tales For Gruesome Kids (Puffin Books) by Jamie, Rix Paperback Book The". OCLC 27380124. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  34. ^ Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids. OCLC 45305627. ASIN 0439014468.
  35. ^ "Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids by Rix, Jamie Paperback Book The Cheap Fast Free". OCLC 26306025. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  36. ^ "Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids (Hippo Fantasy), Rix, Jamie, Very Good Book". OCLC 33863505. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  37. ^ Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids: Amazon: Jamie Rix. OCLC 43192607. ASIN 0340667354.
  38. ^ a b "Fearsome Tales For Fiendish Kids by Rix, Jamie Paperback Book The Cheap Fast". Retrieved 20 September 2019. OCLC 43192607
  39. ^ "More Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids, Rix, Jamie, Very Good Book". OCLC 45853994. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
  40. ^ OCLC 938217815; OCLC 938217822; OCLC 938475644; OCLC 938475645, published by Rabén & Sjögren
  41. ^ Grizzly Tales 1: Nasty Little Beasts: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam!. OCLC 225432024. ASIN 1842555499. OCLC 77257698
  42. ^ Grizzly Tales 2: Gruesome Grown-ups: Cautionary tales for lovers of squeam!. OCLC 225431964. ASIN 1842555502. OCLC 77257701
  43. ^ Grizzly Tales 3: The 'Me!' Monsters: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam!. OCLC 123375341. ASIN 1842555510.
  44. ^ Grizzly Tales 4: Freaks of Nature: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam!. OCLC 123375342. ASIN 1842555529.
  45. ^ Grizzly Tales 5: Terror-Time Toys: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam!. OCLC 176831956. ASIN 1842555537.
  46. ^ Grizzly Tales 6: Blubbers and Sicksters: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam!. OCLC 176831965. ASIN 1842555545.
  47. ^ Grizzly Tales 7: The Gnaughty Gnomes of 'No'!: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam!. OCLC 222161532. ASIN 1842556479.
  48. ^ Grizzly Tales 8: Superzeroes: Cautionary Tales for Lovers of Squeam!. ASIN 1842556487.
  49. ^ A Dirty Dozen. ASIN 1444000128.
  50. ^ Fry, Andy (1 October 1999). "Euro partners render gruesome fables with the right balance". Kidscreen. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  51. ^ "Nigel Planer is narrating animated series Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids – produced by independents Honeycomb Animation and Elephant Productions through Carlton for Children's ITV (CITV), write Liz S – News – Broadcast". Broadcast. June 1999.
  52. ^ "Back From the Grave". grizzlytales.co.uk. 16 September 2009. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  53. ^ "Grizzly tales to come back on CiTV – News – Broadcast". Broadcast. 30 June 2005. CiTV has commissioned two new series of Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids from Honeycomb Animation and Elephant Productions. The Bafta-nominated series, narrated by Nigel Planer, is based on the successful books by Jamie Rix and will return to the screen in the new year for a 26 x 10-minute run.
  54. ^ Maxie Zeus (23 June 2005). "CiTV Picks Up More "Grizzly Tales"". Anime Superhero. Retrieved 2 March 2020. CiTV has ordered two new seasons of Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids, c21 Media reports. The new seasons will be ready for broadcast in early 2006.
  55. ^ "Grizzly Tales return to CiTV". c21 Media. 22 June 2005. Retrieved 2 March 2020.
  56. ^ "Grizzly e-books for Gruesome Kindles". grizzlytales.blogspot.com. Blogspot. 28 June 2011. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 20 September 2019.
  57. ^ "Fearsome Tales for Fiendish Kids [Audiobook] – Unabridged Jamie Rix (Author), Nigel Planer (Narrator), Audible Studios (Publisher)". Amazon. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  58. ^ "More Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids [Audiobook] – Unabridged: Jamie Rix (Author), Bill Wallis (Narrator), Audible Studios". Amazon. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  59. ^ Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids: Complete & Unabridged (Chivers Children's Audio Books) Audio Cassette – Audiobook, 1 Jul 1993. ASIN 0745144659.
  60. ^ Ghostly Tales for Ghastly Kids: Complete & Unabridged Audio Cassette – Audiobook, 1 Jan 1995. ASIN 0745124712.
  61. ^ "AudioGo downloads". Blogspot. 11 October 2011. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
  62. ^ ""Grizzly Tales for Gruesome Kids" Delivering Great TV Ratings For NickToons UK". NickALive!. Blogspot. 6 February 2012. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2019.
  63. ^ a b "The Gruesome Creatives". grizzlytales.blogspot.com. 6 April 2011. Archived from the original on 19 December 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
  64. ^ "02 Jan 2000, 85 – The Observer at Newspapers.com". The Observer. 2 January 2000. p. 85. Retrieved 18 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  65. ^ Moody, Annemarie (17 June 2009). "Nickelodeon Gets Grizzly". Animation World Network. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
  66. ^ a b c "12 Dec 1990, 38 – The Guardian at Newspapers.com". The Guardian. London. 12 December 1990. p. 38. Retrieved 19 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  67. ^ a b "03 Nov 1991, 79 – The Observer at Newspapers.com". The Observer. 3 November 1991. p. 79. Retrieved 19 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  68. ^ a b "19 Jul 1994, 109 – The Guardian at Newspapers.com". The Guardian. London. 19 July 1994. p. 109. Retrieved 19 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  69. ^ "11 Feb 1992, 34 – The Guardian at Newspapers.com". The Guardian. London. 11 February 1992. Retrieved 19 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  70. ^ "29 Apr 1993, 51 – The Guardian at Newspapers.com". The Guardian. London. 29 April 1993. p. 51. Retrieved 19 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  71. ^ BBC. "BBC7 – Big Kids – Authors: Jamie Rix". Archived from the original on 7 April 2011. Retrieved 19 September 2019.
[edit]
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