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Jess French

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Jess French
French in 2006
EducationNorwich School, University College London, University of Nottingham
Occupation(s)Television presenter, veterinarian, author
Notable workMinibeast Adventure with Jess

Jess French is a British television personality, veterinarian and author. She is the presenter of a television programme called Minibeast Adventure with Jess which has aired on CBeebies.[1] French is also a best-selling children's author[2] and a regular contributor to science and literary festivals such as Hay Festival, Edinburgh festival, Cheltenham Science Festival, Bath Festival of Children's Literature and Norwich Science Festival and printed press such as The Guardian, BBC Wildlife, The Week.

Early life and education

[edit]

French has lived across the world, from Chile to Thailand. She grew up in Norfolk[3] and studied at Norwich School.[4] She gained a first class degree in zoology at University College London[5][6] where she was active in the volunteering department, winning awards for her work teaching children about conservation[7] and for setting up a sign language society.[8] She has studied primates across the world and has a particular interest in gorillas.[9] She gained her degree in veterinary medicine and surgery from the University of Nottingham and she now works as a small animal and zoo vet.[10][11][12] She can speak fluent Spanish and can use British Sign Language.[5]

TV career

[edit]

French has worked on a number of shows as a wildlife (in particular creepy-crawly) expert including, Live 'n' Deadly (CBBC), Deadly Mission Madagascar (CBBC), Springwatch (BBC) and Micro Monsters 3D (Sky).[5] Since April 2014 she has presented a series of twenty 9-minute episodes of Minibeast Adventure with Jess on the CBeebies channel.[10][6][11] She has also appeared on The Pets Factor,[13] BBC Breakfast,[14] Sunday Brunch and Springwatch. In December 2022, French appeared alongside Ken Follett, Ria Lina and Susan Collins (artist) on the University Challenge Christmas special, representing University College London.

Radio

[edit]

French co-presents a radio series with Ben Garrod for BBC Radio 4 called Wild Inside, in which she carries out post mortem examinations on exotic species and discusses her findings.

On 12 August 2019, she appeared on the podcast Trees A Crowd with David Oakes.[15]

Books

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French is one of the UK's top-selling authors of non-fiction books for children. She usually writes on the theme of animals, nature and the environment. In August 2020 she released her debut picture book. Her middle grade debut, Beastlands: Race to Frostfall Mountain, publishes with Bonnier Group in January 2024.

French was one of the 2021 World Book Day authors, with her title 'Protect the Planet', published by DK (publisher).[16]

  • Fluttering Minibeast Adventures (Feb 2016)[17]
  • Tickly Minibeast Adventures (Feb 2016)[17][18]
  • Born Free Chimp Rescue: The True Story of Chinoise (May 2016)[19]
  • Born Free Bear Rescue (September 2017)[20]
  • Born Free Cheetah Rescue (November 2017)[21]
  • Minibeasts with Jess French (February 2018)[21]
  • How to Help a Hedgehog and Protect a Polar Bear (Aug 2018)[22]
  • Saving Species (October 2018)[21][23]
  • What a Waste (April 2019)[24]
  • Lost Species (October 2019)[25]
  • The Book of Brilliant Bugs (March 2020)[26]
  • Slow Down, Monkey (Aug 2020)[27]
  • Let's Save Our Planet: Forests: Uncover the Facts. Be Inspired. Make A Difference[28] (October 2020)
  • Protect the Planet – World Book Day book (March 2021)
  • Earth's Incredible Oceans (April 2021)[29]
  • Cat Chat[30] (July 2021)
  • How to Be a Vet and Other Animal Jobs[31] (July 2021)
  • Puppy Talk[32] (Jan 2022)
  • It's a Wonderful World (March 2022)[33]
  • Bella Loves Bugs[34] (April 2022)
  • Billy Loves Birds[35] (April 2022)
  • My Mum is a Spy – with Andy McNab. (August 2022)[36]
  • Pedro Loves Saving the Planet – (April 2023)[1]
  • Ava Loves Animals (April 2023)[37]
  • Pets and their People: The Ultimate Guide to Caring For Animals - Whether You Have One or Not! (April 2023)[38]
  • Beastlands: Race to Frostfall Mountain (Jan 2024) [39]

Awards

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French won the Jane Goodall Global Youth Leadership award in 2010 for setting up a program to teach children about environmental issues.[5][40]

In 2015, French was named number 43 on BBC Wildlife magazine's Power List of conservation heroes.[41]

French's book 'Fluttering Minibeast Adventures' was nominated for the 2017 Educational Writers' Award.[42]

In 2022, French's book 'Earth's Incredible Oceans' won a Gold Nautilus Award[43] and 'It's a Wonderful World' was named 'Top Value Toy' in the 2022 Right Start awards.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Vet student makes CBEEBIES big time". University of Nottingham. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  2. ^ Twitter https://twitter.com/zoologist_jess/status/1122231346838081538. Retrieved 29 September 2020. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ "Nottingham student is new face of CBeebies". Nottingham Post. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  4. ^ "Norwich School – ON Jess French presents a new show about creepy crawly pets on CBeebies". norwich-school.org.uk. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
  5. ^ a b c d "Jess French". Bath Literary Agency. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  6. ^ a b "ON Jess French presents a new show about creepy crawly pets on CBeebies". Norwich School. 22 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  7. ^ "Student volunteers scoop award for school project". University College London. 25 May 2010. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  8. ^ "UCLU Sign Language Society". UCLU. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  9. ^ Falconer |, Daniel. "Jess French exclusive interview: Minibeast Adventure". www.femalefirst.co.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
  10. ^ a b "Vet student makes CBEEBIES big time". University of Nottingham. 17 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  11. ^ a b Falconer, Daniel (18 April 2014). "Jess French exclusive interview: Minibeast Adventure". Female First. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  12. ^ "Jess French on BBC Breakfast". Kindle Entertainment. 25 April 2014. Retrieved 16 June 2015 – via Vimeo.
  13. ^ "The Pets Factor – Pets Fact-or-Not: Golden Cat". bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  14. ^ Entertainment, Kindle (25 April 2014), Jess French on BBC Breakfast, retrieved 29 September 2020
  15. ^ Trees A Crowd
  16. ^ "Protect the Planet". World Book Day. Retrieved 10 December 2020.
  17. ^ a b Eyre, Charlotte (8 April 2015). "Egmont signs CBeebies presenter". The Book Seller. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  18. ^ "Tickly Minibeast Adventures – Egmont". egmont.co.uk. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  19. ^ French, Jess (5 May 2016). Jess French – Born Free Chimp Rescue – Hachette Children's Group. Hachette Children's. ISBN 9781510100534. Retrieved 25 April 2016. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  20. ^ French, Jess (15 May 2019). Jess French – Born Free Bear Rescue – Hachette Children's Group. Hachette Children's. ISBN 9781510100756.
  21. ^ a b c "Amazon.co.uk: Jess French: Books, Biography, Blogs, Audiobooks, Kindle". Amazon.com. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  22. ^ "National Trust: How to Help a Hedgehog and Protect a Polar Bear". Nosy Crow. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  23. ^ "Saving Species". North Somerset Teachers' Book Award. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  24. ^ "What a Waste". goodreads.com. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  25. ^ French, Jess (15 May 2019). Lost Species. Hachette Children's. ISBN 9781526361370.
  26. ^ French, Jess (27 February 2020). The Book of Brilliant Bugs. Claire McElfatrick. DK Children.
  27. ^ French, Jess; Kuijl, Eefje (6 August 2020). Slow Down, Monkey!. Buster Books.
  28. ^ French, Jess. Let's Save Our Planet: Forests: Uncover the Facts. Be Inspired. Make A Difference. Alexander Mostov.
  29. ^ French, Jess. Earth's Incredible Oceans. Claire McElfatrick. ASIN 0241459141.
  30. ^ "Cat Chat". Nosy Crow. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  31. ^ "How to Be a Vet and Other Animal Jobs". Nosy Crow. Retrieved 15 October 2021.
  32. ^ "Puppy Talk". Nosy Crow. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  33. ^ "It's a Wonderful World by Jess French: 9780744050189 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books". PenguinRandomhouse.com. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  34. ^ "Bella Loves Bugs: Volume 2 : Jess French : 9780711265608". www.bookdepository.com. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  35. ^ "Billy Loves Birds: Volume 1 : Jess French : 9780711265561". www.bookdepository.com. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  36. ^ "Andy McNab leaves Transworld for 'significant long-term partnership' with Welbeck". The Bookseller. Retrieved 31 May 2022.
  37. ^ French, Jess (20 April 2023). Ava Loves Rescuing Animals. Happy Yak. ISBN 978-0-7112-6771-8.
  38. ^ French, Jess (6 April 2023). Pets and Their People: The Ultimate Guide to Caring For Animals – Whether You Have One or Not!. DK Children. ISBN 978-0-241-58508-5.
  39. ^ "Piccadilly Press bags fantasy adventure trilogy from TV presenter and zoologist French". The Bookseller. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
  40. ^ "Jane Goodall Global Leadership Awards 2010". The Jane Goodall Institute. Retrieved 16 June 2015.
  41. ^ Price, Jo (26 June 2015). "UK's top 50 conservation heroes". Discover Wildlife. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  42. ^ "ALCS | 2017 Educational Writers' Award: CODES & INVENTIONS & ALL CREATURES GREAT & SMALL". alcs.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  43. ^ "Nautilus Winners – Nautilus Book Awards". Retrieved 31 May 2022.
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