22/09/2026
We are saddened to hear of the passing of Terry Denton, the hugely talented illustrator and author best known for bringing the wild and wonderfully anarchic world of the Treehouse series to life. 🌳
Terry’s illustrations are a pure explosion of joy. Packed with comic-style line drawings, incredible treehouse diagrams and hilarious speech bubbles, his artwork is known for inspiring imaginations and being the catalyst for endless treehouse drawings of children's own.
📚 With a high image-to-text ratio and a deliciously wacky sense of humour, the Treehouse books have earned a legendary reputation for hooking young readers, especially those who might otherwise be reluctant to pick up a book. It’s no surprise that the series features so prominently across our BooksforTopics lists, including our Year 3 Recommended Reads, our Reluctant Reader lists and even inspiring its very own Branching Out guide due to its great popularity.
In a moving tribute, his longtime collaborator Andy Griffiths shared:
“Working – and playing – with Terry over three decades has been an incredible honour and a pure delight. I’ve never laughed so hard as I did when working with him, whether in the writing room or on stage. He was a true clown and much beloved.”
Terry’s family noted that his stories will continue to bring "wonder, laughter and comfort to generations yet to come."
His publisher, Curtis Brown, shared that Terry passed away surrounded by his family on Monday. Our thoughts are with Terry’s family, friends and co-authors during this sad time. Thank you, Terry, for the millions of giggles, the brilliant doodles, and the gift of reading you have given to so many children. 🎨🏡
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