Jim Benton
Encyclopedia
Jim Benton is an American
illustrator and writer. Licensed properties he has created include Dear Dumb Diary
, Dog of Glee, Franny K. Stein, It's Happy Bunny
, Just Jimmy, Just Plain Mean, Sweetypuss, The Misters, Meany Doodles, Vampy Doodles, Kissy Doodles, and the jOkObo project.
, graduating from Seaholm High School
in 1978. He studied fine arts at Western Michigan University
.
Benton also created greeting cards and worked in the magazine and publishing industry. In 1998, his SpyDogs characters became an animated series, The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs
, that aired on Fox Kids
. Licensing his own creations brought them widespread attention on products, such as It's Happy Bunny, which he created in the mid 1990s but licensed in 2002.
Benton currently lives in Michigan, where he operates out of his own studio. He is married with two
children.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
illustrator and writer. Licensed properties he has created include Dear Dumb Diary
Dear Dumb Diary
Dear Dumb Diary is a series of children's books by Jim Benton, creator of It's Happy Bunny. The Dear Dumb Diary books are written in the first person by a middle school girl named Jamie Kelly. The series is published by Scholastic in English and Random House in Korean...
, Dog of Glee, Franny K. Stein, It's Happy Bunny
It's Happy Bunny
Happy Bunny is the name of a character in a series of stickers, buttons, greeting cards, posters, and other merchandise sold at novelty shops across North America...
, Just Jimmy, Just Plain Mean, Sweetypuss, The Misters, Meany Doodles, Vampy Doodles, Kissy Doodles, and the jOkObo project.
Early life and education
Jim Benton was raised in Birmingham, MichiganBirmingham, Michigan
Birmingham is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan and an affluent suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,103...
, graduating from Seaholm High School
Seaholm High School
Ernest W. Seaholm High School is a public school located within the Birmingham City School District in Birmingham, Michigan, serving grades 9-12. It is located at 2436 West Lincoln Road, Birmingham, Michigan 48009. Seaholm opened its doors for the first time in 1951 under the name Birmingham High....
in 1978. He studied fine arts at Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
.
Career
Benton began his career in a t-shirt shop where he started designing his own characters. At the same time, he did illustrations and artwork for magazines and newspapers. People magazine named him "the most visible cartoonist in America" in 100001Benton also created greeting cards and worked in the magazine and publishing industry. In 1998, his SpyDogs characters became an animated series, The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs
The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs
The Secret Files of the Spy Dogs is a children's animated series, produced by Saban Entertainment, that aired on Fox Kids from 1998 until it was cancelled in 1999.-Plot:...
, that aired on Fox Kids
Fox Kids
Fox Kids was the Fox Broadcasting Company's American children's programming division and brand name from September 8, 1990 until September 7, 2002. It was owned by Fox Television Entertainment airing programming on Monday–Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings.Depending on the show, the...
. Licensing his own creations brought them widespread attention on products, such as It's Happy Bunny, which he created in the mid 1990s but licensed in 2002.
Benton currently lives in Michigan, where he operates out of his own studio. He is married with two
children.
Dear Dumb Diary
- #1: Let's Pretend This Never Happened (2004)
- #2: My Pants Are Haunted! (2004)
- #3: Am I The Princess Or The Frog? (2005)
- #4: Never Do Anything, Ever (2005)
- #5: Can Adults Become Human? (2006)
- #6: The Problem With Here is That It's Where I'm From (2007)
- #7: Never Underestimate Your Dumbness (2008)
- #8: It's Not My Fault I Know Everything (2009)
- #9: That's What Friends Aren't For (2010)
- #10: The Worst Things In Life Are Also Free (2010)
- #11: Okay, So Maybe I Do Have Superpowers (2011)
- #12: Me! (Just Like You, Only Better) (2011)
It's Happy Bunny
- Love Bites (2004)
- Life. Get One (2005)
- What's Your Sign?
- I'm am the boss
- Love,peace,and Hollywood
- It's Happy Bunny Does being the boss (2006)
- It's Happy Bunny Poster Book
Franny K. Stein
- Lunch Walks Among Us (2003)
- Attack of the 50-Ft. Cupid
- The Invisible Fran
- The Fran That Time Forgot
- Frantastic Voyage
- The Fran With Four Brains
- The Frandidate
Awards
- 2004: Gryphon Award honor book, Center for Children’s Books, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Lunch Walks Among Us)
- 2005: LIMA International Licensing Award, Best Art Brand License (It's Happy Bunny)
- 2006: Eleanor Cameron Award, Golden Duck Award CommitteeGolden Duck AwardsThe Golden Duck Awards for Excellence in Children's Science Fiction have been given annually since 1992.-Categories:The categories are:* Picture Book* K- 5th Grade Reader* Middle Grades * Young Adult...
(The Fran That Time Forgot) - 2006: LIMA International Licensing Award, Best Character Brand License – Soft Goods (It's Happy Bunny)
- 2007: LIMA International Licensing Award, Best Character Brand License – Hard Goods (It's Happy Bunny)
- 2007: Austin ADDY Awards (with Partnership for a Drug-Free AmericaPartnership for a Drug-Free AmericaThe Partnership for a Drug-Free America is a non-profit organization that helps parents prevent, intervene in and find treatment for drug and alcohol use by their children...
, Texas Alliance)- Silver award, Public Service Campaign
- Silver award, Public Service Direct Marketing
- Bronze award, Public Service postcard
- 2009: Nomination National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award, Book Illustration: Cherise The Niece
- 2011: National Cartoonists Society Reuben Award, Greeting Cards: It's Happy Bunny