The husband and wife team who specialise in teaching, demonstrating and creating aspects and items of their expertise in the Crafts area. Steve is British, Megumi, Japanese and their combination is truly a tour de force.
Steve is a teacher of Origami, who practises his craft, with his wife, in schools, on television etc., and in Cabaret. (Megumi appeared with Bruce Forsyth on the ‘Generation Game’ on a number of occasions). Their work is highly successful and popular with teachers, pupils and audiences alike. Megumi creates designs for the Japanese art of Washi, (hand-made paper) stencils, origami, artificial flowers. She and her husband have produced origami designs for commercial use (advertising, etc.) and their first book – for children – THINGS TO MAKE IN THE HOLIDAYS was published as an original paperback by Beaver (now Red Fox), Summer 1988. This was followed by NEWSPAPER MAGIC, THE PAINT AND PRINT FUN BOOK, CAT’S CRADLE AND OTHER STRING GAMES, AMAZING FLYING OBJECTS and the Autumn 1990 success, AMAZING ORIGAMI FOR CHILDREN and MAKE YOUR OWN GREETINGS CARDS was their Red Fox Summer 1992 creation. Then came THE CHRISTMAS ORIGAMI BOOK (Red Fox 1993) with ORIGAMI SAFARI a Spring 1994 publication. ACTION DINOSAURS came in Spring 1995. HORRORGAMI was an Autumn 1996 publication in the UK, USA and French Canada. PLANET ORIGAMI, was published in August 1998, and also with Red Fox, UNDERWATER ORIGAMI, was a January 2001 publication. PAPER CAPERS appeared in Summer 2002: US rights sold to Barrons. Red House acquired book club rights.
Eddison-Sadd Edition/Connections (published Autumn 2003) Steve & Megumi’s book, titled: ORIGAMI FOR HARMONY & HAPPINESS.
The Biddles have been described in the media as “the undisputed champions of children’s origami.”
Their books are illustrated by Megumi, (who is also interested to illustrate the work of other authors and to provide jacket illustrations,) and additionally illustrated THE BEST CHRISTMAS for ELT Pearson. (A portfolio of her work is available.)
THE CRANE’S GIFT OF GRATITUDE, the retelling of a Japanese folk tale by Steve and illustrated in water-colour most beautifully by Megumi, was originally published by Barefoot Books and an ELT edition published (2001) by Penguin Longman.
W. H. Smith have been most enthusiastic about the Biddles and their work and have supported promotional activities at their shops to stimulate book sales.
Steve and Megumi’s first book for the adult market, MAKING FLOWERS, exquisitely illustrated by Megumi, who made all the flowers photographed in the book herself, is published by F&W Media. Their inaugural book on paper-folding for adult readership, STEP BY STEP ORIGAMI was a Spring 1991 publication from Ebury, followed in 1993 by THE NEW ORIGAMI.
The Metropolitan Museum Of Art published, in September 1998, a book specially conceived by Steve and Megumi for the Museum, featuring Origami relating to the Museum’s Japanese exhibits. It is called, ORIGAMI INSPIRED BY JAPANESE PRINTS. The work is published in the UK by British Museum Publications (October 1998). It has been a best-seller on both sides of the Atlantic. A French translation edition has also been published. The Met commissioned a further book from Steve and Megumi entitled, A BEGINNER’S BOOK OF ORIGAMI: BIRDS, BEASTS, BUGS AND BUTTERFLIES, published July 2003. Viking are the American trade publishers of both titles. All rights via the Met.
A new edition of ORIGAMI INSPIRED BY JAPANESE PRINTS was published in the summer of 2011.
The British Museum Press’s own publication of Steve and Megumi’s specially prepared book, entitled BEGINNING ORIGAMI, was published in July 2001 to coincide with the Japan Exhibition in London.
October 2003 saw the publication of ORIGAMI FOR HARMONY AND HAPPINESS (Eddison-Sadd – Connections) in the UK and USA and has since reprinted. All rights via E-S.
Steve and Megumi signed with Eddison-Sadd again, to produce ORIGAMI MAGIC, for publication by Tuttle in North America and Connections in the UK. All other rights are with Eddison-Sadd.
The Biddles linked once more with F&W Media for their book – PAPER CREATIONS – CARDS AND GIFTS, publication Spring 2006. And a further title to add to their archive with F&W Media is PAPER: FOLD IT! published in 2008. All rights with the publisher.
Continuing this successful publishing partnership, the Biddles published with F&W Media unique book, entitled PEBBLE PETS in Autumn 2009. (All rights, to F&W.)
Dover Publications contracted to reissue, two of the Steve and Megumi’s earlier books, MAKE YOUR OWN GREETINGS CARDS and PAPER CAPERS.