The Boy and The Snowman flying above a green-tinged Brighton Pavilion

The Snowman was created and illustrated by Raymond Briggs as a picture book, narrated entirely through hand-drawn illustrations and was first published in 1978.  The book tells the magical story of a boy whose snowman comes to life. It perfectly captures the wonder and innocence of childhood and has become a classic and a fundamental Christmas tradition, loved by generations of children.  It has become one of the world's most popular picture books. Portrait of Raymond Briggs illustrated by Robin Shaw.