Draft:Michel Defourny

Michel Defourny (born in January 1944) is a well-known Belgian author of many books and research articles in children's literature. He has been a lecturer at the University of Liège in Belgium and a mission officer for the General Service of Letters and Books of the Ministry of the French Community of Wallonia-Brussels. He is the founder of The Michel Defourny Fund.

Michel Defourny is a specialist in children's and graphic literature. Trained as an indologist, he likes to say that he transitioned from myth to folk tale, and from folk tale to children's picture book. As a researcher, he has contributed to the recognition of the cultural status of children's literature.

As a man of action, he has been instrumental in establishing a policy to support authors and illustrators in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation. At the same time, he has been actively advocating for the promotion of reading among young people, particularly among babies.

Michel Defourny has written numerous books and research articles in children's literature. He has been regularly invited to give lectures and training sessions in France and abroad, and to present at international conferences. He is frequently invited by publishers to write reviews for the children's books.

Education
He holds a doctorate in History and oriental Literature from Belgium. He has been a lecturer at the University of Liège in Liege, Belgium. He did his sabbatical in India. It was the Indian fairy tale that led him to take up children's literature as a field of study during his career. He likes to repeat that he transitioned from myth to tale and from tale to children's book.

Awards
In 2018, Michel Defourny has been awarded the title of 'Honorary Citizen' of the City of Liège, highlighting citizens of Liège who have distinguished themselves.

The Michel Defourny Fund
The Michel Defourny Fund now gathers together some 90,000 books specific to children's literature and, more broadly, to graphic literature. Unique in Belgium, and continually enriched by publications, this conservation fund is even one of the few models in this field at the European level: it is replete with "essential" publications that mark the history of the children's book and offers a panorama, heterogeneous and coherent, of its creativity through the eras and countries. The Michel Defourny Fund is managed and promoted by the non-profit association Les Ateliers du Texte et de l'Image (ATI) through various projects developed at a regional, national, and international level. This immense and fascinating collection constituting the Michel Defourny Fund is intended to feed the Centre for Youth Literature and Graphic Literature, supported by the Patrimonial Funds of the City of Liège. In addition, the personal archives of Michel Defourny will be added: research work, but also extensive correspondence with dozens of artists and children's book professionals. It goes without saying that the whole is of considerable interest, both in the context of research on the history of the illustrated book for children, and in terms of the training of current professionals in literature for young people, students, teachers, booksellers, librarians, publishers, illustrators, etc. There is no doubt that the Centre will attract researchers and specialists on an international scale.

Books
Here is a short list of some of his books:
 * Nathalie Parain (November 21, 2019) by Michel Defourny, Michèle COCHET, Claude-Anne PARMEGIANI
 * pere castor et les artistes russes (February 7, 2018) by Michel Defourny
 * My Cut-Out Pictures (Jan 27, 2015) by Nathalie Parain and Michel Defourny, publisher:‎ Tate; Act edition
 * De quelques albums qui ont aidé les enfants à découvrir le monde et à réfléchir (October 17, 2013 ) Michel Defourny, Publisher:EDL
 * Le livre et l'enfant: Recueil de (February 17, 2009) Michel Defourny

In addition to books, Michel Defourny wrote numerous research articles and book reviews for well-known children books.

Life
Michel Defourny was born in January 1944. He is currently living with his family in Liege, Belgium. He has two sons.