Born in 1985, Henson grew up in Zimbabwe and England before moving to Sweden. A self-taught illustrator, he has become one of the most acclaimed voices in contemporary Swedish picture books. His recent and forthcoming titles include Absolutely Not, Says Rosetta, Then a Bear Came Along!, and Watch Out, Wallace!.

In 2026, he received the Lennart Hellsing Grant, with the motivation “David Henson is a picture-book creator with a unique visual language, exceptional versatility, and outstanding powers of observation. Through sparkling humour, carefully calibrated colour palettes, and an imaginative approach to storytelling, he creates books that speak to readers regardless of age—much like Lennart Hellsing’s own work”.