Andy Mulligan (author) facts for kids

Andy Mulligan is a British author famous for writing books for young adults. He grew up in South London. Before becoming a writer, he worked as a theatre director for ten years. After that, he became a teacher. His teaching jobs took him to many different countries, including India, Brazil, Vietnam, the Philippines, and the UK. These experiences greatly influenced the stories he writes. He married Anne Robinson in 2015. Today, he lives part of his time in London and part in Manila.

Andy Mulligan's Writing Journey

Andy Mulligan's first book, Ribblestrop, was published in 2009. The idea for this story came to him during a walk with another teacher. They talked about how they could turn an old, run-down house into a very unusual school.

The Story Behind Trash

His second book, Trash, was released in 2010. This story is set in a large city's garbage dump, similar to Manila. It follows a street child who makes a living by collecting waste. Trash was considered for the Blue Peter Book Award. However, it was later removed because it contained some scenes and language that were not suitable for very young children. The publisher of Trash, David Fickling, explained that he wanted to show the real lives of poor children, even if it was difficult. He believed it was important to be honest with young readers.

Trash was also nominated for the 2012 CILIP Carnegie Medal, which is a very important award for children's books. In 2014, Trash was even made into a movie directed by Stephen Daldry.

Winning the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize

In 2011, Andy Mulligan wrote Return to Ribblestrop, which was the first sequel to his first book. That same year, he won the 2011 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. This is a special award judged by a group of British children's writers. The judges loved Return to Ribblestrop because it was fresh, funny, and had a warm heart. They also liked how it showed children in a unique way.

Books by Andy Mulligan

• Ribblestrop (2009)
• Trash (2010)
• Return to Ribblestrop (2011)
• Ribblestrop Forever! (2012)
• The Boy With Two Heads (2013)
• Liquidator (2015)
• Rollercoaster (2016)
• Dog (2017)

Awards and Nominations

• 2011 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for Return to Ribblestrop
• Ribblestrop was nominated for a Roald Dahl Funny Prize in 2009.
• Trash was nominated for the CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2012.