Anthony McGowan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Anthony McGowan
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McGowan in 2012
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| Born | Anthony John McGowan 1 January 1965 Manchester, England |
| Occupation | Author |
| Language | English |
| Alma mater | Manchester University Open University |
| Genre | Children's literature, Young adult fiction, Literary fiction, Nonfiction |
| Notable works | Hellbent The Knife That Killed Me Henry Tumour The Truth of Things series (Brock, Pike, Rook, Lark) |
| Notable awards | Carnegie Medal (2020) |
| Spouse | Rebecca Campbell |
| Children | 2 |
| Website | |
| Anthony McGowan official website: https://web.archive.org/web/20141021115523/http://anthonymcgowan.com/anewsite/[Usurped!] | |
Anthony John McGowan (born in January 1965) is an English author. He writes books for children, teenagers, and adults. He won the important Carnegie Medal in 2020 for his book Lark.
Besides his 2020 win, he was also considered for the Carnegie Medal several times. His books The Knife That Killed Me (2008) and Brock (2014) were longlisted. Rook (2018) was shortlisted. He also won the 2006 Booktrust Teenage Prize for his book Henry Tumour.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Anthony McGowan grew up in Manchester, England. He was the second of five children in a working-class family. His parents were both nurses. When he was young, his family moved to a village called Sherburn in Elmet, near Leeds.
As a child, he mostly read non-fiction books about nature. But when he was nine, a teacher gave him J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings. He said that reading this book changed him. It made him want to read novels and even write them one day.
School Experiences
At age 11, he went to Corpus Christi Catholic College. He described it as a tough school. He said it was a big shock to him because he had a sheltered upbringing. He was suddenly around many challenging students.
His time at this school greatly influenced his writing. He often uses his school memories as inspiration for his books for young people. He said that every day at school was full of excitement and challenges. He wanted to focus his books on kids and their friendships.
University Studies
McGowan studied Philosophy and Politics at University of Manchester. He earned his first degree in 1986 and a master's degree in 1990. He later earned his PhD from the Open University in 1996. His PhD focused on ideas of masculine beauty in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Before becoming a full-time writer, he worked in different jobs. He was a nightclub bouncer, a journalist, and a civil servant.
Writing Career
Anthony McGowan has written many books across different genres. He started with adult fiction before finding success with books for young people.
Adult Books
McGowan wrote his first book, Abandon Hope, while working as a civil servant. However, no publisher wanted to print it. Later, his wife's agent offered to represent him if he wrote something "more commercial."
His adult thriller Stag Hunt was published in 2004. It received good reviews. However, a mistake with the barcode on the paperback edition caused all copies to be recalled. This hurt sales, and his career as an adult novelist slowed down.
He returned to adult thrillers in 2007 after becoming successful as a young adult author. His second adult thriller, Mortal Coil (2007), was praised for its suspenseful atmosphere.
Books for Young Adults
McGowan found great success writing for teenagers. He rewrote his first book, Abandon Hope, to make it suitable for teens. He removed some of the more intense parts and renamed it Hellbent. This funny story about a teenager who goes to a fictional "Hell" was published in 2005. It was shortlisted for the Branford Boase Award.
He won the 2006 Booktrust Teenage Prize with his next young adult book, Henry Tumour. This book is about a boy whose brain tumor talks to him. Critics praised it for being funny, smart, and gripping.
His agent then suggested he write a book inspired by serious incidents involving knives. The Knife That Killed Me (2008) tells the story of a 16-year-old boy whose relationship with a school bully leads to sad events. Reviewers said it was believable and insightful. The book was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal. It was also made into a film in 2014.
McGowan's 2013 book Hello Darkness explored how young people deal with difficult feelings. It tells the story of a teenage boy accused of harming school pets. Reviewers noted that, like Henry Tumour, it was clever and darkly funny, despite its serious subject.
Writing for Reluctant Readers
He also writes books for Barrington Stoke. This publisher creates short books with simpler language for readers with dyslexia or those who don't enjoy reading much. McGowan said that writing for Barrington Stoke improved his writing style. It made him focus on the most important parts of a story: characters, plot, and setting. The Fall, a book about the serious results of a prank, was published in 2011.
He continued writing for Barrington Stoke with The Truth of Things series. These four novellas are about two working-class brothers, Nicky and Kenny. Kenny has a learning disability. They face challenges at home and elsewhere. The books are Brock (2013), Pike (2015), Rook (2017), and Lark (2019). Brock and Rook were recognized for the Carnegie Medal. In 2020, Lark won the Carnegie Medal. It tells the story of Nicky and Kenny's struggle to survive after a hike on the North Yorkshire Moors turns dangerous.
Lark was named the Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week. Reviewers praised it for being funny, scary, and heartwarming. They noted that McGowan creates characters whose backgrounds are not often seen in young people's fiction.
McGowan also worked with author Joanna Nadin on Everybody Hurts (2017). This is a love story between two teenagers from different social backgrounds. They took turns writing chapters, with McGowan writing as the male character and Nadin as the female.
Books for Children
In 2008, McGowan published his first book for middle readers, Einstein's Underpants and How They Saved the World. The Independent newspaper called it "zany, irreverent and downright absurd."
He also wrote four books in a series for children called The Bare Bum Gang. The first book, The Bare Bum Gang and the Football Faceoff, was praised for being funny and engaging for 7- to 9-year-olds.
From 2009 to 2010, he helped write the "Project X" series for Oxford University Press. This series was designed to get boys interested in reading. McGowan wrote about twenty books in this adventure series.
In 2011, he wrote The Donut Diaries, the first book in a trilogy. These books are about an overweight boy named Dermot Milligan. The first book won an award and was called "a warm, witty and inspiring tale." The sequels were The Donut Diaries: Revenge is Sweet (2012) and The Donut Diaries: Escape from Camp Fatso (2013).
In 2011, it was announced that McGowan would write four books to bring back the classic children's wildlife adventure series by Willard Price. These books were published between 2012 and 2014.
I Killed Father Christmas (2017) was his first book specifically for middle readers with reading difficulties. It's about a boy who believes he caused the death of Father Christmas.
Non-Fiction Books
In 2017, McGowan's first non-fiction book, The Art of Failing: Notes from the Underdog, was published. It's a collection of funny and sometimes embarrassing stories from one year of his life. He wrote about adventures with his dog, Monty, and daily family life.
In How to Teach Philosophy to Your Dog: A Quirky Introduction to the Big Questions in Philosophy (2019), McGowan used his philosophy background. He explored the ideas of famous philosophers through conversations with his dog, Monty. Kirkus Reviews called it a "charming, informative, unique introduction to Western philosophy."
Personal Life
Anthony McGowan is married to Rebecca Campbell, who is also a novelist. They have two children and live in West Hampstead, London.
In 1986, at age 21, he faced a serious health challenge. He wrote an article in 2019 about how listening to the Ashes cricket series helped him through that difficult time.
He plays for the Authors Cricket Club with other British writers. He wrote a chapter in their book, The Authors XI: A Season of English Cricket from Hackney to Hambledon. In 2013, he scored his first "century" (100+ runs) in a cricket game. He later wrote about this achievement in a cricket journal.
Images for kids
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McGowan in 2012
