Christina Gabbitas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Christina Gabbitas
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| Born | 7 December 1967 Blackburn, Lancashire, England |
| Occupation | Children's author, poet, storyteller, voiceover artist |
| Notable works | Felicity Fly; Share Some Secrets |
Christina Gabbitas (born 7 December 1967) is an English author, poet, and storyteller for children. She also works as a voiceover artist. Christina is well-known for her books and campaigns. These efforts help teach kids about staying safe from serious dangers. This includes avoiding bad groups or violence.
Christina grew up in Blackburn, Lancashire. Later, as a young adult, she moved to Yorkshire. When she was a child, she loved reading poems and rhymes. She started writing after her own children were born. She focused on stories that helped them overcome fears. These were often fears she had experienced herself as a child.
Contents
Christina's Work
The Felicity Fly Books
In 2012, Christina published her first book. It was called Welcome To The World Of Felicity Fly. This book uses fun characters like a washing machine and a woodlouse. They talk about common fears children might have at home. The stories encourage kids to know they are not alone. They also teach that having fears is a normal part of growing up.
Soon after, she released Felicity Fly Meets Veronica Vac. This book still talked about childhood fears. But it also focused on how people can care for and help each other. A year later, Felicity Fly In The Garden came out. This story taught children about pollination. The fourth book, Felicity Fly Meets the Dragon Fruit and Friends, was published in 2015. Its main topic was healthy food.
Other Books for Kids
In November 2014, Christina published Share Some Secrets. This book helps children understand the difference between good and bad secrets. It encourages kids to speak up if someone is hurting them or making them feel unsafe. The book is for children aged five to eight.
The NSPCC (National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children) supported this book. They added it to their library. They also shared it through their school service. A part of the money from book sales goes to Barnardo's. This charity helps children. In 2016, the book was a finalist for the People's Book Prize.
In 2017, students animated the book. This means they made it into a cartoon. Christina was interviewed about it on Radio 5 Live. In 2018, Christina became an Honorary Member of the NSPCC Council. This was for her hard work in protecting children. It was also for her fundraising efforts. The book still raises money for the NSPCC. Christina has also run the London marathon twice to support the charity.
Triangular Trev and the Shape Idols came out in October 2016. This rhyming picture book teaches children about math words. It makes learning math fun. Christina was interviewed on BBC Radio about this book. It was also a finalist for the People's Book Prize. This was the third year in a row one of her books made it to the final!
In 2018, Christina launched Save Us. This book helps kids learn about plastic pollution in our oceans. In 2019, she held a national rap competition for schools. This helped students get involved with the topic.
Special Stories for Groups
Christina has also been asked by different groups to write stories. These stories are often about specific topics or problems. In 2019, she worked with York Castle Museum. She wrote a story about some of their old toys. This book also entered the People's Book Prize.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom in 2020 and 2021, Christina wrote a story about her hometown, Blackburn. This story helped promote the town during the difficult time of the pandemic.
Helping Others
Christina is a trustee for the Children's Literature Festival charity. She helped set up this charity. Famous people like actress Jenny Agutter and musician Michael Bradley (musician) support the charity. The charity holds free literature festivals for children and families. These events happen in places like Blackburn and Selby.
In 2023, Christina received special recognition for her charity work. She was chosen as one of 500 Coronation Champions for the coronation of Charles III. In the same year, she also received a Prime Minister's Points of Light Award.
Awards for Christina's Books
Felicity Fly Meets Veronica Vac was a finalist for the People's Book Prize in 2014.
In 2015, Christina won the Dame Beryl Bainbridge First Time Author Award. This was for her second poetry book. The book was about creatures and food.
In 2016, Christina received the Sue Ryder Yorkshire Women of Achievement award in education. She won this for encouraging and educating children through her work.
In May 2019, Christina's book Share Some Secrets won the Best Achievement category in the People's Book Prize.
