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The Honourable

Cressida Cowell

MBE FRSL
Cowell in 2017
Cowell in 2017
Born (1966-04-15) 15 April 1966 (age 58)
London, England
Occupation Writer
Alma mater University of Oxford
Notable works How to Train Your Dragon
Spouse(s) Simon Cowell
Children Maisie Cowell
Clementine Cowell
Alexander Cowell
Parents
  • Michael Hare, 2nd Viscount Blakenham (father)
  • Marcia Persephone Hare (mother)
Signature
Cressida Cowell signature.svg

Cressida Cowell MBE FRSL (née Hare, born 15 April 1966) is a British children's author, popularly known for the book series, How to Train Your Dragon, which has subsequently become an award-winning film franchise as adapted by DreamWorks Animation. As of 2015, the series has sold more than seven million copies around the world.

In addition to her other publications, Cowell works with illustrator Neal Layton in the ongoing series of Emily Brown stories. The first in the series, That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown, won a Nestlé Children’s Book Award.

Personal life

The Hon. Cressida Cowell was born on 15 April 1966 in London. She is the daughter of Michael Hare, 2nd Viscount Blakenham. Her uncle, by marriage, is U.S. Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer.

As a child, Cowell states she "grew up in London and on a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland," and that it was during summers spent on the Inner Hebrides, where she first began to develop her writing and drawing skills:

"I spent a great deal of time as a child on a tiny, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland...By the time I was eight, my family had built a small stone house on the island, and with the boat, we could nearly fish for enough food to feed the family for the whole summer."
"From then on, every year we spent four weeks of the summer and two weeks of the spring on the island. The house was lit by candle-light, and there was no telephone or television, so I spent a lot of time drawing and writing stories."

Cowell attended Keble College, Oxford where she studied English, and she also attended Saint Martin's School of Art and Brighton University where she learned illustration. She studied at Marlborough College (1982–84).

Cressida Cowell presently resides in London with her husband Simon, a former director and interim CEO of the International Save the Children Alliance; daughters Maisie and Clementine; and son Alexander.

List of works

Awards

Cowell was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to children's literature.

In 2021, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (FRSL).

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Cressida Cowell para niños

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