David Almond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
David Almond
OBE FRSL
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Almond in 2008
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| Born | 15 May 1951 Newcastle upon Tyne, England |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Period | 1998–present |
| Genre | Children's novels, speculative fiction, magic realism |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Carnegie Medal 1998 Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing 2010 Eleanor Farjeon Award 2015 |
| Spouse | Julia Green |
| Children | 1 |
David John Almond is an English author famous for writing exciting books for children and young adults. He was born on May 15, 1951. He has won some of the most celebrated prizes in the entire world for his storytelling. Many of his stories mix everyday life with strange, wonderful mysteries. This style of writing is often known as magic realism. Readers everywhere know him best for his famous debut novel called Skellig. He has also won the international Hans Christian Andersen Award, which is like the highest honor for writers of children's tales.
Contents
The Early Life of David Almond
David Almond was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, a big city in the north of England. He grew up nearby in a town named Felling. His family had four sisters and one brother. His father worked as an office manager in a factory. His mother was a skilled shorthand typist who wrote down spoken words very quickly.
How a Young Dreamer Made His Own Books
Even when he was a small boy, Almond loved stories and dreamed of becoming an author. He did not just write tales on loose paper. Instead, he carefully stitched the pages together with thread to create his own little books. His home life was full of love, laughter, and family games. It also had hard times when his father and little sister passed away. Almond later used these deep memories to craft heartfelt tales that feel real to children.
School Days and Becoming a Teacher
David Almond studied hard and went to college at the University of East Anglia. He also attended Newcastle Polytechnic. After finishing his studies, he worked as a schoolteacher for five years. Almond later moved into an artists' community in Norfolk so he could focus on his creative projects. Later, he returned to Newcastle to teach children with special needs and run a literary magazine called Panurge.
How David Almond Creates His Famous Books
Almond spent years practicing his writing before his biggest books appeared. He wrote short stories for adults, including Sleepless Nights in 1985 and A Kind of Heaven in 1987. Soon, he began looking back at his own childhood memories. These real-life memories became a special collection of tales called Counting Stars.
The Mystery of Skellig
In 1998, Almond published Skellig through Hodder Children's Books, and it quickly became a worldwide sensation. The story follows a boy named Michael who finds a strange, winged creature living in a crumbling garage. The book became so popular that it won the famous Carnegie Medal. During the 70th anniversary of the award, British readers voted it as one of their top three favorite winning books of all time.
Other Popular Adventures and Prequels
After the great success of Skellig, Almond wrote many more thrilling books:
- Kit's Wilderness takes place in an old mining village where children play a mysterious underground game.
- Heaven Eyes tells the story of runaway friends who find an unusual girl living by muddy riverbanks.
- The Fire-Eaters follows a boy growing up during tense times who meets a brave street performer.
- Clay explores the power of imagination and what happens when two boys build a creature from mud.
- Jackdaw Summer shows how finding a mysterious object during the summer holidays changes friendships.
- My Name is Mina is a delightful prequel showing the diary entries of the clever girl from Skellig.
- The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas tells the funny, daring journey of a boy who joins a circus.
- A Song for Ella Grey retells an ancient myth set among modern teenagers on the wild beaches of northern England.
Working with Great Artists
Almond loves teaming up with great picture book creators. He worked with illustrator Polly Dunbar on funny books like My Dad's a Birdman and The Boy Who Climbed Into the Moon. He also worked with Stephen Lambert on Kate, the Cat and the Moon. The famous artist Dave McKean drew striking pictures for The Savage, Slog's Dad, and the book Mouse Bird Snake Wolf. Famous artist Oliver Jeffers created the lively art for The Boy Who Swam With Piranhas.
Important Themes in Almond's Stories
Almond's books are known for being deeply thoughtful and full of philosophy. He enjoys exploring big questions about how people understand the world around them.
Exploring Opposites and Childhood Feelings
Almond often looks at things that seem completely opposite, like darkness and light, past and future, or truth and dreams. He writes about the wonder of nature and the way young people learn to understand the inner self. Many experts say his books act like helpful guides for young readers facing worries. This kind of comforting reading is sometimes called bibliotherapy.
Bringing Stories to the Stage
Almond does not only write novels. He also writes plays for the theatre. He created live stage versions of Skellig and Heaven Eyes. He also wrote original plays such as Wild Girl, Wild Boy and Noah & the Fludd. He has even taken part in collaborative fiction by joining other top authors to write the mystery book Click.
Big Awards and Global Honors
David Almond has won many top literary prizes in Britain and across the globe:
- The international Hans Christian Andersen Award for his outstanding lifetime contribution to children's books.
- The British Carnegie Medal for his novel Skellig.
- The prestigious Whitbread Awards, which he won twice for his storytelling.
- The American Michael L. Printz Award for wonderful teenage fiction in Kit's Wilderness.
- The Smarties Prize for young readers, awarded to The Fire-Eaters.
- The American Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for outstanding children's fiction.
- The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for A Song for Ella Grey.
- The historic Nonino Prize in Italy for his inspiring work.
- He was also nominated for the global Astrid Lindgren Award honoring children's literature.
- In 2011, he became a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.
- In the 2021 Birthday Honours, he was named an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by the royal family for his services to reading and art.
Personal Life
David Almond lives in his home region near Newcastle upon Tyne in northern England. He loves teaching other people how to write great stories. He has worked as a professor of creative writing at Bath Spa University. He continues to visit schools and libraries around the world to encourage children to read, use their imaginations, and write their own wonderful books.
See Also
- Click
