Dean Hughes facts for kids

Dean Hughes (born August 24, 1943) is an American writer. He is known for his historical novels and books for children. Dean Hughes has written over 100 books, along with poems and short stories.

He is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Many of his books for young readers are about sports or war. He is also famous for his Children of the Promise series. This series is set during World War II. One of his novels, Midway to Heaven, was made into a movie in 2011. Before becoming a full-time writer, Dean Hughes taught English and creative writing at universities.

About Dean Hughes

Dean Hughes was born on August 24, 1943, in Ogden, Utah. After high school, he started writing his first novel. However, that book was not published.

He went to Weber State University to study English. Later, he earned a master's degree in creative writing. He also received a PhD in literature from the University of Washington. Before writing full-time, he taught English for eight years. He also taught creative writing at Brigham Young University.

His First Books

In 1979, Dean Hughes published his first book, Under the Same Stars. Since then, he has written 105 books. He has also published poems and short stories. His writings are for many age groups.

He writes a lot for children and young adults. These books often have themes of sports or World War II. He is also well-known to adult readers. His series Children of the Promise is set during World War II. Another series, Hearts of the Children, is set during the Vietnam War.

Dean Hughes is seen as an important author in Mormon literature. He is praised for writing high-quality books for children and young adults.

Recent Works and Adaptations

In 2001, his World War II novel Soldier Boys was published. In September 2013, he celebrated a big milestone. His 100th book, Through Cloud and Sunshine, was published.

His 2003 novel, Midway to Heaven, became a movie in 2011. This was the first of his books to be made into a film. In June 2018, Dean Hughes was a main speaker. He spoke at Brigham Young University-Idaho's Education Week.

Family Life

Dean Hughes is married to Kathleen Hurst Hughes. They have three children and nine grandchildren. They live in Midway, Utah. Dean and his wife, Kathy, served a mission for their church. They served in Nauvoo, Illinois. Dean Hughes is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Awards and Recognition

Dean Hughes has received many awards for his writing. In 2005, he won the Smith-Pettit Foundation Award. This was for his great work on Children of the Promise. In 2007, he received a Lifetime Achievement award. This was at the first Whitney Awards ceremony. In April 2013, he won an Outstanding Achievement AML Award.

He has also won other AML Awards. These include:

• Young Adult Literature (1994) for The Trophy
• Novel (1998) for Far from Home
• Novel (2019) for Muddy: Where Faith and Polygamy Collide

He was also a finalist or received an honorable mention in 2005 and 2007.