Ivan Jones (author) facts for kids
Ivan Jones is a British writer who creates many different kinds of stories. He writes novels, picture books, plays, and poems. He has also adapted many stories for BBC Radio. Ivan Jones was born in Shropshire, England. He went to Adams Grammar School and later studied at Birmingham University and the University of Nottingham.
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Exciting Novels and Picture Books
Ivan Jones is probably best known for his exciting series, The Ghost Hunter. These books were published by Scholastic and also available on Kindle.
The Ghost Hunter TV Series
The Ghost Hunter books were so popular that they were turned into three TV series for BBC Television. Each series had six episodes. The first series came out in 2000, followed by the second in 2001, and the third in 2002. You can still watch them in the UK and other countries!
Some of the main characters in the TV show included Mrs. Croker, played by Jean Marsh. Roddy Oliver was played by Will Theakston. The ghost boy, William Povey, was played by Lee Godwin, and Roddy's sister was played by Verity-Jane Dearsley.
More Ghost Hunter Adventures
Two of the Ghost Hunter books, The Ghost Hunter and The Ghost Hunter at Chillwood Castle, are also available as audiobooks and in large print. The first Ghost Hunter book has even been published in Japanese! The third book in the series was The Ghost Hunter's House of Horror.
Wonderful Picture Books
Ivan Jones also writes lovely picture books. These include The Golden Cage (published by Andersen Press) and The Lazy Giant (published by Oxford University Press). These stories are like classic fairy tales and often teach a good lesson. The Golden Cage is illustrated by Ken Brown and has also been published in France and Sweden.
Zany Zot the Dog Stories
His best-selling stories are about a funny and energetic character called Zot the Dog. These books are published by Puffin Books. The first book, Adventures of Zot the Dog, was chosen as one of the best books of the year!
Other Zot the Dog books include Zot's Treasures, Zot Solves It, and Zot Goes Camping. These books are illustrated by Judy Brown. The Zot stories were even made into a 13-part animated cartoon series for ITV! They were also performed as a puppet show by the Cannon Hill Puppet Theatre, which toured schools.
Another notable book by Ivan Jones is The Battle for Muck Farm. This book is a magical fantasy about a girl named Kitty and her special horse friend, Humpy Lumpy.
Exciting Plays
Early in his career, Ivan Jones wrote a weekly comedy show for BBC Radio called Lost Hollow. This show was about a village cut off from the outside world, full of funny and unusual characters. The series ran for 60 episodes!
Powerful Stage Plays
Ivan Jones also wrote a play called Shelter. This play explores important themes like homelessness and imagination. It features strong characters and looks at young love, anger, and how people escape from difficult situations. The main character's love for James Bond is a fun part of the play, showing how fictional heroes can influence our minds.
His stage play Winterblock's Ghost was performed at Leicester Haymarket. This play uses dark humor and unusual characters. It takes place in an office where people struggle for power, and a ghost is looking for revenge!
Amazing Poems
Besides his other writing, Ivan Jones has published many poems for both adults and children. One very successful collection is Good Night, Sleep Tight, published by Scholastic. This book has a poem for every single night of the year – that's 365 poems! Each month in the book is illustrated by a different, well-known artist.
Many of Ivan Jones's poems were written especially for BBC schools' radio. These include poems about Kochi in India, such as "The Chinese Fishermen at Kochi," "Water City," and "Monsoon Storm." Some of these poems were read on the radio by the famous poet Michael Rosen.
Other poems he wrote for radio include "The Magpie," "Birds Arrive," and many about "the sea." You can also find his poems in collections like I Love You, Football, I Wanna Be Your Mate, and Spooky Poems.
Book Adaptations
Ivan Jones has adapted many children's books for BBC Radio 4 and Radio 7. This means he rewrote them to be performed as radio plays. Some of the books he adapted include:
- The Machine Gunners by Robert Westall
- Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko
- The Pig Scrolls by Paul Shipton
- Wolf Brother by Michelle Paver
- The Fantastical Adventures of the Invisible Boy by Lloyd Alexander
- Chinese Cinderella by Adeline Yen Mah
- The Girl with the Broken Wing by Heather Dyer
- The Daydreamer by Ian McEwan
- Stunt Girl by Jonny Zucker
- The War Diaries of Alistair Fury by Jamie Rix
- Avril Crump by Angela Woolfe
- Smile by Geraldine McCaughrean
- Notes from a Liar and her Dog by Gennifer Choldenko
- Vinegar Street by Philip Ridley
Personal Life
Ivan Jones is married to another author, Mal Lewis Jones. His eldest daughter, Lara Jones, was also a talented illustrator and writer. She created the very popular Poppy Cat books. Poppy Cat is now a television series in the UK and America.
