Janet McNaughton facts for kids

Janet McNaughton (born November 29, 1953) is a Canadian writer. She is known for her books for young people. She often writes exciting stories set in the past. One of her famous books is An Earthly Knight, which came out in 2003.

About Janet McNaughton's Life

Janet McNaughton was born in Toronto, Ontario. She lived there for 26 years. In 1979, she moved to St. John's, which is in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Janet started writing at a young age. She was only fifteen when she began her first book. It was a historical novel, meaning it was a story set in the past. She wrote it for young readers like you! Even though she didn't finish that first book, it helped her discover something important. She realized she loved learning about how people lived and thought long ago.

This interest led her to study folklore at university. Folklore is the study of traditional stories, customs, and beliefs of a community. She even earned a special degree called a Ph.D. in Folklore. This deep knowledge of history and traditions helps her write amazing stories.

Her novel An Earthly Knight was inspired by old songs called ballads. These ballads were Tam Lin and Lady Isabel and the Elf Knight. She used these ancient tales to create a new and exciting story.

Awards and Recognition

Janet McNaughton has won many awards for her books. These awards show how much people appreciate her writing.

• She received the Violet Downey National Chapter of the IODE Book Award. This award is for the best Canadian English Language Children's Book.
• She also won the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children's Literature in Atlantic Canada.
• Another award she received is the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People.
• Her book The Secret Under My Skin won the Mr. Christie's Book Award.
• In 1998, she was also considered for a Governor General's Literary Award. This is a very important award in Canada.