Julie Bertagna facts for kids

Julie Bertagna (born 1962) is a Scottish author who writes exciting books. She creates stories about real life and also science fiction adventures. Her books are for children and young adults.

Julie's books have won many awards. Her novel Exodus won the Lancashire County Library Children's Book of the Year Award. Another book, Soundtrack, received a special award from the Scottish Arts Council. This was a very high honor for a Scottish children's writer.

About Julie Bertagna

Julie Bertagna was born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, Scotland. When she was seven years old, her family moved to Glasgow.

She studied English at the University of Glasgow. After college, she worked as an editor for a magazine. Then she became a teacher. Later, she wrote articles for different newspapers and magazines. Her very first book, The Spark Gap, was published when she was 25.

Today, Julie writes books full-time. She lives in Glasgow with her husband, Riccardo, and their young daughter.

What Inspires Her Stories

Julie Bertagna's Scottish background often inspires her writing. Some of her stories are even set in Scotland. For example, she wrote The Spark Gap to include characters like the children she taught in Glasgow.

Big world issues also inspire her. Global warming and climate change are major themes in her novel Exodus. This book won a special "highly commended" award from Friends of the Earth Scotland. The Guardian newspaper called Exodus "a miracle of a novel."

Her book The Opposite of Chocolate explores important challenges young people face while growing up.

Julie Bertagna's Books

Julie Bertagna has written many books. Some are for younger children, and others are for older kids and young adults. Her first book was The Spark Gap. A very popular book is Exodus, and its sequel is Zenith.

Main Books for Young Adults

• The Spark Gap (1996) ISBN: 978-0-330-44104-9
• Exodus (2002) ISBN: 978-0-8027-9826-8
• Zenith (2007) ISBN: 978-0-330-43229-0
• Aurora (2011) ISBN: 978-1-4472-0505-0

Other Fun Books

• The Ice Cream Machine (1998) ISBN: 978-0-330-43746-2
• Soundtrack (1999) ISBN: 978-0-330-43634-2
• Bungee Hero (1999) ISBN: 978-1-902260-23-5
• Dolphin Boy (1999) ISBN: 978-0-7497-3730-6
• Clumsy Clumps and the Baby Moon (1999) ISBN: 978-0-434-80209-8
• "Amphibian City" (1999) (This story is in a collection called Phenomenal Future Stories)
• The Opposite of Chocolate (2003) ISBN: 978-0-330-41345-9
• Ice Cream Machine Totally Fizzbombed (2004) ISBN: 978-0-330-43746-2

Books on Television

In January 2004, a TV show for children was made. It was based on Julie Bertagna's book The Ice Cream Machine. The show was for kids aged six to nine. It was broadcast in both English and Gaelic.