Julie Bertagna facts for kids

Julie Bertagna (born 1962) is a talented Scottish author. She writes exciting novels for children and young adults. Her stories are often about real life or science fiction. Many of her books have been nominated for important awards. One of these is the famous Carnegie Medal.

Her novel Exodus won the Lancashire County Library Children's Book of the Year Award. Another book, Soundtrack, received a Scottish Arts Council Award. 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 Language and Literature at the University of Glasgow. After college, she worked as an editor for a small magazine. Later, she became a teacher. She also worked as a freelance journalist, writing for different publications. Her first book, The Spark Gap, was published when she was 25.

Today, Julie Bertagna writes books full-time. She lives in the West End of Glasgow. She shares her home with her husband, Riccardo, and their young daughter.

What Inspires Her Stories?

Julie Bertagna's Scottish background often influences 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.

Her work is also inspired by big global issues. Global warming and climate change are major themes in her novel Exodus. This book received a special "highly commended" award. It was like a second prize at the first Eco Prize. This award was given by Friends of the Earth Scotland. The Guardian newspaper called Exodus "a miracle of a novel." It was also nominated for the Whitbread Award.

Her Books

Julie Bertagna has written many books. Some are for younger children, and others are for young adults. Her very first book was The Spark Gap. Her most recent book is Zenith. This book is a sequel, meaning it continues the story of Exodus. Both Zenith and Exodus are written for young adults.

Major Works

• The Spark Gap (1996) ISBN: 978-0-330-44104-9 (publisher: MacMillan Children's Books)
• Exodus (2002) ISBN: 978-0-8027-9826-8
• Zenith (2007) ISBN: 978-0-330-43229-0
• Aurora (2011) ISBN: 978-1-4472-0505-0 (publisher: Pan Macmillan)

Other Works

• The Ice Cream Machine (Macmillan Children's, 1998) ISBN: 978-0-330-43746-2
• Soundtrack (Pan Macmillan, 1999) ISBN: 978-0-330-43634-2
• Bungee Hero (Barrington Stoke, 1999) ISBN: 978-1-902260-23-5
• Dolphin Boy (Mammoth, 1999) ISBN: 978-0-7497-3730-6
• Clumsy Clumps and the Baby Moon (Egmont Books, limited, 1999) ISBN: 978-0-434-80209-8
• '"Amphibian City" (1999) (In Phenomenal Future Stories, edited by Tony Bradman)
• The Opposite of Chocolate (Young Picador, 2003) ISBN: 978-0-330-41345-9
• Ice Cream Machine Totally Fizzbombed (Macmillan Children's, 2004) ISBN: 978-0-330-43746-2

Television Series

In January 2004, a television series for children was made. It was based on Julie Bertagna's book The Ice Cream Machine. The show was created by Five, SMG, and the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee. It was made for kids aged six to nine. The series was broadcast in both English and Gaelic.