Kate Thompson (author) facts for kids

Kate Thompson is a talented British-Irish writer. She is most famous for her exciting children's novels. Many of her stories are fantasy adventures. Some of her books also explore ideas about genetic engineering, which is about changing living things.

About Kate Thompson

Her Early Life and Interests

Katharine Anna Thompson was born on November 10, 1956, in Halifax, England. She was the youngest child of E. P. Thompson and Dorothy Towers. Her parents were historians who also worked for peace.

Since 1981, Kate Thompson has lived in Ireland. Many of her books are set in this beautiful country. Before settling down, she worked with horses and traveled in India. In 1984, she made her home in Inagh, in the west of Ireland. She lives there with her partner, Conor Minogue. They have two daughters, Cliodhna and Dearbhla.

Kate Thompson is also a skilled fiddle player. She loves Irish traditional music. This passion for music can be seen in her book The New Policeman.

Awards and Recognition

Kate Thompson has won many important awards for her books. Her novel The New Policeman, published in 2005, won two major prizes. These were the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize and the Whitbread Children's Book Award. This book is set in modern Kinvara and the magical Irish land of Tír na nÓg. The New Policeman also won the Dublin Airport Authority Children's Book of the Year Award in 2005.

She has won the Bisto Children's Book of the Year Award four times. She received this award for The Beguilers, The Alchemist's Apprentice, Annan Water, and The New Policeman. Her book Creature of the Night was also recognized. It was shortlisted for the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize and the 2009 Carnegie Medal.

Her Books for Young Readers

Kate Thompson has written many popular books for children and young adults.

The Switchers Trilogy

This series tells exciting stories about characters who can change into different animals.

• Switchers (1997)
• Midnight's Choice (1998)
• Wild Blood (1999)

The Missing Link Series

This trilogy explores themes of human origins and what it means to be human.

• The Missing Link (2000)
• Only Human (2001)
• Origins (2002)

The New Policeman Series

This series combines modern life with ancient Irish myths.

• The New Policeman (2005)
• The Last of the High Kings (2007)
• The White Horse Trick (2010)

Other Exciting Novels

Kate Thompson has also written several other standalone books.

• The Beguilers (2001)
• The Alchemist's Apprentice (2002)
• Annan Water (2004)
• The Fourth Horseman (2006)
• Creature of the Night (2008)
• Wanted! (2010)