Marcus Sedgwick facts for kids

Marcus Sedgwick (born April 8, 1968 – died November 15, 2022) was a British writer, illustrator, and musician. He wrote many books for young adults and children. Some of his well-known novels include Floodland (2001) and The Dark Horse (2002). His book Midwinterblood won the Michael L. Printz Award in 2014. This is a very important award for young adult books in the United States.

Early Life and Inspirations

Marcus Sedgwick was born on April 8, 1968, in Preston, a small village in East Kent, England. He had one brother, Julian, and a half-sister, Ellie. When he was a child, he was quite shy. He remembered being bullied at his all-boys school.

His mother once worked at the Centre for Alternative Technology in Wales. This area was the setting for Susan Cooper's fantasy books, The Dark Rising. Sedgwick said these books greatly influenced him. He was also inspired by Mervyn Peake’s Gormenghast series, which his father introduced him to.

He studied mathematics and politics at Bath University. His father passed away when Marcus was 20 years old.

Writing Career and Achievements

Before becoming a full-time writer, Sedgwick worked in bookstores. He also worked in sales for children's book publishers. He started writing seriously in 1994.

His first book, Floodland, was published in 2000. It won the Branford-Boase award for the best first children's novel that year. Floodland tells the story of Zoe. She lives alone on an island that used to be part of England. The sea levels rose due to global warming.

His book Dark Horse (2001) was nominated for several awards. My Swordhand is Singing (2006) won a Booktrust award. In 2013, he released Dark Satanic Mills. This was a graphic novel he wrote with his brother Julian. John Higgins illustrated it.

His 2015 book, The Ghosts of Heaven, was for young adults. It had four parts that were loosely connected.

Marcus Sedgwick won many awards for his writing. He notably won the Michael L. Printz Award three times. He won for Revolver in 2011, The Ghosts of Heaven in 2014, and Midwinter Blood in 2016. At the time of his death, he was the most nominated author for this important young adult book prize. Besides writing, Sedgwick also worked on film and book projects with his brother Julian.

From 2011 to 2014, Sedgwick taught creative writing. He was a writer in residence at Bath Spa University. He also wrote reviews for The Guardian newspaper.

Personal Life and Later Years

Besides drawing and writing, Marcus Sedgwick loved music. He played the drums. Some of his favorite writers included Susan Cooper, Thomas Mann, and Arthur Schnitzler.

Sedgwick had one daughter from his first marriage.

In 2014, Sedgwick was diagnosed with Chronic fatigue syndrome. This condition is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis. After his diagnosis, he moved to the French Alps. Later, he moved to Dordogne, France. His last book was a nonfiction work for adults. It was called All In Your Head: What Happens When Your Doctor Doesn’t Believe You?. Marcus Sedgwick passed away in France on November 15, 2022, at the age of 54.

See also

In Spanish: Marcus Sedgwick para niños