Mark Haddon facts for kids

Mark Haddon is a famous English writer, born on September 26, 1962. He is most well-known for his book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which came out in 2003. This book helped him win several important awards. These include the Whitbread Award, the Dolly Gray Children's Literature Award, and the Guardian Prize. He also received a Commonwealth Writers' Prize for his amazing work.

Mark Haddon's Life and Writing Journey

In 2003, Mark Haddon won the Whitbread Book of the Year Award. This was for his novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. What's interesting is that he won in the "Novels" category, not "Children's Books." He also won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize for "Best First Book." This was because The Curious Incident was seen as his first book written for adults.

Even though it was an adult book for some awards, it also won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize in 2003. This shows how popular the book was with both adults and young readers. The story was later turned into a successful stage play.

About The Curious Incident

The Curious Incident is told from the point of view of a 15-year-old boy. His name is Christopher John Francis Boone. Mark Haddon once said that this was the first book he wrote for adults. He was surprised when his publisher decided to sell it to both adults and children. The book became very popular with everyone.

Other Works and Achievements

Mark Haddon has written many other stories. His short story "The Pier Falls" was recognized in 2015. In 2024, he published a collection of short stories. These stories were inspired by old myths and are called Dogs and Monsters.

In 2023, he was offered an award called an OBE. However, he chose not to accept it. He explained that he felt uncomfortable accepting an honor that seemed to support the idea of the British Empire without question.

Mark Haddon's Personal Life

Mark Haddon is a vegetarian, meaning he does not eat meat. He also describes himself as an atheist. In 2019, he had heart surgery. Later, he got COVID-19. After recovering, he was diagnosed with long COVID. This caused him to have "brain fog," which made it hard for him to read or write.

In 2024, he shared with The Guardian that he was slowly getting better. He said that while he still couldn't read properly, the fog was starting to clear. Mark Haddon lives in Oxford with his wife, Sos Eltis. They have two sons.

Mark Haddon's Books

Books for Children

• Gilbert's Gobstopper (1987)
• Toni and the Tomato Soup (1988)
• A Narrow Escape for Princess Sharon (1989)
• Agent Z Meets the Masked Crusader (1993)
• Titch Johnson, Almost World Champion (1993)
• Agent Z Goes Wild (1994)
  • At Home
  • At Playgroup
  • In the Garden
  • On Holiday
• Gridzbi Spudvetch! (1992)
• The Real Porky Philips (1994)
• Agent Z and the Penguin from Mars (1995)
• The Sea of Tranquility (1996)
• Secret Agent Handbook
• Agent Z and the Killer Bananas (2001)
• Ocean Star Express (2001)
• The Ice Bear's Cave (2002)
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003)
• Boom! (An improved version of Gridzbi Spudvetch) (2009)

Books for Adults

• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (2003)
• A Spot of Bother (2006)
• The Red House (2012)
• The Pier Falls (2016)
• The Porpoise (2019)
• Social Distance (graphic short story, 2020)
• Dogs and Monsters (2024)

Poetry Collections

• The Talking Horse and the Sad Girl and the Village Under the Sea 2007

Plays

• Polar Bears (2010)

See also

In Spanish: Mark Haddon para niños