Matt Haig facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matt Haig
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Haig at the 2024 Edinburgh International Book Festival
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| Born | 3 July 1975 Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England |
| Occupation |
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| Nationality | British |
| Alma mater | University of Hull |
| Genre | Speculative fiction |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Spouse |
Andrea Semple
(m. 2013) |
| Children | 2 |
Matt Haig is a popular English author and journalist. He writes amazing books for both kids and adults. Many of his stories are in the speculative fiction genre, which means they often involve fantasy, science fiction, or other imaginative ideas.
Contents
Growing Up
Matt Haig was born in Sheffield, England, on July 3, 1975. He spent his childhood in a town called Newark in Nottinghamshire. Later, he studied English and History at the University of Hull.
His Books and Writing
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Matt Haig writes many different kinds of books. He creates both fiction (made-up stories) and non-fiction (true stories or facts) for young people and grown-ups.
One of his famous non-fiction books is Reasons to Stay Alive. This book was a huge success in the UK. It stayed on the bestseller list for many weeks.
Matt Haig has also written popular children's novels. His book A Boy Called Christmas was even made into a movie! It was produced by StudioCanal and Blueprint Pictures.
Stories for Young Readers
Matt Haig's children's books often have exciting fantasy elements. His novel Shadow Forest is a fantasy story that won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize in 2007. He wrote a sequel to it called Runaway Troll in 2008.
Novels for Adults
Many of Haig's adult novels are unique and sometimes a bit dark. They often explore family life in interesting ways.
- The Last Family in England is a retelling of Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, but with dogs as the main characters!
- Dead Fathers Club is based on Hamlet. It tells the story of an 11-year-old boy dealing with his father's ghost.
- The Possession of Mr Cave is about a father who is very protective of his teenage daughter.
In 2011, he published The Radleys, a novel about vampires. In 2013, he released The Humans. This book is about an alien who takes on the identity of a university professor. The alien has to learn about human life while on a special mission.
In 2017, Haig published How to Stop Time. This novel is about a man who looks 40 but has actually lived for over 400 years! He has met famous people like Shakespeare and Captain Cook. This book was also nominated for the Books Are My Bag Readers' Awards in 2017.
In 2020, Matt Haig released The Midnight Library. This novel is about a young woman who gets a chance to explore different versions of her life. She visits a special library between life and death. There, she can read books that show her what her life would be like if she had made different choices. This book was very popular and was even adapted for radio by BBC Radio 4.
His book The Comfort Book was released on July 1, 2021. It offers comforting thoughts and ideas.
His Life Outside of Books
Matt Haig is married to Andrea Semple. They have two children, Lucas (born 2008) and Pearl (born 2009). The family lives in Brighton, Sussex, with their dog. His children were homeschooled.
Matt Haig has openly shared that he experienced a difficult time with his mental health when he was 24 years old. This experience has inspired some of his non-fiction books, like Reasons to Stay Alive. He has also been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism. He sometimes still experiences anxiety.
