Richard Scrimger facts for kids

Richard Scrimger (born in 1957) is a Canadian writer. He has published many books since 1996. He is best known for his children's books. He has also written three books for adults. Richard Scrimger won the Mr. Christie Award for his book The Nose From Jupiter. Many of his books have been nominated for awards. He is a favorite writer for many kids and grown-ups. Most of his novels have been chosen for readers' choice awards. Libraries and publications like the Young Adult Library Services Association have listed his books as "Best-of" or "Top-ten". His books have been translated into many languages, including Dutch, French, German, and Korean.

Richard Scrimger's Life and Books

Growing Up and School Days

Richard Scrimger was born in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1957. When he was two years old, his family moved to Toronto, Ontario. He went to Edgewood Public School, Deer Park Public School, and North Toronto Collegiate Institute. He says he was "a combination class clown and nerd." This means he was funny and smart! He earned both scholarships and detentions.

In 1979, he graduated from the University of Toronto. He studied History and English. After university, he worked as a waiter. He also traveled in Europe. It was there that he started writing his first novel. He says it was "a stinker," meaning it wasn't very good. It was never published.

Starting a Family and Writing

Richard Scrimger returned to Toronto. He got married and started a family. He worked in restaurants in the evenings. During the day, he looked after his children. In the early 1990s, he noticed the homeless people in downtown Toronto. Their struggles inspired his book Crosstown (1996). This book is both sad and funny. Scrimger often mixes humor with serious topics in his stories.

He attended a writing program at the Humber College School for Writers. There, he wrote a funny story. It was about a stay-at-home dad going shopping with his kids. This story and others were published in The Globe and Mail. Later, they became the book Still Life With Children (1997).

The Nose From Jupiter and Other Adventures

A family friend, Claire Mackay, was a well-known children's writer. She asked Scrimger to write a story for her funny collection, Laughs. He wrote "Introducing Norbert." It was about an alien who lived in a boy's nose. This story later became a full novel, The Nose From Jupiter (1998). This book was a huge success! It led to three more Norbert books: A Nose For Adventure, Noses Are Red, and The Boy From Earth.

His book The Way to Schenectady (1998) is based on childhood road trips. Its sequel, Of Mice and Nutcrackers (2001), is based on Scrimger's own experiences in amateur theater.

Mystical Rose (2000) is a book for adults. It tells the story of a woman's life and prayers.

Picture Books and Unique Characters

Scrimger also wrote the "Bun Bun" stories. These are three picture books illustrated by Gillian Johnson. They are loosely based on his own children's lives.

In From Charlie's Point of View (2005), the main character, Charlie Fairmile, is blind. Scrimger liked the idea of a blind hero. Also, Scrimger himself is very short-sighted. This book started as a short TV script. It took him a year to turn it into a full novel.

When Scrimger was a child, he lived in Scarborough. A creek behind his house became the setting for his 2007 novel, Into the Ravine.

His book, Me & Death: An Afterlife Adventure, came out in April 2010. It is about Jim, a fourteen-year-old boy. He gets into an accident. The story follows his adventure in the afterworld.

Where Richard Scrimger Lives Now

Richard Scrimger lives in Toronto, Ontario. He also teaches at the Humber College School for Writers in Toronto. His children are now adults. They are both his inspiration and the most important part of his life.