Robert Westall facts for kids

Robert Atkinson Westall (born October 7, 1929 – died April 15, 1993) was an English author and teacher. He is famous for writing books for children and young adults. Some of his stories for older teens dealt with serious and thought-provoking topics. Many people called him "the top British writer of war novels."

His very first book, The Machine Gunners, won the important Carnegie Medal in 1975. This award is given to the best children's book by a British author each year. Later, this book was even named one of the top ten Carnegie Medal winners ever! Robert Westall won a second Carnegie Medal, a Smarties Prize, and the special Guardian Prize.

Robert Westall's Early Life and Work

Robert Westall was born on October 7, 1929, in North Shields, Northumberland, England. He grew up in an area called Tyneside during the Second World War. The wartime setting of Tyneside became a big inspiration for many of his books. He often used his own life experiences in his stories.

He studied Fine Art at Durham University. Later, he studied Sculpture at the Slade School of Art in London in 1957. From 1953 to 1955, Westall served in the British Army. He was a Lance Corporal in the Royal Corps of Signals, which handles military communications.

After his army service, he became a teacher. He taught art and helped students with their career choices at Sir John Deane's Grammar School in Northwich. Robert Westall also volunteered for Samaritans, a charity that helps people in distress. He also wrote articles for newspapers and magazines, sometimes as an art critic.

Becoming a Writer

Robert Westall started writing because he loved telling his son, Christopher, stories. These stories were often about his own experiences during the Second World War.

His first book, The Machine Gunners, came out in 1975. It tells the story of English children during the Second World War. They find a crashed German bomber in the woods, complete with a machine gun! This book was later made into a BBC television show in 1983.

The Machine Gunners takes place in a made-up town called Garmouth. This town is based on Tynemouth, a real place where Westall grew up. He used Garmouth as a setting in other novels too.

Westall won his second Carnegie Medal for The Scarecrows in 1981. It's very rare for an author to win two Carnegie Medals! He wasn't a full-time writer at first. He retired from teaching in 1985 and tried selling antiques before focusing only on writing.

For his book Blitzcat (1989), he won the Nestlé Smarties Book Prize for the 9–11 years age group. In 1994, a group called the American Library Association named Blitzcat one of the best books for young adults from the last 25 years. He also won the special Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for The Kingdom by the Sea (1990). Two of his other books, The Kingdom by the Sea and Gulf (1992), were also highly praised for the Carnegie Medal. Gulf is a story about life at home during the Persian Gulf War.

From 1988 until he passed away, Robert Westall joined a writers' group in Lymm. He enjoyed helping and guiding new writers there.

Remembering Robert Westall

Robert Westall passed away on April 15, 1993. He lived in the village of Lymm. He had a small cottage nearby where he went every day to write his stories.

As a journalist, Westall wrote for several local newspapers and magazines. A special service was held to remember him in September 1993. People who knew him, including former teachers and his book editor, shared their memories. The next year, a blue plaque was placed on his birthplace in North Shields. This plaque is a special sign that marks places where famous people were born or lived. There is also a Westall Walk that visits places from his children's stories.

In 2006, a Japanese animator named Hayao Miyazaki published a story called A Trip to Tynemouth. This story was based on "Blackham's Wimpy," one of Westall's short stories.

Books and Stories on Screen and Radio

Many of Robert Westall's stories have been turned into radio plays and TV shows.

Radio Shows

• Hitch-Hiker (from Break of Dark), BBC Radio 5 (1990)
• The Machine Gunners, BBC Radio 4 (2002)
• The Stones of Muncaster Cathedral, BBC Radio 4 (1996)
• The Wheatstone Pond, BBC Radio 4 (2002)
• Yaxley's Cat, BBC Radio 4

Television Shows

• The Machine Gunners, BBC (1983)
• The Watch House, BBC (1988)

Awards and Special Mentions

Robert Westall received many awards and honors for his writing:

• American Library Association 100 Best Books for Young Adults of the Last 25 years
  • 1994: Blitzcat
• American Library Association Best Fiction for Young Adults
  • 1997: Gulf
• Boston Globe–Horn Book Award runners-up
  • 1977 Honor Book: The Machine Gunners
  • 1982 Honor Book: The Scarecrows
• Carnegie Medal
  • 1975: The Machine Gunners
  • 1981: The Scarecrows
  • 1990 highly commended runner-up: The Kingdom by the Sea
  • 1992 highly commended runner-up: Gulf
  • 1978 commended runner-up: Devil on the Road
• Dracula Society Children of the Night Award
  • 1991: The Stones of Muncaster Cathedral
• Guardian Children's Fiction Prize
  • 1991: The Kingdom by the Sea
• Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, ages category 9–11 years
  • 1989: Blitzcat
• Sheffield Children's Book Award
  • 1991: The Promise