Siobhán Parkinson facts for kids

Siobhán Parkinson (born on November 23, 1954) is an Irish writer. She writes stories for both children and adults. In 2010, she was chosen as the first ever Laureate na nÓg, which is a special honor for a children's writer in Ireland.

Growing Up and Learning

Siobhán Parkinson grew up in two beautiful parts of Ireland: Galway and County Donegal. She went to Trinity College, Dublin, where she studied English Literature and German. Later, she earned a special degree called a PhD by studying the poems of Dylan Thomas.

Her Writing Journey

Siobhán Parkinson has written more than 20 books since 1992. Many of her books have won awards, and they have been translated into different languages so children all over the world can read them. She writes in both Irish and English. She has also translated books from German into English.

She used to work as an editor and publisher at a company called Little Island, which publishes books for young people. She also helped edit magazines about children's literature, like Bookbird and Inis. Siobhán also teaches creative writing to students. She has spent time as a "writer in residence" in different places, including Dublin City and Waterford City. This means she was invited to live and write in these places for a while, often working with local schools and writers.

Becoming Laureate na nÓg

On May 10, 2010, Siobhán Parkinson was given a very special title: the first ever Laureate na nÓg. This honor was given to her by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese. She held this important role until 2012. As Laureate, Siobhán had a big wish: she wanted "every child in the country to have access to a library." She believed libraries could help children find books that would "open their minds."

Books She Has Written

Siobhán Parkinson has written many different kinds of books.

Books for Young Readers

Here are some of the books Siobhán Parkinson has written for children:

• Four Kids, Three Cats, Two Cows, One Witch (Maybe) (1998)
• The Moon King (1999)
• Sisters ... No Way! (1997)
• Breaking the Wishbone (1999)
• The Love Bean (2002)
• Kathleen: The Celtic Knot
• Second Fiddle: How to Tell a Blackbird From a Sausage
• Something Invisible (2007)
• Amelia (1993)
• No Peace for Amelia
• Animals Don't Have Ghosts (2002)
• Cows Are Vegetarians (2001)
• Blue Like Friday
• The Henny Penny Tree (2010)
• Spellbound (2012)
• Kate (2003)
• The Leprechaun Who Wished He Wasn't (1993)
• Dialann Sár-Rúnda Amy Ní Chonchúir
• Call of the Whales (2000)
• Long Story Short (2011)
• Bruised (2011)
• Maitríóisce (2012)
• Heart-Shaped (2013)
• Alexandra (2014)
• Fionnuala (2014)

Other Books

Siobhán Parkinson has also written books for adults and non-fiction:

• All Shining in the Spring: The Story of a Baby Who Died (1995) – This non-fiction book helps children and families deal with the death of a young child.
• The Thirteenth Room (2005) – A novel for adults.
• Painted Ladies (2010) – A novel for adults.
• Gráinne - Gaiscíoch Gael (2019) – A historical novel about Grace O'Malley, a famous Irish pirate queen.

Books She Has Translated

Siobhán Parkinson has translated these books from German into English:

• The Great Rabbit Revenge Plan by Burkhard Spinnen
• Over the Wall by Renate Ahrens

Awards and Special Mentions

Siobhán Parkinson's books have won many awards. She was nominated eleven times for the Irish Bisto Book of the Year award, and she won it once for her book Sisters... No Way! in 1997. She has also received other Bisto awards and honors from international children's literature groups. She recently won an Oireachtas award for her book Dialann Sár-Rúnda Amy Ní Chonchúir.

Her Publishing Work

Siobhán Parkinson is the person who started Little Island. This is a publishing company that focuses on books for children and young adults. Little Island started as a part of another company, but it grew and became its own independent company. Little Island has also won awards, including the Reading Association of Ireland award in 2011 and the British Book Awards Irish Small Press of the Year in 2019.

About Her Life

Siobhán Parkinson has a visual impairment, which means she can't see very well. She uses audiobooks and computers to help her with her writing and work. She lives in Dublin, Ireland, with her husband, Roger Bennett, who is a woodturner. She also has an adult son named Matthew.