Siobhan Dowd facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Siobhan Dowd
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Siobhan Dowd at her marriage in March 2001
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| Born | 4 February 1960 London, England |
| Died | 21 August 2007 (aged 47) Oxford, England |
| Language | Eng |
| Education | Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford |
| Genre | children's literature |
| Years active | 2004–2007 |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Carnegie Medal (2009) |
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Siobhan Dowd (born February 4, 1960 – died August 21, 2007) was a British writer and activist. She wrote many books for young people. Her last book, Bog Child, won a special award called the Carnegie Medal in 2009. This award is given to the best book for children or young adults published in the UK.
Contents
Who Was Siobhan Dowd?
Siobhan Dowd was born in London, England. Her parents were from Ireland. She went to a Catholic school in south London. Later, she studied Classics at Oxford University. She also earned a master's degree from Greenwich University.
Working for Writers' Rights
In 1984, Siobhan joined an organization called International PEN. This group helps writers around the world. She worked to protect writers who were in prison. She also helped writers who faced censorship. Censorship is when someone tries to stop you from saying or writing what you want.
Siobhan traveled to countries like Indonesia and Guatemala. She looked into how writers were being treated there. For her work, she was named one of the "top 100 Irish-Americans." This showed how important her efforts were to stop censorship globally.
Helping Kids and Communities
When Siobhan returned to the UK, she helped start a program. This program brought authors into schools in areas where kids might not have many chances to read. It also helped authors visit prisons and community projects.
In 2004, Siobhan worked to make sure children's rights were protected in Oxfordshire. She helped local government follow rules that keep children safe and happy.
Before she passed away, a charity called the Siobhan Dowd Trust was created. This charity uses money from her books to help children who need support with their reading skills.
Siobhan Dowd's Books
Siobhan Dowd also edited several collections of stories. These books featured writers who faced difficulties in their home countries. For example, she edited a book called The Roads of the Roma. This book shared stories by Romani writers.
Her career as a children's author began in 2004. She was asked to write a story for a book about racism. This story was about an Irish traveler. She enjoyed writing for children so much that she decided to write more books for them. She became good friends with other children's authors. They would meet to talk about their stories and ideas.
Popular Novels for Young Readers
Siobhan Dowd wrote several popular novels for young people.
A Swift Pure Cry
Her first novel was A Swift Pure Cry, published in 2006. It is about a teenage girl named Shell who lives in Ireland. This book won several awards, including the Branford Boase Award. It was also considered for the Carnegie Medal.
The London Eye Mystery
The London Eye Mystery was her second novel, published in 2007. This book won many awards too. It was recognized for helping children with special educational needs. It also won the Bisto Book of the Year prize.
Bog Child
Siobhan finished two more novels before she died. Bog Child was published in February 2008. This book won the famous Carnegie Medal.
Siobhan Dowd's Personal Life
Siobhan Dowd was married two times. After her first marriage ended, she moved to New York City. She worked there for seven years. In 1997, she moved back to London to be closer to her family.
In 2000, she met Geoff Morgan, who was a librarian. They got married in Wales in 2001.
In 2004, Siobhan was diagnosed with breast cancer. Even though she was sick, she kept writing many books. In her last year, she became friends with another children's author, Meg Rosoff. Meg had also been diagnosed with breast cancer.
When Did Siobhan Dowd Die?
Siobhan Dowd died on August 21, 2007, at the age of 47. She passed away from breast cancer. She was survived by her husband, Geoff Morgan. She is buried in the graveyard at St Margaret's Church in Binsey, Oxfordshire.
See also
In Spanish: Siobhán Dowd para niños
