Sophie Masson facts for kids

Sophie Masson AM is a talented French-Australian author. She is well-known for writing exciting fantasy stories and books for children.

Sophie Masson's Early Life

Sophie Masson was born in Indonesia on May 18, 1959. Her parents were French, and they had a mix of backgrounds, including French, Basque, Spanish, and Portuguese. Sophie was one of seven children in her family.

When she was five years old, Sophie moved to Australia. For most of her childhood, she traveled back and forth between Australia and France. This experience likely gave her many ideas for her stories!

Becoming a Writer

Sophie Masson started her writing journey in 1990. That year, she published her first two books in Australia. One was for adults, called The House in the Rainforest. The other was for children, titled Fire in the Sky.

Since then, Sophie has written over forty books! She writes for children, young adults, and adults. Her books are popular all over the world. You can find them published in countries like the UK, United States, France, Germany, China, and many more.

Many of Sophie's novels are in the fantasy genre, which means they often feature magic, mythical creatures, and imaginary worlds. However, she also writes other types of stories. These include realistic fiction, which is about everyday life, and even some mystery and romance books.

Awards and Special Recognition

Sophie Masson has received several awards for her amazing writing. These awards show how much her books are loved and respected.

• In 2011, she won the Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature. She received this award for her book The Hunt for Ned Kelly.
• In 2005, her book The Hand of Glory won the Aurealis Award in the Young Adult category. This award celebrates excellent speculative fiction, like fantasy and science fiction.
• In 2019, Sophie was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This is a very special honor given for "significant service to literature as an author and publisher." It also recognized her work with organizations that support writers.
• She has also won other Aurealis Awards for her great fantasy and science fiction stories.