Kenneth Oppel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kenneth Oppel
Oppel (2016 at the Berlin International Literature Festival)
Born	(1967-08-12) August 12, 1967 (age 57) Port Alberni, British Columbia
Occupation	Writer
Nationality	Canadian
Education	Trinity College, Toronto
Period	1985–present
Notable works	Matt Cruse series The Silverwing Saga
Notable awards	Governor General's Literary Award 2004 Airborn The Times Children's Novel 2005 Skybreaker
Spouse	Philippa Sheppard
Children	3

Kenneth Oppel (born August 31, 1967) is a famous Canadian writer. He is best known for his exciting adventure and fantasy books for young readers. His stories often feature amazing creatures, thrilling journeys, and brave characters.

About Kenneth Oppel

Kenneth Oppel was born in Port Alberni, a town in British Columbia. He grew up in different places, including Victoria, British Columbia and Halifax, Nova Scotia. He also lived in other countries like England and Ireland.

When he was just 17 years old, in 1985, Kenneth Oppel wrote his first book. It was called Colin's Fantastic Video Adventure. He sent his story to a family friend who knew the famous author Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl's agent then helped Oppel get his book published!

Oppel later studied cinema and English at Trinity College at the University of Toronto. He wrote another book, The Live-Forever Machine, during his last year there. He continued writing many books, often getting ideas from everyday life.

His most popular books include the Silverwing Saga about bats and the Matt Cruse series, which features adventures on giant airships.

Personal Life

Kenneth Oppel is married to Philippa Sheppard. She is a scholar who teaches about William Shakespeare at the University of Toronto.

Awards and Special Recognition

Kenneth Oppel has won many awards for his books. These awards show how much people love his stories and how important his work is in children's literature.

• 1998: Mr. Christie's Book Award for Silverwing.
• 2002: Red Maple Award for Firewing.
• 2004: Governor General's Award for Children's Literature (Text) for Airborn.
• 2005: Michael L. Printz Award (United States) for Airborn.
• 2005: Red Maple Award for Airborn.
• 2009: Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Young Adults for Starclimber.
• 2010: Red Maple Award for Starclimber.
• 2012: Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Young Adults for This Dark Endeavour.
• 2014: Red Maple Award for The Boundless.
• 2015: Governor General's Award for Children's Literature (Text) for The Nest.
• 2016: Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People. This award celebrates an author's entire collection of books for young readers.
• 2019: Red Maple Award for Inkling.

Timeline of Books

Here is a timeline of some of Kenneth Oppel's books and important events in his writing career:

• 1967: Born on August 31, in Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada.
• 1985: His first book, Colin's Fantastic Video Adventure, is published. He was only 17 years old!
• 1990: The Live-Forever Machine is published. This book tells the story of two friends who find a machine that can make things live forever.
• 1992: Follow That Star is released.
• 1995: Dead Water Zone is published. This is a science fiction story set in a future where water is scarce and dangerous.
• 1997: Silverwing is published. This was the first book in a fantasy series about bats. It became very popular and made him widely known.
• 1999: Sunwing, the second book in the Silverwing series, is released. The bat Shade continues his journey, facing new dangers.
• 2001: Firewing is published. This book follows Shade's son, Griffin, on his own adventure into a mysterious underworld.
• 2004: Airborn is published. This book introduces Matt Cruse, a cabin boy on a giant airship, and Kate de Vries, a young scientist. They get caught up in a thrilling adventure.
• 2005: Skybreaker, the second book in the Airborn series, is released. Matt and Kate go on a new quest to find a legendary airship and its treasure.
• 2007: Darkwing, a prequel to the Silverwing series, is published. This book explores the ancient history of bats.
• 2008: Half Brother is published. This book won the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year for Children Award.
• 2009: Starclimber, the final book in the Airborn trilogy, is published. Matt and Kate join a daring mission to travel into space.
• 2011: This Dark Endeavour is released. This is a prequel to the classic story Frankenstein, telling the story of young Victor Frankenstein.
• 2012: Such Wicked Intent, the sequel to This Dark Endeavour, is published.
• 2013: The Boundless is published. This is a thrilling adventure set on a massive, mile-long train that travels across Canada.
• 2015: The Nest is released. This is a spooky story for young readers about a boy dealing with anxiety and strange visitors.
• 2017: Every Hidden Thing is published. This is a historical adventure story about two rival families of dinosaur hunters.
• 2018: Inkling is released. This is a heartwarming story about a boy whose life changes when a small, inky blob comes to life from his father's sketchbook.
• 2020: Bloom is published, the first book in a new science fiction series called The Overthrow.
• 2021: Hatch, the second book in The Overthrow series, is released.
• 2022: Thrive, the third book in The Overthrow series, is published, finishing the trilogy.
• 2023: Ghostlight is published. This is a spooky mystery set in Toronto about a teenager who hunts ghosts.

Selected Works

See also

In Spanish: Kenneth Oppel para niños