Steve Voake facts for kids

Steve Voake is a very successful English author who writes exciting books for children. His stories are popular all over the world! He grew up in Midsomer Norton, a town in Somerset, England.

Before becoming a full-time writer, Steve Voake was a primary school teacher. In 2003, when he was a head teacher in Kilmersdon, his first book, The Dreamwalker's Child, caused a lot of excitement. Publishers and even film companies were very keen on it! He signed a deal with Faber and Faber, which meant he could leave teaching to focus on writing. Even though his first book wasn't made into a movie, he has published many more since then.

Steve Voake has written over twenty books. Famous book critics, like Amanda Craig, often praise his work. His books are frequently recommended in The Times newspaper as top choices for young readers. One of his novels was even suggested by the School Library Association as a great book for boys. He also helped create a book called Higher Ground Project with other children's authors to help people learn about the Boxing Day Tsunami.

Early Life and Education

Steve Voake spent his childhood in Midsomer Norton. After finishing school, he had an interesting job selling ice creams in the south of France for a while. He then went to the University of Liverpool to study Philosophy. Later, he trained to become a teacher at the University of Exeter.

Writing Career

Steve Voake worked as a head teacher at Kilmersdon Primary School for eight years. During this time, he was also busy writing his first children's book, The Dreamwalker's Child. In October 2003, the BBC reported that he was being called "the next JK Rowling" because his book was getting so much attention. Big film companies like DreamWorks Pictures, Warner Brothers, Fox Broadcasting Company, and Miramax all wanted to read his story.

In 2003, Steve Voake signed a deal with Faber and Faber for his book in the UK. The book was published in 2005 in the UK and in many other countries, including Italy, Germany, and Japan. Later, a company in the US also bought the rights to publish it there.

In 2007, he worked with his cousin, Charlotte Voake, who is also a well-known author. Together, they wrote a book called Insect Detective.

Today, Steve Voake also teaches writing to young people as a Senior Lecturer at Bath Spa University. He is also a Royal Literary Fellow at the University of Exeter, helping students with their writing.

Books by Steve Voake

Steve Voake has written many exciting books for young readers. Here are some of his novels:

• The Dreamwalker's Child (2005)
• The Web of Fire (2006)
• The Starlight Conspiracy (2007)
• Daisy Dawson (2007)
• Daisy Dawson and the Secret Pond (2008)
• Daisy Dawson and the Big Freeze (2009)
• Insect Detective (2009)
• Blood Hunters (2009)
• Fightback (2010)
• Hooey Higgins and the Shark (2010)
• Hooey Higgins and the Tremendous Trousers (2010)
• Hooey Higgins and the Big Boat Race (2011)
• "Dark Woods" (2011)
• "Daisy Dawson at the Seaside" (2011)
• "Daisy Dawson on the Farm" (2012)
• "Hooey Higgins Goes for Gold" (2012)
• "Hooey Higgins and the Big Day Out" (2012)
• "Hooey Higgins and the Awards of Awesomeness" (2013)
• "Hooey Higgins and the Storm" (2014)
• "Hooey Higgins and the Christmas Crash" (2014)
• "Maxwell Mutt and the Downtown Dogs" (2016)
• "Maxwell Mutt and the Squirrel without a Story" (2017)
• "Maxwell Mutt and the Biscuit & Bone Club" (2019)

Awards and Recognitions

Many of Steve Voake's books have been recognized with awards and nominations:

• The Dreamwalker's Child was nominated for the Stockton Children's Book of the Year Award and the Concorde Book Award.
• The Starlight Conspiracy was also nominated for the Concorde Book Award.
• Blood Hunters was chosen for the National 'Booked Up' Scheme in 2009 and was nominated for several other book awards.
• The School Library Association listed The Web of Fire as one of their "Top books for boys."
• Fightback won the Bolton Book Award.
• "Hooey Higgins and the Shark" was named an Outstanding International Book by the United States Board of Books for Young People in 2013.
• "Insect Detective" won the Best Illustrated Children's Non Fiction Book award from the English Association in 2009.

Personal Life

Steve Voake lives with his family in Westbury-sub-Mendip, a village in Somerset.

Media and Festivals

Because of his popular books, Steve Voake has been featured in many newspapers, both in the UK and other countries. His work has been reviewed by major newspapers like The Times, The Guardian, and The Independent. He has also been interviewed on TV, including the CBBC programme Newsround, and on BBC radio.

Steve Voake often attends literary festivals, where he talks about his books and meets his readers. He has been invited to speak at many famous festivals, including those in Cheltenham, Edinburgh, and Bath, Somerset.