Sylvia Waugh facts for kids

Sylvia Waugh (born 1935) is a British author famous for writing exciting children's books. She has created many popular stories, including the well-loved "Mennyms" series, which readers aged 12-15 really enjoy.

About Sylvia Waugh

Sylvia Waugh was born in a place called Gateshead, in Northern England, in 1935. Before she became a famous writer, she had several interesting jobs! She worked as a teacher, helping students learn new things. She was also a careers advisor, guiding young people on what they might want to do when they grew up. Later, she became a teacher-librarian, which meant she helped students find amazing books to read.

Sylvia Waugh started her writing journey in 1987. Her very first book, called The Mennyms, was published in 1993. This book was a big success and even won a special award called the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize. Because The Mennyms was so popular, Sylvia Waugh wrote four more books to continue the story, making it a series of five books published between 1993 and 1996.

Awards and Recognition

The Mennyms was not only a hit with the Guardian prize, but it also received many other special honors!

• The Birmingham Readers & Writers Children's Book Award: This was a new award chosen by schoolchildren themselves, showing how much young readers loved the book.
• The Silver Kiss (CPNB): In the Netherlands, the book, known as 'Mennyms under Siege', received an official commendation and the prestigious Silver Kiss award.
• Children's Books of Distinction: The American Hungry Mind Review gave The Mennyms a certificate, naming it one of their 'Children's Books of Distinction'.
• Reading Magic Awards: Parenting magazine in America chose The Mennyms as one of the top ten children's books in the USA for 1994. They also said it was one of the ten best books of the decade that "best withstand the test of time."
• Kinderbuchpreis 2000: The entire "Mennyms" series was honored with the Kinderbuchpreis 2000 in Vienna, Austria.

Sylvia Waugh's Books

Sylvia Waugh has written several exciting book series. Her most famous are "The Mennyms" and the "Ormingat trilogy."

The Mennyms Series

This popular series tells the story of a very unique family.

• The Mennyms (1993) – This was her first book and introduced readers to the Mennyms.
• Mennyms in the Wilderness (1994)
• Mennyms Under Siege (1995)
• Mennyms Alone (1996)
• Mennyms Alive (1996)

The Ormingat Trilogy

This series takes readers on an adventure through space.

• Space Race (2000)
• Earthborn (2002)
• Who Goes Home? (2003)