Ursula Vernon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ursula Vernon
Vernon in 2017
Born	Ursula Vernon (1977-05-28) May 28, 1977 (age 48) Japan
Nationality	American
Area(s)	Writer, artist, webcomics creator
Pseudonym(s)	T. Kingfisher
Notable works	Digger, Dragonbreath series, Nettle & Bone
Awards	Ursa Major Award, Hugo Award, Nebula Award, Mythopoeic Award, WSFA Small Press Award, Locus Award

Ursula Vernon, born on May 28, 1977, is an American writer, artist, and illustrator. She has won many awards for her creative work. These include the Hugo Award for her graphic novel Digger, and her fantasy books Nettle & Bone and Thornhedge. She also won the Nebula Award for her short story "Jackalope Wives".

Vernon writes books for children, like the Hamster Princess and Dragonbreath series. For older readers, she writes under the name T. Kingfisher. She also writes short stories using both names.

About Ursula Vernon's Career

Ursula Vernon grew up in Oregon and Arizona. She studied anthropology at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota. This is where she first started taking art classes.

How Ursula Vernon Started Writing

Ursula Vernon first became known for her webcomics. She was also a freelance artist, especially famous for her art featuring anthropomorphic animals. These are animals that act like humans.

Later, she began writing and illustrating children's books. Her first children's book was published in 2008. After that, she started writing books for adults. She uses the pen name T. Kingfisher for her adult books. She chose this name so parents who knew her children's books would not get confused. She picked "Kingfisher" because she loves these birds.

Awards and Recognition

Ursula Vernon has published many short stories under both her names. She has won several important awards for them. These include the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award.

She often goes to special meetings called conventions. There, she shows and sells her artwork and books. She has been a special guest at many of these events.

In June 2023, Ursula Vernon shared that she had breast cancer. By December of that year, she announced that her treatment worked well. She was then "cancer-free."

Ursula Vernon's Books

Books for Younger Readers

Ursula Vernon writes and illustrates popular children's book series. These include Dragonbreath and Hamster Princess.

The Dragonbreath Series

• Dragonbreath. (2009).
• Dragonbreath: Attack of the Ninja Frogs. (2010).
• Dragonbreath: Curse of the Were-Weiner. (2010).
• Dragonbreath: Lair of the Bat Monster. (2011).
• Dragonbreath: No Such Thing as Ghosts. (2011).
• Dragonbreath: Revenge of the Horned Bunnies. (2012).
• Dragonbreath: When Fairies Go Bad. (2012).
• Dragonbreath: Nightmare of the Iguana. (2013).
• Dragonbreath: The Case of the Toxic Mutants. (2013).
• Dragonbreath: Knight-napped!. (2015).
• Dragonbreath: The Frozen Menace. (2016).

The Hamster Princess Series

• Hamster Princess: Harriet the Invincible. (2015).
• Hamster Princess: Of Mice and Magic. (2016).
• Hamster Princess: Ratpunzel. (2016).
• Hamster Princess: Giant Trouble. (2017).
• Hamster Princess: Whiskerella. (2018).
• Hamster Princess: Little Red Rodent Hood. (2018).

Other Children's Books

• Nurk: The Strange Surprising Adventures Of A (Somewhat) Brave Shrew. (2008).
• Castle Hangnail. (2015).

Books for Older Readers

Ursula Vernon also writes books for older audiences. Some are under her own name, and many are under her pen name, T. Kingfisher.

Books as Ursula Vernon

• It Made Sense at the Time: Selected Sketches. (2004).
• Black Dogs Part 1: The House of Diamond. (2007).
• Black Dogs Part 2: The Mountain of Iron. (2011).

Temple of the White Rat Books (as T. Kingfisher)

These books are set in a world Ursula Vernon calls "the Temple of the White Rat world."

• Clockwork Boys. (2017). (Clocktaur War #1)
• The Wonder Engine. (2018). (Clocktaur War #2)
• Swordheart. (2018).
• Paladin's Grace. (2020). (The Saint of Steel #1)
• Paladin's Strength. (2021). (The Saint of Steel #2)
• Paladin's Hope. (2021). (The Saint of Steel #3)
• Paladin's Faith. (2023). (The Saint of Steel #4)

The Sworn Soldier Books (as T. Kingfisher)

• What Moves The Dead. (2022).
• What Feasts at Night. (2024).

Other Books for Older Readers (as T. Kingfisher)

• Nine Goblins. (2013).
• The Seventh Bride. (2014).
• Bryony & Roses. (2015).
• The Raven & The Reindeer. (2016).
• Summer in Orcus. (2016).
• The Halcyon Fairy Book. (2017).
• Minor Mage. (2019).
• The Twisted Ones. (2019).
• A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. (2020).
• The Hollow Places. (2020).
• Nettle & Bone. (2022).
• Illuminations. (2022).
• A House with Good Bones. (2023).
• Thornhedge. (2023).
• A Sorceress Comes to Call. (2024).

Webcomics by Ursula Vernon

Ursula Vernon is the creator of the webcomic Digger. This fantasy story is about an anthropomorphic wombat. It won a Hugo Award. Digger was also published as six paperback books between 2005 and 2011. A complete collection, Digger: The Complete Omnibus Edition, came out in 2013.

She also wrote and illustrated the webcomic Irrational Fears. She created the short stories "Little Creature" and "Little Creature and the Redcap."

Ursula Vernon's Art and Illustrations

Before she became a published children's book author, Ursula Vernon was mainly a freelance artist and illustrator. She still creates new art regularly. She makes digital art and uses traditional methods like watercolour and acrylics. Much of her recent work uses mixed media, which means combining different art materials. Many of her artworks are available as prints.

Ursula Vernon has also done art for businesses. This includes creating book covers and art for games. For example, the game Black Sheep by Reiner Knizia uses her art on its playing cards.

Her artwork called The Biting Pear of Salamanca became very popular online. It turned into an internet meme known as the "LOL WUT pear." Because it was so popular, it was even made into a resin figurine. She has also designed labels for tea and soap products.

Awards and Nominations

Ursula Vernon has won many awards for her writing and art. Here are some of them:

Ursula Vernon has also received other honors:

• For her webcomic Digger, she was nominated for an Eisner Award in 2006. She won the "Outstanding Black and White Art" award from the Web Cartoonists' Choice Awards in 2005. Digger was also nominated for "Outstanding Anthropomorphic Comic."