William Bell (author) facts for kids

William Edwin Bell (born October 27, 1945 – died July 30, 2016) was a Canadian writer. He was famous for his books for young adults, often called young adult fiction. William Bell was born in Toronto, Ontario, and later lived in Orillia, Ontario.

William Bell's Early Life and School

William Bell was born in Toronto on October 27, 1945. His parents were William B. and Irene Bell. He went to New Toronto Secondary School. This school later gave him ideas for his novel Crabbe.

He loved learning! In 1969, he earned a Master of Arts degree in literature from the University of Toronto. Later, in 1984, he got another degree, a Master of Education. This degree was about how to teach and manage schools.

He married Susan Arnup and they had three children: Dylan, Megan, and Brendan. Before he passed away, he lived with his second wife, Ting-Xing Ye, who is also a writer. William Bell died in Orillia on July 30, 2016, when he was 70 years old.

William Bell's Career

Teaching Adventures

William Bell was a teacher in many different places. He taught high school in Simcoe County. He was even the head of the English department at Orillia District Collegiate & Vocational Institute.

In the early 1980s, he taught English in China. He worked at the Harbin University of Science and Technology and the Foreign Affairs College. He also worked at the University of British Columbia. William Bell often visited schools to talk about creative writing.

Becoming a Writer

William Bell was inspired to become a writer after hearing a speech by John Metcalf. Metcalf was an author whose short stories Bell really liked.

Bell said he enjoyed writing for young people. He believed they were "the best audience." He felt that young readers were very loyal to the writers they enjoyed. They were also very excited about reading!

Many of Bell's books are set in places he knew well. Three of his books, Five Days of the Ghost, Stones, and Fanatics, are set near his home in Orillia, Ontario. He also wrote books set in Barrie (Death Wind, The Cripples' Club), Toronto (Julian), and Fergus (Zack).

William Bell's books are popular all over the world. They have been translated into many languages. These include Chinese, French, German, Spanish, Polish, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian, Danish, Dutch, and Japanese.

Awards and Honors

William Bell won many awards for his amazing books. Here are some of the honors he received:

List of Books by William Bell

• Crabbe - 1986
• Metal Head - 1987
• The Cripples' Club - 1988 (later called Absolutely Invincible in 1993)
• Death Wind - 1989
• Five Days of the Ghost - 1989
• Forbidden City - 1990
• No Signature - 1992
• Speak to the Earth - 1994
• The Golden Disk - 1995 (a picture book)
• River My Friend - 1996 (a picture book)
• Zack - 1998
• Stones - 2001
• Alma - 2003
• Throwaway Daughter – 2003 (written with his wife Ting-Xing Ye)
• Just Some Stuff I Wrote - 2005
• The Blue Helmet - 2006
• Only in the Movies - 2010
• Fanatics - 2011
• Julian - 2014