Kate Thompson (author)
Encyclopedia
Kate Thompson is an award-winning writer for children and adults. Born in Halifax, Yorkshire
, she has lived in Ireland
, where many of her books are set, since 1981. She is the youngest child of the social historians and peace activists E. P. Thompson
and Dorothy Towers. She worked with horses and travelled in India
before settling in the west of Ireland with her partner Conor. They have two daughters, Cliodhna and Dearbhla. She is an accomplished fiddle
r with an interest in Irish traditional music
, which is reflected in The New Policeman.
While Kate Thompson's children's fiction is primarily fantasy
, several of her books also deal with the consequences of genetic engineering
.
She has won the Bisto Children's Book of the Year Award
four times, for The Beguilers, The Alchemist's Apprentice, Annan Water and The New Policeman. The New Policeman was also awarded the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize
, the Whitbread Children's Book Award
and the Dublin Airport Authority Children's Book of the Year Award
for 2005. Creature of the Night was shortlisted for the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize
and the 2009 Carnegie Medal
.
Halifax, West Yorkshire
Halifax is a minster town, within the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It has an urban area population of 82,056 in the 2001 Census. It is well-known as a centre of England's woollen manufacture from the 15th century onward, originally dealing through the Halifax Piece...
, she has lived in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, where many of her books are set, since 1981. She is the youngest child of the social historians and peace activists E. P. Thompson
E. P. Thompson
Edward Palmer Thompson was a British historian, writer, socialist and peace campaigner. He is probably best known today for his historical work on the British radical movements in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, in particular The Making of the English Working Class...
and Dorothy Towers. She worked with horses and travelled in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
before settling in the west of Ireland with her partner Conor. They have two daughters, Cliodhna and Dearbhla. She is an accomplished fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
r with an interest in Irish traditional music
Music of Ireland
Irish Music is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres on the island of Ireland.The indigenous music of the island is termed Irish traditional music. It has remained vibrant through the 20th, and into the 21st century, despite globalizing cultural forces...
, which is reflected in The New Policeman.
While Kate Thompson's children's fiction is primarily fantasy
Fantasy
Fantasy is a genre of fiction that commonly uses magic and other supernatural phenomena as a primary element of plot, theme, or setting. Many works within the genre take place in imaginary worlds where magic is common...
, several of her books also deal with the consequences of genetic engineering
Genetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
.
She has won the Bisto Children's Book of the Year Award
Bisto Book of the Year Awards
The Bisto Book of the Year Awards are literary awards presented annually in the Republic of Ireland to writers and illustrators of books for children and young people. The Awards are run by Children's Books Ireland and are open to authors and illustrators born or resident in Ireland; books may be...
four times, for The Beguilers, The Alchemist's Apprentice, Annan Water and The New Policeman. The New Policeman was also awarded the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize
Guardian Award
The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize or Guardian Award is a prominent award for works of children's literature by British or Commonwealth authors, published in the United Kingdom during the preceding year. The award has been given annually since 1967, and is decided by a panel of authors and the...
, the Whitbread Children's Book Award
2005 Whitbread Awards
-Children's Book:Winner:*Kate Thompson, The New PolicemanShortlist:*Frank Cottrell Boyce, Framed*Geraldine McCaughrean, The White Darkness*Hilary McKay, Permanent Rose-First Novel:Winner:*Tash Aw, The Harmony Silk FactoryShortlist:...
and the Dublin Airport Authority Children's Book of the Year Award
Irish Book Awards
The Irish Book Awards is an annual Irish literary award given to books and authors in various categories. It is the only literary award supported by all-Irish bookstores. First awarded in 2006, they grew out of the Hughes & Hughes bookstore's Irish Novel of the Year Prize which was inaugurated in...
for 2005. Creature of the Night was shortlisted for the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize
Booktrust Teenage Prize
The Booktrust Teenage Prize is an annual award given to young adult literature published in the UK. The prize is administered by Booktrust, an independent charity which promotes books and reading.-List of Prize Winners:...
and the 2009 Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
.