Grace Lin is our Author of the Month for May. Here is some information about her.

Grace Lin is the author and illustrator of picture books, early readers and middle grade novels. Grace’s 2010 Newbery Honor book WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON was chosen for Al Roker’s Today Show Kid’s Book Club and was a NY Times Bestseller. LING & TING, Grace’s first early reader, was honored with the Theodor Geisel Honor in 2011. An Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award nominee for the US, most of Grace’s books are about the Asian-American experience because she believes, “Books erase bias, they make the uncommon everyday, and the mundane exotic. A book makes all cultures universal.” See more about Grace and her work at www.gracelin.com.

Quick Fact

Born: 17 May 1974, New Hartford, New York, United States

Occupation: Author, Illustrator

Nationality: American

Education: Rhode Island School of Design

Genre: Children’s literature

Awards:  WHERE THE MOUNTAIN MEETS THE MOON was awarded the 2010 Newbery Honor

 Selected Books

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon

In this Newbery Honor novel a young girl named Minli leaves her impoverished village and embarks on a magical journey to see the mythical Old Man of the Moon to ask him how she can bring her family prosperity.

Starry River of the Sky

Newbery Honor author Grace Lin brings readers another enthralling fantasy featuring her marvelous full-color illustrations. Starry River of the Sky is filled with Chinese folklore, fascinating characters, and exciting new adventures

Grace’s books will be on display in the Junior Library for the whole month. Please check them out and tell us what you think of them in the comments.

Neil Gaiman  is our Author of the Month for March. Here is some information about him

Neil Gaiman is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book. He has won numerous awards, including the Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker awards, as well as the Newbery and Carnegie medals. He is the first author to win both the Newbery and the Carnegie medals for the same work, The Graveyard Book (2008) In 2013, The Ocean at the End of the Lane was voted Book of the Year in the British National Book Awards.

Quick Fact

Born: Neil Richard Gaiman,10 November 1960 (age 53) Portchester, Hampshire, England

Occupation: Novelist, graphic novelist and screenwriter

Nationality: British

Period:1980-present

Genres:Fantasy, horror, science, fiction, dark fantasy

Notable works: Coraline, The Sandman, Neverwhere, American Gods, Stardust, The Graveyard Book, Good Omens, The Ocean at the End of the Lane

Official Website: http://www.neilgaiman.com/

Selected Books

Caroline

There is something strange about Coraline’s new home. It’s not the mist, or the cat that always seems to be watching her, nor the signs of danger that Miss Spink and Miss Forcible, her new neighbours, read in the tea leaves. It’s the other house – the one behind the old door in the drawing room. Another mother and father with black-button eyes and papery skin are waiting for Coraline to join them there. And they want her to stay with them. For ever. She knows that ifshe ventures through that door, she may never come back.

The Graveyard Book

When a baby escapes a murderer intent on killing the entire family, who would have thought it would find safety and security in the local graveyard? Brought up by the resident ghosts, ghouls and spectres, Bod has an eccentric childhood learning about life from the dead. But for Bod there is also the danger of the murderer still looking for him – after all, he is the last remaining member of the family. A stunningly original novel deftly constructed over eight chapters, featuring every second year of Bod’s life, from babyhood to adolescence. Will Bod survive to be a man?

Neil’s books will be on display in the Junior Library for the whole month. Please check them out and tell us what you think of them in the comments.

Carolyn Marsden is our Author of The Month for February and she is coming to visit Shrewsbury during Fully Booked.  Here is some information about her.

Carolyn Marsden is an American children’s book author. Carolyn’s books are set in many different countries such as Thailand, Vietnam, Iraq, Mexico and Italy and often have multicultural and historical themes.  Silk Umbrellas, which is set in the North of Thailand, was shortlisted for Bangkok Book Awards and was a Booklist Top Ten Art Novel of 2003. Carolyn lives in the United States with her Thai husband and their two daughters, Maleeka and Preeya. You can visit her at www.carolynmarsden.com

Students in year 4, 5 and 6 are invited to either write a short book review or draw a new cover for one of Carolyn Marsden’s books, in advance of her visit during Fully Booked Week. Winners will be invited to a special lunch with Ms Marsden.

Carolyn’s books will be on display in the Junior Library for the whole month. Please check them out and tell us what you think of them in the comments.

Quick Facts

Birth Date: 14 August 1950

Place of Birth: Mexico City, Mexico

Occupation: Author

Education: University of Colorado, Boulder (BA in Philosophy), Vermont College, Montpelier (MFA in Writing for Children)

Favorite Things To Do

1. Play with her dogs and cats

2. Hang out with her family

3. Boogie board in the ocean

4. Paint and do collage

5. Dance

6. Read great books

7. Take long walks by the beach

8. Travel to exotic places

9. Go to Deer Park Monastery on Sundays

10. Write!

Dick King-Smith is our Author of the Month for January. Here is some information about him…

Quick Fact

Place and date of birth: Bitten, Gloucestershire; 27 March 1922

Star sign: Aries

Eye colour: Bottom of the duck pond

Hair colour: Grey-white or white-grey

Pets: 8 chickens (named after a famous family of writers called the Brontës)

Hobbies: Washing up, walking, sitting in the garden, reading

Favourite food: Bacon and eggs, fish pie with eggy sauce

Favourite book:Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope

Favourite song:‘Spread a little happiness’ by Sonnie Hale

Favourite film :Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

Bad habits: Snoring

Personal motto: ‘Count your blessing!’

Awards:1991 British Book Awards’ Children’s Author of the Year

                1984 Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize for the Sheep-Pig

Dick King-Smith is one of the most popular authors writing for children today. He is best loved for his charming and funny stories about animals such the Hodgeheg and Sophie’s Snail. Most famous of all is the Sheep-Pig, which was turned in to the Hollywood hit movie Babe. In 2009 he was made OBE for services to children’s literature. Dick King Smith died in 2011 at the age of eighty-eight. Dick King-Smith’s books will be on display in the Junior Library for the whole month. Please check them out and tell us what you think of his books in the comment section.

Selected Books