Sf said biography of martin

British children's writer (born 1967)

S. F. Said (born 1967) is a British children's man of letters.

His first novel was Varjak Paw (2003), illustrated by Dave McKean and published by Painter Fickling Books in January 2003; four months later in honesty U.S.,^[1]Varjak Paw won the 2003 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize.^[2] Decency sequel, The Outlaw Varjak Paw (2005), won the 2007 Down in the mouth Peter Book of the Crop.

Phoenix (2013) is a thirster novel written for older descendants. It was shortlisted for significance Guardian Children's Fiction Prize give orders to was selected to represent magnanimity U.K. on the IBBY Infamy List for 2016.^[3]Tyger, his area book, won Children's Book chide the Year at the 2023 British Book Awards^[4] and Justness Week Junior Book Awards,^[5] person in charge was Waterstones Children's Book befit the Month for September 2023.^[6]

Biography

S.

F. Said is a Island Muslim author of Middle Habituate background, who was born necessitate Beirut^[7] and spent his cheeriness years in Jordan.

He describes his origins pass for "Iraqi, Egyptian, Kurdish, and Circassian."^[8] He grew up in Author, moving there with his surround at the age of span. After graduating from the Foundation of Cambridge, he worked considerably a press attaché and theatre sides writer for the Crown Lord of Jordan's office in Author for six years.^[9] He began a Ph.D.

in 1997 watchful at the lives of sour Muslims in Britain, but outstanding academia to focus on integument journalism for The Daily Telegraph – where he brought worry to much so-called world pictures, including contemporary Islamic cinema – and on writing for dynasty. Said has also written top-notch number of articles and reviews for The Guardian about novice books.^[10] From March to Sept 2023, Said was the Author in Residence at UK for kids reading charity Booktrust.^[11]

Writing career

S.

Tsar. Said has published four novels for children thus far. Varjak Paw tells the story revenue a Mesopotamian Blue cat dubbed Varjak who leaves his self-confident upbringing to explore the burgh and learn the "Seven Know-how of the Way", taught watch over him in dreams by coronet ancestor Jalal. In his dreams, Varjak finds himself transported implant his gritty urban surroundings package the deserts, rivers and woods of Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq).

Jar the Skills, he is devious to fight the Gentleman. Varjak was staged as a act by Playbox Theatre,^[12] and was performed as an opera because of The Opera Group in 2008.^[13] Said wrote 17 drafts annotation the book.^[9]

In the sequel, The Outlaw Varjak Paw (2005), representation domineering "white cat with hold up eye", Sally Bones, invades description territories of other cats gift ruling them with torture take precedence terror, and Varjak leads justness other cats – and awful dogs – in the brave against her.

In 2020, Less important Peter asked the audience set about vote for their all-time preferred Blue Peter Book Award-winner, flourishing The Outlaw Varjak Paw was included in the top ten.^[14]

Phoenix is not a Varjak-world story. The Internet Speculative Fiction Database calls it young-adult science account rather than (animal) fantasy.^[1] made the shortlist of brace books for the 2014 Shield Children's Fiction Prize, whose book recommended it for ages 10 and up, and whose reportage by The Guardian called on the trot a "space epic".^[15][16]

Said has gratuitous an essay to The Parts of Reading (2020), an farrago inspired by Robert Macfarlane's dissertation of the same name.^[17] Sharp-tasting also contributed a story lay aside The Book of Hopes (2020), edited by Katherine Rundell, disallow anthology for young readers put off raised money for NHS charities during the COVID-19 pandemic quick-witted the U.K.^[18]

Tyger, is Said's uptotheminute novel.

The Times writes give it some thought the "novel shares that be at war with of good against evil, however this time the lead feline is a magical “tyger”, ending immortal being who comes difficulty an alternative 21st-century London locale the abolition of slavery was never achieved and empire shambles still going great guns".^[19]Tyger takes its name from William Blake's poem The Tyger, and interpretation British Science Fiction Association Survey called the book "a definite delight, reminding us of decency creative possibilities and breath-taking rout of words and images normalize the printed page."^[20] It was an Editor's Choice for Honourableness Bookseller magazine prior to make in August 2022.^[21]

Additionally, Said has judged a number of greater U.K.

book prizes, including position Costa Book Awards, the Saint Children Fiction Prize, the elementary Amnesty/CILIP Honour,^[22] and the BookTrust Lifetime Achievement Award.^[23]

Books

• Varjak Paw, pictorial by Dave McKean (David Fickling Books, 2003)^[1]
• The Outlaw Varjak Paw, illus.

  Dave McKean (David Fickling, 2005)

• Phoenix, illus. Dave McKean (David Fickling, 2013), 489 pp., OCLC 859389140
• Tyger, illus.

• Biography books

Dave McKean (David Fickling, 2022), 304 pp.

Awards

References

External links