David Almond is the author of Skellig, The Tightrope Walkers, The Dam, The Savage, Bone Music, A Song for Ella Grey and many more novels, plays, stories, picture books and opera librettos. His work has been translated into over 40 languages. He collaborates with artists, musicians, actors, teachers, directors, dancers. His stage works have been directed by directors including Sir Trevor Nunn, Josie Rourke and Max Roberts. He wrote the libretto for the opera of Skellig, composed by Tod Machover and directed by Braham Murray. He has worked with musicians including Kathryn Tickell, The Unthanks and The Pet Shop Boys. His books have been illustrated by Dave McKean, Laura Carlin, Beatrice Alemagna, Levi Pinfold, Oliver Jeffers, David Litchfield and Tom de Freston. He writes and presents radio programmes for BBC Radio 3 and 4. His major awards include The Carnegie Medal, The Nonino International Prize, The James Kruss Prize, The Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and The Hans Christian Andersen Award, the world’s most prestigious prize for children’s authors. He is Professor Emeritus (Creative Writing) at Bath Spa University. He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature. In 2021 he was awarded an OBE for services to literature. He lives on the beautiful North Sea Coast.
“Spell-binding… impossible to resist… breathless, intoxicating prose. Almond’s books seem to exist in their own otherworldly universe, outside all the trends in modern publishing, yet resolutely of the now.” The Glasgow Herald
“David Almond is that rare thing – a writer of lucid, mature elegance, who can still see the world through adolescent eyes.” The Daily Telegraph
“A writer of visionary Blakean intensity.” The Times
“Possessing a rare understanding of human frailties, impulses, desires and fears, the author boldly explores the grey area between reality and imagination, and the need to construct one’s own legends in order to survive.” Publishers’ Weekly
“David Almond’s books are strange, unsettling wild things – unfettered by the normal constraints of children’s literature. They are, like all great literature, beyond classification.” The Guardian