Author Spotlight: Hilary McKay

Hilary McKay studied Botany and Zoology at St Andrews University in Scotland. After graduation, she worked as a biochemist. And she liked the work. But, she badly wanted to write a children's book. And so, after the birth of her two children, Ms McKay became a full-time mom...and a writer.

But Hilary McKay didn't stop at writing just one book. To date, she has written over 50 series and stand-alone books for children and young people, via various publishers. She has won several awards for her work, including:

• the 1992 Guardian Children's Fiction Prize, for her first novel, The Exiles
• the 1994 Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (Gold Award), for The Exiles at Home
• the 2002 Whitbread Children's Book of the Year Award for Saffy's Angel 

Born June 12, 1959, in Boston, Lincolnshire, England, Ms McKay grew up in a household of readers. She was the eldest of four girls, a reader from a very young age, and a frequent library visitor. Now, she lives in the small village of Derbyshire, England with her family. She loves "walking, reading, and having friends over to visit."


Sources:
Lulu and the Dog from the Sea book jacket flap
Hilary McKay official site: Biography page
Hilary McKay - Wikipedia page
Writers: Hilary McKay, British Council Literature
Hilary McKay biography - BookBrowse.com
Birthday Bios: Hilary McKay - Children's Literature network
Mrs. Hilary McKay - Debrett's
Hilary McKay - Children's Author - LoveReading4Kids