David Almond FRSL is a British author who has written several novels for children or young adults from 1998, each one to critical acclaim. He is one of thirty children's writers, and one of three from the U.K., to win the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award, "the world's most prestigious prize in children's literature". For the 70th anniversary of the British Carnegie Medal in 2007, his debut novel Skellig was named one of the top ten Medal-winning works, selected by a panel to compose the ballot for a public election of the all-time favourite. It ranked third in the public vote from that shortlist. 

May 15th, 1951 in Newcastle upon Tyne (Age 73)