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Authors and editors of non-fiction books for children

John Townsend

John Townsend is a children’s writer of over 100 books, many of which are non-fiction covering diverse subjects (history, geography, science, medicine, crime, natural history). A particular specialism is writing/editing books for reluctant readers, designed to ‘switch on the switched-off’.

John visits schools, libraries and prisons (often not much difference!) to encourage interest in books and to get the world reading. The Literacy Trust includes him among their ‘Author Reading Champions’. Having taught in both primary and secondary schools (including running a special needs department in a comprehensive school), he has experience of all ages, abilities and most curriculum subjects (including drama & writing/producing the dreaded school plays!) With many of his books being published in the USA/Australia, he is used to working with U.S. editors.

Author visits feature NO SNORING IN THE LIBRARY, about lively books for lively minds, culminating with I Don’t Want to ALARM You But… as a noisy and extra ALARMING finale.

Other writing:

Ø Editor/writer for many years of the popular Spirals Plays (Nelson Thornes)

Ø Writer of over 20 children’s fiction books, including for Barrington Stoke (Children’s Publisher of the Year 2007) DEADLINE is included among the Education Secretary’s ‘Top 160 Books for Teenage Boys’.

Ø Playwright – having written for professional touring theatre

Ø Storyteller/poet as a ‘writer in residence’ in a primary school tree house

Ø Leader of courses on writing for children and speaker at writers’ national conferences

Contact: john.towns@lineone.net

Author Champions: www.literacytrust.org.uk/campaign/authorchampions.html

Agent: Janice Swanson of Curtis Brown, Haymarket House, 28-29 Haymarket, London SW1Y 4SP

Age group preferences:

	7 to 11
	11 to 14

Some recent books by John Townsend:

	RAINTREE (Freestyle) 2004 OUT THERE? Mysterious Monsters One of 8 in a series on world mysteries, including Urban Myths.
	Hodder Murray 2006 You Won’t Believe This But… all these stories are true! From fish, frogs and maggots raining down from the sky, to people coming back to life. Part of the Hodder Reading Project Level 2-3.
	Fusion (Harcourt) 2006 Ø Would You Survive? Ø Rotters! Ø Earthquakes and Volcanoes National curriculum science with high-interest level – the series was short-listed for the 2006 ERA awards.
	Raintree (Freestyle) 2005 True Crime: SPIES A series of 10 books covering many aspects of the crime scene today and in the past.
	Series for Raintree 2005 A Painful History of Medicine Titles: Pills, Powders & Potions, Scalpels, Stitches and Scars, Pox, Pus and Plague, Bedpans, Blood & Bandages
	Series for Harcourt 2006 A Weird History of Science An offbeat look at strange and crazy events in chemistry, biology, physics and technology through the ages.
	Series for Harcourt 2006 When Disaster Struck The Asian Tsunami The Exxon Valdez
	Series of 8 titles (Raintree Freestyle) Incredible Creatures (2004) Key Stage 3 Science
	Raintree (Freestyle) 2006 A Painful History of Childhood Freaky Fashion and Foul Food Also: Nasty Bugs and Ghastly Medicine, Weary Work and Lousy Leisure, Scary Schools and Horrid Homework, Fiendish Crimes and Punishing Times, Dreary Dwellings and Frightful Families
	New Spirals Non-Fiction (Nelson Thornes) TRAPPED UNDERGROUND: 2004 Various titles written in this series, including a Teachers’ Resources CD