DAVID ALMOND (b. 1951) is a British author of children’s and young adults’ literature. He has won the prestigious biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award and at the 70th anniversary of the British Carnegie Medal, SKELLIG (1998) 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. Almond’s works have been greatly influenced by the works of the English Romantic poet William Blake. They are highly philosophical and thus appeal to children and adults alike. Recurring themes throughout include the complex relationships between apparent opposites (such as life and death, reality and fiction, past and future); forms of education; growing up and adapting to change; the nature of 'the self'.
