Anna Ciddor (born January 1957) is an Australian author and illustrator.
Ciddor is a patron of Oz Kids, an organisation to promote and support children's literary and artistic talents [1] and was an ambassador for Australia Reads 2021-2023. [2] In 2021 she won the Nance Donkin Award for Children's Literature. [3] In 2023 she was the judge for the Boroondara Literary Awards (Young Writers' Prose). [4] In 2024 she is Chair and judge for the ARA Historical Novel Society of Australasia CYA Award [5]
Ciddor was born in January 1957 in Melbourne. [6] She was brought up in a house without television, and had an inventive and creative childhood. [7] She also had a strong interest in mathematics, and after finishing school, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in mathematics from the University of Melbourne and a Diploma of Education from Melbourne State College. [6] Her first career was as a senior school mathematics teacher, and it was only after marrying and having children that she began writing and illustrating. [7]
Her first book accepted for publication was a picture book,Take Me Back, published in 1988. [6] This book took the reader back in time to show how people lived in Australia in the past. [7] [8] For the next few years, Ciddor continued to write and illustrate non-fiction books, concentrating on bringing history to life for children. [8] In 2002 Allen and Unwin published her first historical fantasy, Runestone, book 1 of Viking Magic. This children's novel, and the other Viking Magic books that followed, use historical details and strong storylines. [7] [9]
In 2005 Ciddor was awarded a two-year grant by the Literature Board of the Australia Council. [10]
Ciddor based her fantasy books on global folk, fairy tale, and myth [11] as well as research into historic lifestyle and belief systems. [12] At the Melbourne Writers Festival in 2007 Ciddor appeared on a panel with Sophie Masson and Kate Forsyth discussing the historical truth behind their fantasy novels. [13] In a study of Canadian children's fantasy, author K.V. Johansen included a chapter on Ciddor's Viking Magic books because 'Although not by a Canadian author, the Viking Magic series is noteworthy' and 'does more towards realistic historical fiction than many "time-travel to learn history" novels'. [14]
In 2016 Ciddor changed to historical fiction with the release of The Family with Two Front Doors, published by Allen and Unwin. [15] It won a Notable Book Award from the Children's Book Council of Australia in March 2017. [16] The Family with Two Front Doors is based on interviews with the author's grandmother Nomi Rabinovitch, and tells the story of Nomi's childhood as the daughter of a rabbi in 1920s Lublin, Poland. [12] [17] [18] The writing style is inspired by Little House on the Prairie, presenting vignettes of the everyday life of a family. [12] The book combines historical fact and imagination but no fantasy elements. [17] According to a review by the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English, it is "an informative, gentle read' that "offers insight into how a Jewish household is run". [19] Unlike most books about the Jewish past, this one does not focus on the Holocaust and "there is... no violence and no hatred... but a charming reconstruction of daily routines". [20] Readings Bookstore, winners of the international Bookstore of the Year Award [21] described The Family with Two Front Doors as a modern counterpart to the classic book Little Women. [22] It was published in the US by Kar-Ben, a division of Lerner Books in 2018, [23] and chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection. [24] In 2019 it was translated into Polish as Dwoje drzwi i dziewięcioro dzieci and published in Poland by Mamania .
Ciddor's book, 52 Mondays, published by Allen and Unwin in 2019, is a fictionalised account of Ciddor's own childhood, filled with memories of Melbourne in the 1960s. [25] It was shortlisted for the 2019 REAL Awards, [26] longlisted for the inaugural Book Links Award for Children's Historical Fiction. [27]
In Ciddor's most recent book, A Message Through Time, published by Allen and Unwin in 2023, ‘the relationships between the characters … provides some rich discussion and reflection for readers ... clear themes of gender roles, wealth and privilege, resilience, ingenuity, the issues of slavery and moral compass/conscience as well as rich historical details.' [28] It is a standalone companion to The Boy Who Stepped Through Time, published by Allen and Unwin in 2021. [29] The historical details for both novels were provided by Tamara Lewit who is an archaeologist and historian specialising in Ancient Rome. [30] The Boy Who Stepped Through Time was long listed for the ARA Historical Novel Prize in 2021 [31] and shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards for Best Children's Fiction in 2022. [32]
In 2021 Ciddor won the Nance Donkin award for Children's Literature. [33]
In 2024 Ciddor is Chair and judge for the ARA Historical Novel Society of Australasia CYA Award [5]
Ciddor has written and illustrated over fifty books. [17]
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Anna Ciddor (born January 1957) is an Australian author and illustrator.
Ciddor is a patron of Oz Kids, an organisation to promote and support children's literary and artistic talents [1] and was an ambassador for Australia Reads 2021-2023. [2] In 2021 she won the Nance Donkin Award for Children's Literature. [3] In 2023 she was the judge for the Boroondara Literary Awards (Young Writers' Prose). [4] In 2024 she is Chair and judge for the ARA Historical Novel Society of Australasia CYA Award [5]
Ciddor was born in January 1957 in Melbourne. [6] She was brought up in a house without television, and had an inventive and creative childhood. [7] She also had a strong interest in mathematics, and after finishing school, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in mathematics from the University of Melbourne and a Diploma of Education from Melbourne State College. [6] Her first career was as a senior school mathematics teacher, and it was only after marrying and having children that she began writing and illustrating. [7]
Her first book accepted for publication was a picture book,Take Me Back, published in 1988. [6] This book took the reader back in time to show how people lived in Australia in the past. [7] [8] For the next few years, Ciddor continued to write and illustrate non-fiction books, concentrating on bringing history to life for children. [8] In 2002 Allen and Unwin published her first historical fantasy, Runestone, book 1 of Viking Magic. This children's novel, and the other Viking Magic books that followed, use historical details and strong storylines. [7] [9]
In 2005 Ciddor was awarded a two-year grant by the Literature Board of the Australia Council. [10]
Ciddor based her fantasy books on global folk, fairy tale, and myth [11] as well as research into historic lifestyle and belief systems. [12] At the Melbourne Writers Festival in 2007 Ciddor appeared on a panel with Sophie Masson and Kate Forsyth discussing the historical truth behind their fantasy novels. [13] In a study of Canadian children's fantasy, author K.V. Johansen included a chapter on Ciddor's Viking Magic books because 'Although not by a Canadian author, the Viking Magic series is noteworthy' and 'does more towards realistic historical fiction than many "time-travel to learn history" novels'. [14]
In 2016 Ciddor changed to historical fiction with the release of The Family with Two Front Doors, published by Allen and Unwin. [15] It won a Notable Book Award from the Children's Book Council of Australia in March 2017. [16] The Family with Two Front Doors is based on interviews with the author's grandmother Nomi Rabinovitch, and tells the story of Nomi's childhood as the daughter of a rabbi in 1920s Lublin, Poland. [12] [17] [18] The writing style is inspired by Little House on the Prairie, presenting vignettes of the everyday life of a family. [12] The book combines historical fact and imagination but no fantasy elements. [17] According to a review by the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English, it is "an informative, gentle read' that "offers insight into how a Jewish household is run". [19] Unlike most books about the Jewish past, this one does not focus on the Holocaust and "there is... no violence and no hatred... but a charming reconstruction of daily routines". [20] Readings Bookstore, winners of the international Bookstore of the Year Award [21] described The Family with Two Front Doors as a modern counterpart to the classic book Little Women. [22] It was published in the US by Kar-Ben, a division of Lerner Books in 2018, [23] and chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection. [24] In 2019 it was translated into Polish as Dwoje drzwi i dziewięcioro dzieci and published in Poland by Mamania .
Ciddor's book, 52 Mondays, published by Allen and Unwin in 2019, is a fictionalised account of Ciddor's own childhood, filled with memories of Melbourne in the 1960s. [25] It was shortlisted for the 2019 REAL Awards, [26] longlisted for the inaugural Book Links Award for Children's Historical Fiction. [27]
In Ciddor's most recent book, A Message Through Time, published by Allen and Unwin in 2023, ‘the relationships between the characters … provides some rich discussion and reflection for readers ... clear themes of gender roles, wealth and privilege, resilience, ingenuity, the issues of slavery and moral compass/conscience as well as rich historical details.' [28] It is a standalone companion to The Boy Who Stepped Through Time, published by Allen and Unwin in 2021. [29] The historical details for both novels were provided by Tamara Lewit who is an archaeologist and historian specialising in Ancient Rome. [30] The Boy Who Stepped Through Time was long listed for the ARA Historical Novel Prize in 2021 [31] and shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards for Best Children's Fiction in 2022. [32]
In 2021 Ciddor won the Nance Donkin award for Children's Literature. [33]
In 2024 Ciddor is Chair and judge for the ARA Historical Novel Society of Australasia CYA Award [5]
Ciddor has written and illustrated over fifty books. [17]
{{
cite web}}
: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
link)