Elle McNicoll | |
---|---|
Born | Elle McNicoll 5 October 1992 Edinburgh, Scotland |
Occupation | Children's Author, screenwriter |
Language | English |
Nationality | Scottish |
Alma mater | University College London |
Years active | 2020-present |
Notable works |
A Kind of Spark Show Us Who You Are |
Notable awards | 2021
Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2021 Blue Peter Book Award |
Elle McNicoll (born 5 October 1992) is a Scottish and British bestselling children's writer. McNicoll has been described as "undoubtedly" an outstanding new talent in children's books [who] will inspire readers young and old for generations to come". [1]
McNicoll's debut novel, A Kind of Spark (2020) follows the efforts of an autistic [2] eleven-year-old girl, Addie, to establish a memorial to the witch trials in her Scottish hometown. McNicoll is autistic herself. [3] The book was children's book of the week in The Times and The Sunday Times, [4] [5] and won both the Overall and Younger Fiction prizes at the 2021 Waterstones Children's Book Prize. [6] It also won the Blue Peter Book Award for Best Story, voted for by children. [7] McNicoll was also nominated for the Branford Boase Award [8] and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. McNicoll's debut was also named Overall Book of the Year by Blackwell's , beating titles in the Adult Market. [9]
Her second novel, Show Us Who You Are, was published in March, 2021, and was Children's Book of the Week in The Times. [10] It was also the Children's Book of the Month, as chosen by Blackwell's. [11] It was nominated for Best Children's Fiction in the 2021 Books Are My Bag Awards, and McNicoll was also nominated for Best Breakthrough Author. [12]
Her third novel Like A Charm was published in February 2022 by Knights Of and was also Children's Book of the Week in The Times, [13] as well as being reviewed as 'Another fiercely gripping, superbly original story' by The Guardian. [14] In 2022 McNicoll also wrote a story as part of the crime anthology The Very Merry Murder Club [15] edited by Serena Patel and Robin Stevens.
McNicoll was awarded an honour by the Schneider Family Book Award in 2022 for the US edition of A Kind of Spark.
A Kind of Spark was optioned for a CBBC television series, with McNicoll acting as co-head writer on the programme. [16] It premiered on BBC iPlayer in the UK on 31 March 2023. [17]
McNicoll's debut novel was listed as number 75 in The 100 Greatest Children's Books of All Time [18]
McNicoll also wrote and recorded an essay for BBC Radio 3's The Essay. [19] The subject was Nora Ephron, a heroine of McNicoll's.
She currently lives in London.[ citation needed]
McNicoll has been an outspoken advocate for better representations of neurodiversity in publishing. [20] She has been credited with kickstarting a revolution in publishers' attitudes to neurodiverse characters. [21] In 2022, McNicoll established The Adrien Prize, a prize for traditionally published children's books with a disabled lead character. [22] The longlist for The Adrien Prize 2022 was announced on twitter and included: The Night the Moon Went Out by Samantha Baines, The Secret of Haven Point by Lisette Auton, A Flash of Fireflies by Aisha Bushby, Wilder Than Midnight by Cerrie Burnell, The Great Fox Illusion by Justyn Edwards and The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks by Emily Kenny. [23]
Elle McNicoll | |
---|---|
Born | Elle McNicoll 5 October 1992 Edinburgh, Scotland |
Occupation | Children's Author, screenwriter |
Language | English |
Nationality | Scottish |
Alma mater | University College London |
Years active | 2020-present |
Notable works |
A Kind of Spark Show Us Who You Are |
Notable awards | 2021
Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2021 Blue Peter Book Award |
Elle McNicoll (born 5 October 1992) is a Scottish and British bestselling children's writer. McNicoll has been described as "undoubtedly" an outstanding new talent in children's books [who] will inspire readers young and old for generations to come". [1]
McNicoll's debut novel, A Kind of Spark (2020) follows the efforts of an autistic [2] eleven-year-old girl, Addie, to establish a memorial to the witch trials in her Scottish hometown. McNicoll is autistic herself. [3] The book was children's book of the week in The Times and The Sunday Times, [4] [5] and won both the Overall and Younger Fiction prizes at the 2021 Waterstones Children's Book Prize. [6] It also won the Blue Peter Book Award for Best Story, voted for by children. [7] McNicoll was also nominated for the Branford Boase Award [8] and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. McNicoll's debut was also named Overall Book of the Year by Blackwell's , beating titles in the Adult Market. [9]
Her second novel, Show Us Who You Are, was published in March, 2021, and was Children's Book of the Week in The Times. [10] It was also the Children's Book of the Month, as chosen by Blackwell's. [11] It was nominated for Best Children's Fiction in the 2021 Books Are My Bag Awards, and McNicoll was also nominated for Best Breakthrough Author. [12]
Her third novel Like A Charm was published in February 2022 by Knights Of and was also Children's Book of the Week in The Times, [13] as well as being reviewed as 'Another fiercely gripping, superbly original story' by The Guardian. [14] In 2022 McNicoll also wrote a story as part of the crime anthology The Very Merry Murder Club [15] edited by Serena Patel and Robin Stevens.
McNicoll was awarded an honour by the Schneider Family Book Award in 2022 for the US edition of A Kind of Spark.
A Kind of Spark was optioned for a CBBC television series, with McNicoll acting as co-head writer on the programme. [16] It premiered on BBC iPlayer in the UK on 31 March 2023. [17]
McNicoll's debut novel was listed as number 75 in The 100 Greatest Children's Books of All Time [18]
McNicoll also wrote and recorded an essay for BBC Radio 3's The Essay. [19] The subject was Nora Ephron, a heroine of McNicoll's.
She currently lives in London.[ citation needed]
McNicoll has been an outspoken advocate for better representations of neurodiversity in publishing. [20] She has been credited with kickstarting a revolution in publishers' attitudes to neurodiverse characters. [21] In 2022, McNicoll established The Adrien Prize, a prize for traditionally published children's books with a disabled lead character. [22] The longlist for The Adrien Prize 2022 was announced on twitter and included: The Night the Moon Went Out by Samantha Baines, The Secret of Haven Point by Lisette Auton, A Flash of Fireflies by Aisha Bushby, Wilder Than Midnight by Cerrie Burnell, The Great Fox Illusion by Justyn Edwards and The Extraordinary Adventures of Alice Tonks by Emily Kenny. [23]