Aidan Chambers
Encyclopedia
Aidan Chambers is an award-winning British
writer
of novels for children and young adults.
, County Durham
in 1934, Chambers was an only child, and a poor scholar; considered "slow" by his teachers, he did not learn to read fluently until the age of nine. After two years in the Royal Navy
as part of his National Service
, Chambers trained as a teacher and taught for three years at Westcliff High School
in Southend on Sea before joining an Anglican monastery in Stroud
, Gloucestershire
in 1960. He later used his experience as a monk in his novel Now I Know
.
His first plays, including Johnny Salter (1966), The Car and The Chicken Run (1968), were published while he was a teacher at Archway School
in Stroud
.
Chambers left the monastery in 1967 and a year later became a freelance writer. His works include the "Dance sequence" of six novels: Breaktime, Dance on My Grave
, Now I Know
, The Toll Bridge
, Postcards from No Man's Land
which won the 1999 Carnegie Medal and This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn
. He and his wife, Nancy, founded Thimble Press and the magazine Signal to promote literature for children and young adults. They were awarded the Eleanor Farjeon Award
for outstanding services to children's books in 1982. From 2003 to 2006 he was President of the School Library Association
.
He has also compiled and edited many further children's books, several of them ghost-related.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
of novels for children and young adults.
Life and work
Born near Chester-le-StreetChester-le-Street
Chester-le-Street is a town in County Durham, England. It has a history going back to Roman times when it was called Concangis. The town is located south of Newcastle upon Tyne and west of Sunderland on the River Wear...
, County Durham
County Durham
County Durham is a ceremonial county and unitary district in north east England. The county town is Durham. The largest settlement in the ceremonial county is the town of Darlington...
in 1934, Chambers was an only child, and a poor scholar; considered "slow" by his teachers, he did not learn to read fluently until the age of nine. After two years in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as part of his National Service
National service
National service is a common name for mandatory government service programmes . The term became common British usage during and for some years following the Second World War. Many young people spent one or more years in such programmes...
, Chambers trained as a teacher and taught for three years at Westcliff High School
Westcliff High School for Boys
Westcliff High School for Boys is a selective academy grammar school for boys aged 11 to 18 in Westcliff-on-Sea, near Southend-on-Sea, Essex and surrounding areas. In September 2001 the school was awarded "Beacon" status for its breadth of achievements and quality of work...
in Southend on Sea before joining an Anglican monastery in Stroud
Stroud
Stroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
in 1960. He later used his experience as a monk in his novel Now I Know
Now I Know (novel)
Now I Know is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers, first published in 1987.It is a meditation on faith and religion through three interlinked stories, which are told by means of letters, jottings, flashbacks, poetry and puzzles...
.
His first plays, including Johnny Salter (1966), The Car and The Chicken Run (1968), were published while he was a teacher at Archway School
Archway School
Archway School is a comprehensive co-educational school for pupils aged 11 to 18 in Stroud, Gloucestershire, England. It holds the status of a Specialist Technology College. The headteacher is Mr Colin Belford....
in Stroud
Stroud
Stroud a town and civil parish in the county of Gloucestershire, England.Stroud may also refer to:*Stroud, New South Wales, Australia*Stroud, Ontario, Canada*Stroud , Gloucestershire, UK*Stroud...
.
Chambers left the monastery in 1967 and a year later became a freelance writer. His works include the "Dance sequence" of six novels: Breaktime, Dance on My Grave
Dance on My Grave
Dance on My Grave: a life and a death in four parts, one hundred and seventeen bits, six running reports and two press clippings, with a few jokes, a puzzle or three, some footnotes and a fiasco now and then to help the story along is a 1982 young adult novel by British author Aidan Chambers...
, Now I Know
Now I Know (novel)
Now I Know is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers, first published in 1987.It is a meditation on faith and religion through three interlinked stories, which are told by means of letters, jottings, flashbacks, poetry and puzzles...
, The Toll Bridge
The Toll Bridge
The Toll Bridge is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers.Jan, seventeen-years-old, leaves home to be a toll bridge keeper. He meets Tess and Adam.-Bibliography:...
, Postcards from No Man's Land
Postcards from No Man's Land
Postcards from No Man's Land is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers. The book follows the experiences of 17-year-old Jacob Todd as he visits Amsterdam during the commemmoration of the Battle of Arnhem, in which his grandfather fought....
which won the 1999 Carnegie Medal and This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn
This Is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn
This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers, published in 2005.It is the last work in the "Dance sequence" of six novels, preceded by Breaktime, Dance on My Grave, Now I Know, The Toll Bridge, and Postcards from No Man's Land.-Synopsis:Cordelia Kenn, 19...
. He and his wife, Nancy, founded Thimble Press and the magazine Signal to promote literature for children and young adults. They were awarded the Eleanor Farjeon Award
Eleanor Farjeon Award
The Eleanor Farjeon Award is made for distinguished service to the world of British children’s books and is given to someone whose commitment and contribution is deemed to be outstanding. Founded in 1966, it is presented annually in memory of the celebrated author Eleanor Farjeon...
for outstanding services to children's books in 1982. From 2003 to 2006 he was President of the School Library Association
School Library Association
The School Library Association is an independent organization in the United Kingdom which promotes libraries and literacy in schools. The SLA was founded in 1937 and is based at Wanborough, Wiltshire, near Swindon...
.
Novels for young adults
- Cycle Smash (1967)
- Marle (1968)
- Snake River (1975)
- Breaktime (1978)
- Dance on My GraveDance on My GraveDance on My Grave: a life and a death in four parts, one hundred and seventeen bits, six running reports and two press clippings, with a few jokes, a puzzle or three, some footnotes and a fiasco now and then to help the story along is a 1982 young adult novel by British author Aidan Chambers...
(1982) - Now I KnowNow I Know (novel)Now I Know is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers, first published in 1987.It is a meditation on faith and religion through three interlinked stories, which are told by means of letters, jottings, flashbacks, poetry and puzzles...
(1987) - The Toll BridgeThe Toll BridgeThe Toll Bridge is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers.Jan, seventeen-years-old, leaves home to be a toll bridge keeper. He meets Tess and Adam.-Bibliography:...
(1992) - Postcards from No Man's LandPostcards from No Man's LandPostcards from No Man's Land is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers. The book follows the experiences of 17-year-old Jacob Todd as he visits Amsterdam during the commemmoration of the Battle of Arnhem, in which his grandfather fought....
(1999) - This is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia KennThis Is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia KennThis is All: The Pillow Book of Cordelia Kenn is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers, published in 2005.It is the last work in the "Dance sequence" of six novels, preceded by Breaktime, Dance on My Grave, Now I Know, The Toll Bridge, and Postcards from No Man's Land.-Synopsis:Cordelia Kenn, 19...
(2005)
Novels for children
- Seal Secret (1980)
- The Present Takers (1984).
He has also compiled and edited many further children's books, several of them ghost-related.
Criticism and education
- The Reluctant Reader (1969)
- Introducing Books to Children (1973, 1983)
- Booktalk: occasional writing on literature and children (1985)
- The Reading Environment (1991)
- Tell Me: Children, Reading and Talk (1993)
- Reading Talk (2001)
- Tell Me: Children, Reading and Talk with The Reading Environment (2011)
Awards and honours
- 1979 Children's Literature AssociationChildren's Literature AssociationThe Children's Literature Association is a non-profit scholarly association dedicated to studying children's literature. Begun in the 1970s to generate interest in children's literature as an academic discipline and to provide a place for those studying children's literature to share ideas, the...
Award for Literary Criticism - 1982 Eleanor Farjeon AwardEleanor Farjeon AwardThe Eleanor Farjeon Award is made for distinguished service to the world of British children’s books and is given to someone whose commitment and contribution is deemed to be outstanding. Founded in 1966, it is presented annually in memory of the celebrated author Eleanor Farjeon...
for Outstanding Services to Children's Books (shared with wife Nancy) - 1999 Carnegie MedalCarnegie MedalThe Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
for Postcards from No Man's LandPostcards from No Man's LandPostcards from No Man's Land is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers. The book follows the experiences of 17-year-old Jacob Todd as he visits Amsterdam during the commemmoration of the Battle of Arnhem, in which his grandfather fought.... - 2002 Michael L. Printz AwardMichael L. Printz AwardThe Michael L. Printz Award is an annual award in the United States for a book that exemplifies literary excellence in young adult literature. It is named for a school librarian from Topeka, Kansas, who was a long-time active member of the Young Adult Library Services Association...
for Postcards from No Man's LandPostcards from No Man's LandPostcards from No Man's Land is a young adult novel by Aidan Chambers. The book follows the experiences of 17-year-old Jacob Todd as he visits Amsterdam during the commemmoration of the Battle of Arnhem, in which his grandfather fought.... - 2002 Hans Christian Andersen AwardHans Christian Andersen AwardThe Hans Christian Andersen Award, sometimes known as the "Nobel Prize for children's literature", is an international award given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature"...
in recognition of his distinguished body of writing. - 2003 Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from the University of Umeå
- 2008 Honorary Doctorate of Letters from the University of Gloucestershire
- 2009 Elected Fellow Royal Society of Literature
- 2010 National Association for the Teaching of English (NATE) Award for Lifetime Services to English Education
- 2011 Honorary Doctorate of Literature from Oxford Brookes University
Further reading
- Greenaway, Betty. Aidan Chambers: Master Literary Choreographer. The Scarecrow Press, 2006, ISBN 978-0-8108-5087-3.
- Nancy Chambers (ed) Reading the Novels of Aidan Chambers. Thimble Press, 2009, ISBN 978-0-903355-53-7.