Anthony McGowan author page

Anthony McGowan biography

Anthony McGowan is an English author known for his fiction for children and young adults. He grew up in Yorkshire and studied philosophy and politics at the University of Manchester before completing a PhD at the Open University. McGowan worked in various roles, including as a nightclub bouncer and journalist, before turning to writing full-time.

His debut novel for young adults, Hellbent, was published in 2005. McGowan’s second novel, Henry Tumour, won the Booktrust Teenage Prize in 2006. He is the author of The Knife That Killed Me, which was adapted into a film in 2014 and longlisted for the Carnegie Medal. His work for younger readers includes the Donut Diaries series and several titles for Barrington Stoke, such as Brock, Pike, Rook, and Lark.

McGowan’s novella Lark received the CILIP Carnegie Medal in 2020. He has also written adult fiction, non-fiction, and educational resources. In addition to his writing, McGowan has taught creative writing at universities and literary institutions.

His books are frequently recognised for their accessibility and appeal to reluctant readers. The Donut Diaries won the Leicester Our Best Book Award in 2012. In 2020, he was awarded the Carnegie Medal for Lark.

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