Berlie Doherty author page

Berlie Doherty biography

Berlie Doherty is a British author known for her work in children’s and young adult fiction. She studied English at the University of Durham and later completed a postgraduate certificate in education at the University of Liverpool. Doherty began her writing career with radio plays for the BBC before publishing her first novel, How Green You Are!, in 1982.

Her novel Granny Was a Buffer Girl won the Carnegie Medal in 1986. She received a second Carnegie Medal in 1991 for Dear Nobody, a novel exploring teenage pregnancy. Doherty’s other notable works include Children of Winter (1985), White Peak Farm (1987), Spellhorn (1989), and Street Child (1993), the latter based on the experiences of a Victorian street child and frequently used in UK schools.

Doherty has written over sixty books for children, young adults, and adults, as well as libretti for operas and scripts for radio and television. Her books have been translated into several languages and adapted for stage and screen. She has received numerous awards, including the Writers’ Guild Award and the Phoenix Award from the Children’s Literature Association.

In 2017, Doherty was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Derby in recognition of her contribution to literature. Her novel Street Child remains a set text in many UK primary schools.