Elizabeth Laird author page

Elizabeth Laird biography

Elizabeth Laird (born 21 October 1943) is a British author renowned for her extensive contributions to children’s and young adult literature. Her works often explore themes of displacement, resilience, and cultural identity, drawing upon her rich experiences living and working across the globe.

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, to Scottish parents, Laird moved to London in 1945. At eighteen, she embarked on her first teaching post in Malaysia, igniting a lifelong passion for travel and storytelling. She later studied French and German at the University of Bristol and furthered her education at the University of Edinburgh. Her teaching career took her to Ethiopia, where she taught English and developed a deep connection with the country’s people and culture.

Laird’s literary career encompasses over 150 books, including novels, picture books, and folk tale collections. Her debut novel, Red Sky in the Morning (1988), was inspired by her family’s experiences and was highly commended for the Carnegie Medal. Subsequent works such as Kiss the Dust (1991), Jake’s Tower (2001), and The Garbage King (2003) have been recognised for their poignant exploration of young people’s lives amidst challenging circumstances.

Her novel A Little Piece of Ground (2003), co-authored with Sonia Nimr, offers a perspective on the Palestinian experience and has been both acclaimed and discussed for its portrayal of conflict. Laird’s commitment to cultural storytelling is further exemplified by her establishment of the Ethiopian Story Collecting Project in 1996, which gathered over 300 traditional tales from various regions, later published in bilingual editions to support literacy in Ethiopian schools.

In addition to her fiction, Laird has compiled and retold numerous folk tales from countries including Ethiopia, Iran, Iraq, and Somalia, aiming to preserve and share diverse narratives with young readers. Her dedication to authentic storytelling has earned her multiple awards, including the Children’s Book Award for Kiss the Dust and the Scottish Arts Council Children’s Book of the Year Award for The Garbage King. She has been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal six times.

Elizabeth Laird continues to write and engage with readers worldwide. She resides in the United Kingdom, dividing her time between London and Edinburgh, and remains an influential figure in contemporary children’s literature.

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Book lists featuring Elizabeth Laird