Gillian Cross author page

Gillian Cross biography

Gillian Cross is a British author known for her contributions to children’s and young adult literature. She studied at Somerville College, Oxford, and the University of Sussex. Cross began her writing career in the late 1970s, publishing her first book, The Runaway, in 1979.

She is the author of the Demon Headmaster series, which began with The Demon Headmaster in 1982. The series includes several sequels, such as The Prime Minister’s Brain (1985), The Revenge of the Demon Headmaster (1994), and The Demon Headmaster: Mortal Danger (2019). The books were adapted into a BBC television series in the 1990s.

Cross has written numerous standalone novels, including Wolf (1990), which won the Carnegie Medal in 1990. Her novel The Great Elephant Chase (1992) received the Whitbread Children’s Book Award and was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal. Other notable works include Chartbreak (1986), On the Edge (1993), and After Tomorrow (2013).

In addition to the Carnegie Medal and Whitbread Award, Cross has received the Smarties Prize for The Great Elephant Chase. Her books have been translated into several languages and are published by Oxford University Press and other major publishers.

Gillian Cross served as Chair of the Children’s Writers and Illustrators Group of the Society of Authors from 1991 to 1993. She continues to be recognised for her significant impact on children’s literature, with Wolf remaining a set text in schools.