Hazel Atkinson author page

Hazel Atkinson biography

Hazel Atkinson is a British children’s non-fiction author with a background in History and Classics. Her writing draws on folklore and classical mythology, and her work has been placed in competitions including the V. S. Pritchett Memorial Prize and the H. G. Wells Short Story Competition.

Her first children’s book, The Extraordinary History of Witches, was published by DK in 2025 and illustrated by Camelia Pham. Written for children, it explores the history of witchcraft across different cultures and periods, including historical witch trials, folklore, magical traditions and modern beliefs. Professor Diane Purkiss, Professor of English Literature at the University of Oxford, served as consultant on the book.

Atkinson continued the series with The Extraordinary History of the Fae: Fairies, Spirits, and Other Magical Beings, again illustrated by Camelia Pham and produced with Diane Purkiss as consultant. The book explores traditions surrounding fairies and other supernatural beings from around the world, including figures from folklore such as Morgan le Fay and Maria Makiling.

The Extraordinary History of the Fae was published by DK in September 2026.