Katya Balen author page

Katya Balen biography

Katya Balen is a British author of children’s literature, born in London in 1989. She studied English at both Oxford and Cambridge universities, completing a Master’s thesis on the impact of stories on the behaviour of autistic children. Before becoming a full-time writer, she worked in special schools and social care, and co-founded Mainspring Arts, a charity providing creative opportunities for neurodivergent people.

Balen’s debut novel, The Space We’re In (2019), was highly commended for the Branford Boase Award and longlisted for the Carnegie Medal. Her second novel, October, October (2020), won the Yoto Carnegie Medal in 2022 and was highly commended for the Wainwright Prize for Children’s Writing on Nature and Conservation. The Light in Everything (2022) was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal and won the UKLA Book Award in the 7–10+ category.

She has also written several novellas for Barrington Stoke, including Birdsong (2022), Nightjar (2023), and Little House (2024). Her recent works include Foxlight (2023) and Ghostlines (2024), both published by Bloomsbury. Balen is also the author of The Thames and Tide Club series, with titles such as The Secret City (2023) and Squid Invasion (2024), and has collaborated with illustrator Gill Smith on The Appletree Animal Agency series.

Katya Balen lives in South London with her partner and their dog.