Swapna Haddow author page

Swapna Haddow biography

Swapna Haddow (born 1982) is a British children’s author known for her humorous and engaging storytelling across various genres, including picture books, early readers, and middle-grade fiction. Her work often features animal protagonists and explores themes of friendship, resilience, and cultural identity.

Born in London, Haddow earned a BSc (Hons) in Medical Sciences before transitioning to a writing career. Her debut book, Dave Pigeon: How to Deal with Bad Cats and Keep (Most of) Your Feathers, illustrated by Sheena Dempsey, was published in 2016 by Faber & Faber. The Dave Pigeon series has received multiple accolades, including the North Somerset Teachers’ Book Award and the Surrey Libraries Children’s Book Award, and has been shortlisted for the Sainsbury’s Children’s Book Awards and the Laugh Out Loud Book Awards.

Haddow’s other notable works include the Bad Panda series, also illustrated by Dempsey, which was selected for BookTrust’s Bookbuzz Reading Programme in 2022. She writes the Ballet Bunnies and Reggie Rabbit series under the pseudonym Swapna Reddy. Her picture books, such as My Dad is a Grizzly Bear and My Mum is a Lioness, illustrated by Dapo Adeola, have been well-received for their warmth and humour.

In 2021, Haddow published Torn Apart: The Partition of India, 1947, a middle-grade historical fiction book that provides a child’s perspective on the Partition. The book was named Runner-Up in the New Zealand Society of Authors’ Heritage Book Awards in 2022.

Haddow has contributed to several anthologies, including Return to Wonderland and One Snowy Night. She was an official World Book Day author in 2023 and has participated in various literary festivals and school events.

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