Malorie Blackman 1700624 219714904 2008-06-16T15:26:45Z Necrothesp 64853 OBE {{Infobox Writer <!-- for more information see [[:Template:Infobox Writer/doc]] --> | name = Malorie Blackman | image = maloriesmall.jpg | imagesize = 100px | birthdate = February [[1962]] | birthplace = [[London]], [[United Kingdom]] | occupation = [[Author]] | genre = [[Children's literature]], [[science fiction]] and [[Horror fiction|horror]] | nationality = [[United Kingdom|British]] | movement = | website = http://www.malorieblackman.co.uk/ }} '''Malorie Blackman''', [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] (born February [[1962]]) is an award-winning [[United Kingdom|British]] [[author]] of [[literature]] and [[television]] drama for children and young adults. She has used [[science fiction]] to explore social and ethical issues. Her critically and popularly acclaimed ''[[Noughts & Crosses series]]'' uses the setting of a fictional [[dystopia]] to explore [[racism]]. ==Biography== [[Image:Noughts_and_Crosses_by_Malorie_Blackman.jpg|thumb|180px|right|The cover of the 2002 paperback of ''Noughts & Crosses'']] <!-- FAIR USE of Image:Noughts_and_Crosses_by_Malorie_Blackman.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Noughts_and_Crosses_by_Malorie_Blackman.jpg for rationale --> Malorie Blackman was born in February [[1962]] in [[London]].<ref name="Penguin authors">{{cite web | last = Blackman | first = Malorie | title = Malorie Blackman | work = Penguin UK Authors | publisher = Penguin Books Ltd. | date = 1995–2007 | url = http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,0_1000003969,00.html | accessdate = 2007-03-23 }}</ref> While at [[grammar school]], in [[Peckham]], she wanted to be an English teacher but grew up to become a [[System programming|systems programmer]] instead.<ref name="Craig interview">{{cite web | last = Craig | first = Amanda | authorlink = Amanda Craig | title = Malorie Blackman: the world in photographic negative | work = [[The Times]] | publisher = Times Newspapers Limited | date = 2004-01 | url = http://www.amandacraig.com/pages/journalism/interviews/malorie_blackman.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-27 }}</ref><ref name="Penguin authors" /> She earned a [[Higher National Certificate|HNC]] at [[Thames Polytechnic]] and is a graduate of the [[National Film and Television School]].<ref name="Penguin authors" /><ref>{{cite web | title = Malorie Blackman | work = 40 artists, 40 days | publisher = [[Tate|Tate Online]] | date = 2006 | url = http://www.tate.org.uk/40artists40days/malorie_blackman.html | accessdate = 2007-03-28 }}</ref> Blackman married her [[Scottish people|Scottish]] husband Neil in the 1990s and their daughter Elizabeth was born in 1995.<ref name="Craig interview"/> Blackman has described herself, "I'm just Malorie Blackman – a black woman writer."<ref name="Penguin authors" /> Blackman's first book, ''Not So Stupid'', was a collection of [[Horror fiction|horror]] and [[science fiction]] stories for [[young adults]], published in November [[1990 in literature|1990]].<ref name="British Library catalogue">{{cite web | title = Full Record | work = [[British Library]] Integrated Catalogue | publisher = The British Library Board | url = http://catalogue.bl.uk | accessdate = 2007-03-28 }}</ref> Since then she has written more than fifty children's books, including [[novel]]s and [[short story]] collections, and also television [[screenplays|scripts]] and a [[theatre|stage play]].<ref name="British Library catalogue" /><ref name="multiple awards (first)">{{cite web | title = Malorie Blackman | work = Contemporary Writers | publisher = [[British Council]] | date = 2007 | url = http://www.contemporarywriters.com/authors/?p=auth519D6BC107d6922CB1VoU30CEDE6 | accessdate = 2007-03-23 }}</ref> Her work has won more than fifteen awards.<ref name="multiple awards (first)" /><ref name="multiple awards (second)">{{cite web | title = Awards and Prizes | work = Kids at Random House | publisher = Random House Children's Books | url = http://www.randomhouse.co.uk/childrens/grownups/prizes/prizes.htm | accessdate = 2007-03-23 }}</ref> Blackman's television scripts include episodes of the long-running, children's drama ''[[Byker Grove]]'', as well as television adaptations of her novels ''Whizziwig'' and ''Pig-Heart Boy''.<ref name="multiple awards (first)" /> Her books have been translated into over fifteen languages including [[Spanish language|Spanish]], [[Welsh language|Welsh]], [[German language|German]], [[Japanese language|Japanese]], [[Chinese language|Chinese]] and [[French language|French]]. Blackman's award-winning ''[[Noughts & Crosses series]]'', exploring love, [[racism]], and [[violence]], is set in a fictional [[Utopian and dystopian fiction|dystopia]]. Explaining her choice of title, in a 2007 interview for the [[BBC]]'s ''Blast'' website, Blackman said [[Tic-tac-toe|noughts and crosses]] is "...one of those games that nobody ever plays after [[childhood]], because nobody ever wins..."<ref name="BBC Blast interview">{{cite web | title = Malorie Blackman - Children and Young People's Writer | work = Blast | publisher = [[BBC]] | url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/blast/about/ask/mblackman_transcript.shtml | accessdate = 2007-03-23 }}</ref> In an interview for ''[[The Times]]'', Blackman said that before writing ''Noughts & Crosses'' her [[protagonist]]s' [[Ethnic group|ethnicites]] were never central to the plots of her books.<ref name="Craig interview"/> She has also said, "I wanted to show black children just getting on with their lives, having adventures, and solving their dilemmas, like the characters in all the books I read as a child."<ref name="Penguin authors" /> Blackman eventually decided to address racism directly.<ref name="Craig interview"/><ref name="BBC Blast interview" /> She reused some details from her own experience, including an occasion when she needed a [[Adhesive bandage|plaster]] and found they were designed to be inconspicuous only on white people's skin.<ref name="Craig interview"/> ''The Times'' interviewer [[Amanda Craig]] speculated about why the ''Noughts & Crosses'' series was not, for a long time, published in the [[United States]]: "though there was considerable interest, 9/11 killed off the possibility of publishing any book describing what might drive someone to become a terrorist."<ref name="Craig interview"/> Noughts and Crosses is now available in the US published under the title Black & White (Simon & Schuster Publishers, 2005) ''Noughts & Crosses'' was #61 on the [[Big Read]] list, a 2003 BBC survey to find "The Nation's Best-Loved Book", with more votes than ''[[A Tale of Two Cities]]'', several [[Terry Pratchett]] novels, and ''[[Lord of the Flies]]''. She was appointed [[Officer of the Order of the British Empire]] (OBE) in the 2008 Birthday Honours.<ref>{{LondonGazette |issue=58729 |date=[[14 June]] [[2008]] |startpage=9 |supp=yes |notarchive=yes}}</ref> ==Works== ===Published works=== [[Image:An Eye for an Eye by Malorie Blackman.jpg|thumb|180px|right|The cover of the 2003, first edition, paperback of ''An Eye for an Eye'']] <!-- FAIR USE of Image:An_Eye _for_an_Eye_by_Malorie_Blackman.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:An_Eye_for_an_Eye_by_Malorie_Blackman.jpg for rationale --> ====Novels for young adults==== * ''Not So Stupid!: Incredible Short Stories'', The Women's Press, 1990, ISBN-10: 0704349248 * ''Trust Me'', Livewire, 1992, ISBN-10: 0704349310 * ''Words Last Forever'', Mammoth, 1998, ISBN-10: 074972983X * The [[Noughts & Crosses series]] **''Noughts & Crosses'',<ref>Also published as ''Black & White'', Simon Pulse, 2007, ISBN-10: 1416900179</ref> Doubleday, 2001, ISBN-10: 0385600089 **''An Eye for an Eye'',<ref>Also published in ''Noughts & Crosses'', Corgi Children's, 2006, ISBN-10: 0552555703</ref> Corgi Children's, 2003, ISBN-10: 0552549258 **''Knife Edge'', Doubleday, 2004, ISBN-10: 0385605277 **''Checkmate'', Doubleday, 2005, ISBN-10: 0385607733 * ''The Stuff of Nightmares'', Doubleday, 2007, ISBN-10: 0385610432 * ''Unheard Voices: An Anthology of Stories and Poems to Commemorate the Bicentenary Anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade'', editor Malorie Blackman, Corgi Children's, 2007, ISBN-10: 0552556009 ====Short stories for young adults==== * "Humming Through My Fingers" in the multi-author collection ''Shining on: A Collection of Stories in Aid of the Teen Cancer Trust'', Picadilly Press, 2006, ISBN-10: 185340893X * Short story in the multi-author collection ''The Crew and Other Teen Fiction'', Heinemann Library, ISBN-10: 0431018758 ====Novels for children==== * ''Hacker'', Doubleday, 1992, ISBN-10: 0385402783 * ''Operation Gadgetman!'', Doubleday, 1993, ISBN-10: 0385403372 * ''Jack Sweettooth the 73rd'', Viking Children's Books, 1995, ISBN-10: 0670855391 * ''The Space Stowaway'', Ginn, 1995, ISBN-10: 060226393X * ''Whizziwig'' (illustrated by Stephen Lee), Viking Children's Books, 1995, ISBN-10: 067085705X * ''Thief!'', Doubleday, 1996, ISBN-10: 0552528080 * ''A.N.T.I.D.O.T.E'', Doubleday, 1997, ISBN-10: 0552528390 * ''Pig-Heart Boy'', Doubleday, 1997, ISBN-10: 0385406819 * ''Animal Avengers'' (illustrated by Bill Greenhead and Stik), Mammoth, 1999, ISBN-10: 0749735570 * ''Dangerous Reality'', Doubleday, 1999, ISBN-10: 0385406800 * ''Don't Be Afraid'' <ref>Originally published 1997</ref> (illustrated by Bob Harvey), Ginn, 1999, ISBN-10 0602275490 * ''Forbidden Game'', Puffin Books, 1999, ISBN-10: 0141303212 * ''Hostage'' <ref>Also published as ''4u2read.ok Hostage'', Barrington Stoke, 2002, ISBN-10: 184299056X, and as a "Close Look, Quick Look" photocopiable version for teachers, Barrington Stoke, 2004, ISBN-10: 1842992368</ref> (illustrated by Derek Brazell), Barrington Stoke, 1999, ISBN-10: 1902260120 * ''Tell Me No Lies'', Macmillan Children's Books, 1999, ISBN-10: 0333726456 * ''Whizziwig Returns'' (illustrated by Stephen Lee), Puffin, 1999, ISBN-10: 0141304588 * ''Dead Gorgeous'', Doubleday, 2002, ISBN-10: 0385600097 * ''[[Cloud Busting]]'', Doubleday, 2004, ISBN-10: 0385607962 * ''The Deadly Dare Mysteries'' (contents: "Deadly Dare", "Computer Ghost", "Lie Detectives"; illustrated by Neil Chapman), Corgi Children's, 2005, ISBN-10: 0552553530 * ''Whizziwig and Whizziwig Returns'' <ref>Originally published separately as ''Whizziwig'', 1995, and ''Whizzywhig Returns'', 1999</ref> (illustrated by Stephen Lee), Corgi Children's, 2005, ISBN-10: 044086657X ====Short stories for children==== * "Contact" in the multi-author collection ''Out of This World: Stories of Virtual Reality'' (chosen by Wendy Cooling), Dolphin, 1997, ISBN-10: 1858816025 * ''Aesop's Fables'' (retold by Malorie Blackman, illustrated by Patrice Aggs), Scholastic, 1998, ISBN-10 0590543822 * "Dare to be Different" (illustrated by Jane Ray) in the multi-author collection ''Dare to be Different'', Bloomsbury Publishing, 1999, ISBN-10: 0747540217 * "Peacemaker" in the multi-author collection ''Peacemaker and Other Stories'' (illustrated by Peter Richardson and David Hine), Heinemann Educational, 1999, ISBN-10 0435116002 ====Books for new readers==== * The Betsey Biggalow stories: ** ''Betsey Biggalow the Detective'' (illustrated by Lis Toft), Piccadilly Press, 1992, ISBN-10: 1853401633 ** ''Betsey Biggalow is Here!'' (illustrated by Lis Toft), Piccadilly Press, 1992, ISBN-10: 1853401722 ** ''Hurricane Betsey'' (illustrated by Lis Toft), Piccadilly Press, 1993, ISBN-10: 1853401994 ** ''Magic Betsey'' (illustrated by Lis Toft), Piccadilly Press, 1994, ISBN-10: 1853402370 ** ''Betsey's Birthday Surprise'' (illustrated by Lis Toft), Piccadilly Press, 1996, ISBN-10: 0590558641 * The Girl Wonder series: ** ''Girl Wonder and the Terrific Twins'' (illustrated by Pat Ludlow), Orion Children's Books, 1991, ISBN-10: 0575050489 ** ''Girl Wonder's Winter Adventures'' (illustrated by Lis Toft), Orion Children's Books, 1992, ISBN-10: 0575053836 ** ''Girl Wonder to the Rescue'' (illustrated by Lis Toft), Gollancz, 1994, ISBN-10 0575057742 ** ''The Amazing Adventures of Girl Wonder'' (illustrated by Lis Toft), Barn Owl Books, 2003, ISBN-10: 1903015278 * The Puzzle Planet adventures: ** ''Peril on Planet Pellia'' (illustrated by Patrice Aggs), Orchard Books, 1996, ISBN-10: 1852139358 ** ''The Mellion Moon Mystery'' (illustrated by Patrice Aggs), Orchard Books, 1996, ISBN-10: 1852139366 ** ''The Secret of the Terrible Hand'' (illustrated by Patrice Aggs), Orchard Books, 1996, ISBN-10: 1860393705 ** ''Quasar Quartz Quest'' (illustrated by Patrice Aggs) Orchard Books, 1996, ISBN-10: 1852139382 * The Longman Book Project (with translations to Welsh): ** ''Rachel versus Bonecrusher the Mighty'', Longman, 1994, ISBN-10: 0582121515 ** ''Rachel and the Difference Thief'' (illustrated by Kim Harley), Longman, 1994, ISBN-10: 0582121523 ** ''Crazy Crocs'' (with Alexander McCall Smith and Sally-Ann Lever), Longman, 1994, ISBN-10: 0582122082 * ''Elaine You're a Brat!'' <ref>Also published as ''Ellie, and the Cat!'', Orchard Books, 2005, ISBN-10: 1843623919</ref> (illustrated by Doffy Weir), Orchard Books, 1991, ISBN-10: 1852133651 * ''My Friend's a Gris-Quok'' (illustrated by Philip Hopman), Scholastic, 1994, ISBN-10: 0590558641 * ''Grandma Gertie's Haunted Handbag'' (illustrated by David Price), Heinemann, 1996, ISBN-10: 0434972258 * ''Space Race'' (illustrated by Colin Mier), Corgi Children's, 1997, ISBN-10: 0552545422 * ''Fangs'' (illustrated by Tony Blundell), Orchard Books, 1998, ISBN-10: 1860397344 * ''Snow Dog'' (illustrated by Sami Sweeten), Corgi Children's, 2001, ISBN-10: 0552547034 * ''The Monster Crisp-Guzzler'' (illustrated by Sami Sweeten), Corgi Children's, 2002, ISBN-10: 0552547832 * ''Sinclair, Wonder Bear'' (illustrated by Deborah Allwright), Egmont Books, 2003, ISBN-10: 140520589X ====Picture books==== * ''That New Dress'' <ref>Also published as ''A New Dress for Maya'', Gary Stevens Publishing, 1992, ISBN-10: 0836807138</ref> (illustrated by Rhian Nest James), Hodder Wayland, 1991, ISBN-10: 0750004428 * ''Mrs Spoon's Family'' (illustrated by Jan McCafferty), Andersen Press, 1995, ISBN-10: 0862645824 * ''Dizzy's Walk'' (illustrated by Pamela Venus), Tamarind, 1999, ISBN-10: 1870516419 * ''Marty Monster'' (illustrated by Kim Harley), Tamarind, 1999, ISBN-10: 1870516427 * ''I Want a Cuddle!'' (illustrated by Joanne Partis), Orchard Books, 2001, ISBN-10: 1841218235 * ''Jessica Strange'' (with Alison Bartlett), Hodder Children's Books, 2002, ISBN-10: 0340779632 * Contributed to ''A Christmas Tree of Stories'', Scholastic Press, 1999, ISBN-10: 0439011922 ===Television scripts=== * Episodes of ''[[Byker Grove]]'' * Episodes of ''[[Whizziwig]]'' * Episodes of ''[[Pig Heart Boy]]'' ===Stage plays=== * 2002, ''The Amazing Birthday'' ==Awards and nominations== [[Image:Knife Edge by Malorie Blackman.jpg|thumb|180px|right|The cover of the 2004, first edition, hardcover of ''Knife Edge'']] <!-- FAIR USE of Image:Knife_Edge_by_Malorie_Blackman.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Knife_Edge_by_Malorie_Blackman.jpg for rationale --> ===Body of work=== * 1997, Excelle/Write Thing Children's Author of the Year Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 2005, Children's Book Circle's [[Eleanor Farjeon]] Award.<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> ===Novels=== ====For ''Hacker'' (1992)==== * 1994, W.H. Smith Mind Boggling Book of the Year Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 1994, Young Telegraph/Gimme 5 Children's Book of the Year Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 1995, Birmingham/TSB Children's Book Award (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> ====For ''Thief!'' (1996)==== * 1996, Young Telegraph/Fully Booked Children's Book of the Year Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> ====For ''A.N.T.I.D.O.T.E'' (1997)==== * 1997, Stockport Children's Book of the Year Award (Key Stage 3 category).<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 1997, [[Stockton-on-Tees Children's Book Award]] (shortlisted).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 1998, Sheffield Children's Book Award (highly commended).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2001, Stockport Schools Book Award (shortlisted).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> ====For ''Pig-Heart Boy'' (1997)==== * 1998, [[Carnegie Medal]] (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 1998, UKRA Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 1999, [[Lancashire Children's Book of the Year]] (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 1999, Wirral Paperback of the Year Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/><ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> ====For ''Tell Me No Lies'' (1999)==== * 2000, Stockport Children's Book Award (shortlisted) (Key Stage 4 category).<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/><ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> ====For ''Dead Gorgeous'' (2002)==== * 2003, Calderdale Book of the Year (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2003, Salford Children's Book Award (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> [[Image:Checkmate by Malorie Blackman.jpg|thumb|180px|right|The cover of the 2005, first edition, hardcover of ''Checkmate'']] <!-- FAIR USE of Image:Ceckmate_by_Malorie_Blackman.jpg: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Checkmate_by_Malorie_Blackman.jpg for rationale --> ====For books in the ''Noughts & Crosses'' series==== * 2002, [[Lancashire Children's Book of the Year]].<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/><ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2002, [[Red House Children's Book Award]].<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/><ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2002, Sheffield Children's Book Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/><ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2003, Wirral Paperback of the Year Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/><ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2004, Fantastic Fiction Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 2005, Berkshire Book Award (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2005, [[Lancashire Children's Book of the Year]] (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2005, Redbridge Teenage Book Award (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2006, [[Lancashire Children's Book of the Year]] (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2006, Staffordshire Young People's Book of the Year.<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> ====For ''Cloud Busting'' (2004)==== * 2004, [[Nestlé Smarties Book Prize]] (Silver Award) (6-8 years category).<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 2005, Redbridge Children's Book Award (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2005, Stockport Schools Book Award (shortlisted).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2006, Nottingham Children's Book Award (shortlist) (10-11 years category).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2006, West Sussex Children's Book Award (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> ===Television adaptations=== ====For ''Pig-Heart Boy''==== * 2000, [[British Academy Television Awards|BAFTA]] Best Drama.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/><ref name="multiple awards (second)"/> * 2000, Race and Media Best Drama Award.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 2000, [[Royal Television Society]] Award (Children's Drama category).<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 2001, Chicago TV Festival (shortlist).<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> * 2001, Prix Danube Children's Jury Prize.<ref name="multiple awards (first)"/> ==See also== * [[Noughts & Crosses series]] ==Notes== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.malorieblackman.co.uk/ Malorie Blackman's official website] * {{isfdb name}} * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blast/downloads/blastcasts/malorie_blackman.shtml Watch a video podcast of Malorie's writing tips by BBC Blast] * {{contemporary writers|id=519D6BC107d6922CB1VoU30CEDE6}} * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/blast/writing/people/malorie_blackman.shtml Interview with Malorie Blackman at the BBC] * [http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article1006827.ece An article about Malorie Blackman at Times Online] <!-- Metadata: see [[Wikipedia:Persondata]] --> {{Persondata |NAME=Blackman, Malorie |ALTERNATIVE NAMES= |SHORT DESCRIPTION=[[Author]] |DATE OF BIRTH=[[8 February]] [[1962]] |PLACE OF BIRTH=[[London]], [[United Kingdom]] |DATE OF DEATH= |PLACE OF DEATH= }} {{DEFAULTSORT:Blackman, Malorie}} [[Category:1962 births]] [[Category:Alumni of the University of Greenwich]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:British children's writers]] [[Category:British science fiction writers]] [[Category:British television writers]] [[Category:British dramatists and playwrights]] [[Category:British women writers]] [[Category:Women novelists]] [[Category:Women television writers]] [[Category:Women short story writers]] [[Category:Women dramatists and playwrights]] [[Category:People from London]] [[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]] [[de:Malorie Blackman]] [[fr:Malorie Blackman]]