Anthony McGowan
Anthony McGowan was born in Manchester in 1965. He went to school in Leeds. He has an M.Phil in philosophy and a PhD on the history of the concept of beauty. He has worked as a nightclub bouncer, civil servant, and Open University tutor in philosophy. He now lives in London. He is married to the fashion designer and novelist Rebecca Campbell. They have two children.
His debut thriller, Stag Hunt, was published in 2005 and a sequel, Mortal Coil, came out in 2005. In the same year, Random House published Hellbent, his first novel for teenagers, and a second young-adult book, Henry Tumour, was published in 2006. Henry Tumour won the Book Trust Teenage prize, the 2007 Catalyst Award, and has been shortlisted for several major awards.
Books
Einstein's Underpants and How They Saved the World
Author: Anthony McGowan
Publisher: Yearling
Interest age: 8+
Reading age: 9+
Maths geek Alexander and his unlucky best friend Melvyn are the unlikely heroes of this quirky adventure from former Booktrust Teenage Prize-winner Anthony McGowan.
Hello Darkness
Author: Anthony McGowan
Publisher: Walker Books
Interest age: 14+
Reading age: 14+
Johnny Middleton is hiding in the boys toilets to avoid double maths when a shower of dead stick insects hit the floor.
Henry Tumour
Author: Anthony McGowan
Publisher: Random House
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 9+
Henry Tumour is certainly a memorable book: it's funny, shocking, and thought-provoking, too. Just be warned that the language is extreme throughout!
I Am the Minotaur
Author: Anthony McGowan
Publisher: Oxford University Press with Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 12-15
Reading age: 12+
Matthew does his best to be invisible, especially at school. He doesn’t want anyone to notice him or use the horrible nickname ‘Stinky Mog’ that he was given a few years ago. Everything is much easier if no one notices him, so he stays under the radar and watches life from the side-lines.
The only good part of Matthew’s day is Ariadne, one of the popular gir…
I Killed Father Christmas
Author: Anthony McGowan Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Publisher: Little Gems
Interest age: 6-9
Reading age: 7+
This enchanting festive tale is a poignant reminder of what Christmas is really about – love and kindness. With Christmas jokes and games hidden in the jacket flaps, this delightful tale is sure to become a firm Christmas favourite.
Pike
Author: Anthony McGowan
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 8+
This companion to McGowan's Brock is spare, poetic, moving, often wryly funny.
The Bare Bum Gang and the Football Face Off
Author: Anthony McGowan
Publisher: Red Fox
Interest age: 6-7
Reading age: 8+
As everyone knows, a gang's den is sacred no matter how dirty, dark or smelly it may be so when the Bare Bum Gang's den is at risk they will do anything they can to save it.
The Fall
Author: Anthony McGowan
Publisher: Barrington Stoke
Interest age: 11+
Reading age: 8+
Mog isn’t one of the popular crowd, but at least he manages to get by without being troubled much by the bullies...
The Knife That Killed Me
Author: Anthony McGowan
Publisher: Definitions
Interest age: 13+
Reading age: 13+
Paul isn't one of the tough kids, but when he ends up delivering a message from Roth, the terrifying school bully, he finds himself drawn into a dangerous rivalry.