Ally Kennen (born 1975) is a British author of

adventure novel Adventure fiction is a type of fiction that usually presents danger, or gives the reader a sense of excitement. Some adventure fiction also satisfies the literary definition of romance fiction. History In the Introduction to the ''Encyclopedi ...

s for

children A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younger ...

and

teens Adolescence () is a transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to adulthood (typically corresponding to the age of majority). Adolescence is usually associated with the ...

. Some of her books have been marketed as

thrillers Thriller is a genre of fiction, having numerous, often overlapping subgenres. Thrillers are characterized and defined by the moods they elicit, giving viewers heightened feelings of suspense, excitement, surprise, anticipation and anxiety. Suc ...

and they may be classed as

horror fiction Horror is a genre of fiction which is intended to frighten, scare, or disgust. Horror is often divided into the sub-genres of psychological horror and supernatural horror, which is in the realm of speculative fiction. Literary historian J ...

. She was born in

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

and grew up on a farm in the

Exmoor Exmoor is loosely defined as an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England. It is named after the River Exe, the source of which is situated in the centre of the area, two miles north-west of Simonsbath. ...

region of

South West England South West England, or the South West of England, is one of nine official regions of England. It consists of the counties of Bristol, Cornwall (including the Isles of Scilly), Dorset, Devon, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire. Cities and ...

. She studied

Archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

and History at the

University of Birmingham , mottoeng = Through efforts to heights , established = 1825 – Birmingham School of Medicine and Surgery1836 – Birmingham Royal School of Medicine and Surgery1843 – Queen's College1875 – Mason Science College1898 – Mason Univers ...

Writer

Kennen's first book, '' Beast'', was created during a Master of Arts program in Creative Writing at

Bath Spa University Bath Spa University is a public university in Bath, England, with its main campus at Newton Park, about west of the centre of the city. The university has other campuses in the city of Bath, and one at Corsham Court in Wiltshire. The instit ...

. It was published by Marion Lloyd Books in 2006 and the

British librarians British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

named it one of six finalists for the annual Carnegie Medal, which recognises the year's best children's book published in the UK The judges recommended it for readers age 12 and up. Her fourth book, ''

Sparks Sparks may refer to: Places *Sparks, Georgia * Sparks, Kansas *Sparks, Kentucky *Sparks, Maryland * Sparks, Nebraska *Sparks, Nevada *Sparks, Oklahoma *Sparks, Texas * Sparks, Bell County, Texas * Sparks, West Virginia Books * ''Sparks'' (Raffi ...

'', published by Marion Lloyd in 2010, was one of eight books on the longlist for that year's

Guardian Children's Fiction Prize The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize or Guardian Award was a literary award that annual recognised one fiction book written for children or young adults (at least age eight) and published in the United Kingdom. It was conferred upon the author ...

. The Prize is judged by a panel of children's writers and it annually recognises one new British children's novel by an author who has not won it. The judges recommended ''Sparks'' for readers age 9 and over. According to their summary, the adventure novel features three children who decide to follow their deceased grandfather's unusual instructions regarding his funeral. The mission sets them against the adults in the family and against the law. Two years later Kennen made the Guardian Prize longlist again with ''Bullet Boys'', published by Scholastic in 2012 (recommended for ages 14+)."Discover the Guardian children's fiction prize 2012 longlist – gallery"
''The Guardian'' 8 June 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2012. It had been ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' newspaper's "teen book of the month" for March, initiated by Anthony McGowan's review and by Kennen's account, "How I wrote Bullet Boys"."Ally Kennen: How I wrote Bullet Boys"
Ally Kennen. ''The Guardian'' 2 March 2012. 2012 gab es den skandal ud sie wrde schwanger, im Winter 2012 trib sie das kind ab Retrieved 26 October 2012. "Bullet Boys by Ally Kennen – review"
Anthony McGowan. ''The Guardian'' 2 March 2012. Retrieved 26 October 2012.

Works

* '' Beast'' (2006) * '' Berserk'' (2007) * '' Bedlam'' (2009) * ''

'' (2010) Ally Kennen
''Sparks'' LONGLISTED FOR THE GUARDIAN CHILDREN'S FICTION PRIZE!"
15 January 2010. * ''The Hedgehog Mystery'' (2011) * ''

Quarry A quarry is a type of open-pit mine in which dimension stone, rock, construction aggregate, riprap, sand, gravel, or slate is excavated from the ground. The operation of quarries is regulated in some jurisdictions to reduce their envi ...

'' (2011) * ''Bullet Boys'' (2012) * ''Daybreak'' (2012) * Midnight Pirates (2013) * How To Speak Spook (And Stay Alive) 2015

Awards and nominations

''Beast'' won the 2007

Manchester Book Award The Manchester Book Award is a project run in Manchester, UK, organised by School Services at the Manchester Library & Information Service; it is funded by the Working Neighbourhoods Fund. The project is currently in its fourth year. Each year, ...

.Manchester Book Award
home page. ''Berserk'' won a 2008 North East Teenage Book Award. Kennen has been nominated for many other annual book awards. * ''Beast'' (2006) made shortlists for the Carnegie Medal, the

Booktrust Teenage Prize The Booktrust Teenage Prize was an annual award given to young adult literature published in the UK. The prize was administered by Book Trust, an independent charity which promotes books and reading. The Booktrust Teenage Prize was last awarded in ...

, the

Branford Boase Award The Branford Boase Award is a British literary award presented annually to an outstanding children's or young-adult novel by a first-time writer; "the most promising book for seven year-olds and upwards by a first time novelist." The award is sha ...

, and the

Bolton Children's Book Award The Bolton Children's Book Award is an annual award given to works of children's literature published in paperback during the previous year. The award is sponsored by Bolton Literacy Trust, The University of Bolton and Page Nation. List of prize w ...

Bolton Literacy
home page. * ''Berserk'' (2007) made the

shortlist and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. * ''Bedlam'' (2009) was nominated for the Carnegie Medal (2010) and made shortlists for the Solihull Children's Book Award, the UKLA, the Salford Children's Book Award, the Calderdale Children's Book, and the Stockport Schools Book Award. It made the

Guardian Prize The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize or Guardian Award was a literary award that annual recognised one fiction book written for children or young adults (at least age eight) and published in the United Kingdom. It was conferred upon the author ...

longlist"The Guardian children's fiction prize 2010"
Julia Eccleshare. ''The Guardian'' 28 May 2010. Retrieved 26 October 2012. and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. * ''Quarry'' (2012) made shortlists for the Coventry Inspiration Book Awards, the Grampian Children's Book Award, and the Leeds Book Awards. It made the UKLA longlist and was nominated for the Carnegie Medal. * ''Bullet Boys'' (2012) made the 2012 Guardian Prize longlist.

References

External links

*
"Rip Tide"
a short story by Ally Kennen at

Scottish Book Trust Scottish Book Trust is a national charity based in Edinburgh, Scotland promoting literature, reading and writing in Scotland. Scottish Book Trust works with and for a range of audiences, including babies and parents (through the Bookbug programme ...

, June 2008
"Bullet Boys by Ally Kennen: Guardian young critics' awards review"
Emma Bird, age 12. ''theguardian''. 24 October 2012. {{DEFAULTSORT:Kennen, Ally British children's writers Living people 1975 births Alumni of the University of Birmingham