avg_rating: 3.83
name: Dave Cousins
about: Dave Cousins’ books have been hailed as "teen realism with action, humour and heart". He is also the author/illustrator of the "Charlie Merrick's Misfits" series, and the "Robot Babysitter" stories for younger readers. Abandoning childhood plans to be an astronaut or Batman, Dave went to art college in Bradford, joined a band and was nearly famous. His writing career began aged ten, drawing comics and penning lyrics for an imaginary pop group. Dave says that reading and writing stories helped him navigate the bumpy roads of teenage life and hopes that his own books will play a similar role for today’s readers.Published in over twelve languages, "15 Days without a Head" was a Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week, a Junior Library Guild S Dave Cousins’ books have been hailed as "teen realism with action, humour and heart". He is also the author/illustrator of the "Charlie Merrick's Misfits" series, and the "Robot Babysitter" stories for younger readers. Abandoning childhood plans to be an astronaut or Batman, Dave went to art college in Bradford, joined a band and was nearly famous. His writing career began aged ten, drawing comics and penning lyrics for an imaginary pop group. Dave says that reading and writing stories helped him navigate the bumpy roads of teenage life and hopes that his own books will play a similar role for today’s readers.Published in over twelve languages, "15 Days without a Head" was a Sunday Times Children's Book of the Week, a Junior Library Guild Selection in the US, and has won awards in both the UK and Europe. "Waiting for Gonzo" won the Grampian Children's Book Award, and was shortlisted for the prestigious German Children’s Literature Prize in 2017. Gonzo also has its own original soundtrack album and music videos. Both books were nominated for the Carnegie Medal.When not scribbling stories, Dave tours extensively giving talks and running workshops in schools and at literary events across the UK and abroad. The events have been described as “stand-up with books”, or as one student put it: “well funny!” A mix of anecdotes, pictures, readings and leaping about, the underlying message being that we all have a story to tell! Audiences learn some of the true tales that inspired the books, as well as tips on writing and drawing their own stories.Dave lives on a rock by the sea in Wales, with his wife and a grumpy cat. ...more