Jon Blake

Jon Blake is the author of over sixty books, primarily for children and teenagers: most recently "Thimble Monkey Superstar" which was shortlisted for the 2017 Laugh Out Loud awards (Lollies), and its sequel "Thimble Holiday Havoc". Thimble features disabled narrator Jams Cogan, based on Jon's son. Jon was brought up in Southampton and now lives in Cardiff where he teaches creative writing at http://parkwrite.com. His successes include the picture book “You’re A Hero, Daley B” (ill. Axel Scheffler, worldwide sales of over 250,000) and “Little Stupendo” (shortlisted for the Children’s Book Award).Other big sellers include “One Girl School” (over 35,000), "Stinky Finger's House of Fun" and literacy hour favourite “Mark Two”.In 1995 Jon’s TV play ‘Life’ was shortlisted for a Writers Guild Award, while in 2002 he won a BBC Talent award for his adult radio sitcom “Degrees R Us” (series broadcast on BBC Radio Wales). Jon is particularly noted for original and anarchic humour, typified by the “House of Fun” series. However he has also written politically-charged fiction for an older readership.Born in Mortimer, Berkshire, and living in Southampton between 1960 and 1973, Jon went to Exeter University, but dropped out from his drama course and worked in a furniture shop in Winchester before continuing studies at York University and Bretton Hall. He subsequently became a teacher and community centre warden in Peterborough and Nottingham.Jon moved to Cardiff, Wales in 1987.Besides being a writer, Jon has been involved in many community projects and is also an activist, musician and songwriter. In 2011 he collaborated with Mark Roberts (ex Catatonia) on the album This is the Sound of Adamsdown (www.soundofadamsdown.com). This features a range of Cardiff inner city residents.Jon’s critically acclaimed 2008 novel, “The Last Free Cat”, has a website at http://www.feela.wordpress.com. "The Last Free Cat" was selected for the ILA's Young Choices list of 2013 - the very best YA books published in the US.