Philip Ardagh
| Philip Ardagh | |
|---|---|
| Born |
11 September 1961 London, England |
| Occupation | Writer, radio personality |
| Nationality | British |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Notable works | Eddie Dickens series |
| Website | |
| www |
|
Philip Ardagh (born 11 September 1961, Kent) is an English children's author, primarily known for the Eddie Dickens series of books. He has written more than 100 books including adult fiction and children's non-fiction.
During 2004 and 2005 Ardagh collaborated with Sir Paul McCartney and illustrator-animator Geoff Dunbar to create McCartney's first children's book, High in the Clouds. Published simultaneously in the UK and US and other countries in October 2005, there was an initial print run of half-a-million copies in the United States.The Observer called it "a tale about the perils of unchecked global capitalism".
Philip Ardagh was born in 1961, in Kent, England, where he grew up with one brother. He was christened at St Paul's Cathedral in London by the Canon Residentiary, Chancellor and Chapter Treasurer, Frederick Hood, who co-wrote, with poet laureate John Betjeman, the introduction to the book Folly Farm by philosopher Cyril Joad.
Ardagh was educated privately at five different schools. He did not apply to go to university but got a place at Watford College of Art in the advertisement copywriting course, then the only one in Britain.
After a placement at the London advertising agency, Darcy McManus & Masius, he found full-time employment at the McCann-Erickson advertising agency, located beneath what is now known as BT Tower. There he met children's writer Anthony Horowitz, who joined the agency just as Ardagh was leaving. He later became a library assistant for the London Borough of Lewisham Leisure Services (Downham Library).
Philip described his appearance as a child as "an above-average-height kid", and now measures 6 feet 7 inches (2.01 m) tall.
After years of working seven days a week writing non-fiction titles and retelling myths and legends (often for 'fixed-fee' non-royalty payments), Philip Ardagh became an overnight success with Awful End (published in 2000), originally written as letters sent to his nephew Ben.
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Wikipedia