Anna Ciddor

Anna Ciddor (born January 1957) is an Australian author and illustrator.

Ciddor is a patron for Oz Kids, an organisation to promote and support children's literary and artistic talents.[1]

Biography

Ciddor was born in January 1957 in Melbourne, Australia...[2] She was brought up in a house without television, and had an inventive and creative childhood.[3] She also had a strong interest in mathematics, and after finishing school, she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in mathematics from the University of Melbourne and a Diploma of Education from Melbourne State College.[2] Her first career was as a senior school mathematics teacher, and it was only after marrying and having children that she began writing and illustrating.[3]

Her first book accepted for publication was a picture book,Take Me Back, published in 1988.[2] This book took the reader back in time to show how people lived in Australia in the past.[3][4] For the next few years, Ciddor continued to write and illustrate non-fiction books, concentrating on bringing history to life for children.[4] In 2002 Allen and Unwin published her first historical fantasy, Runestone, book 1 of Viking Magic. This children's novel, and the other Viking Magic books that followed, use historical details and strong storylines.[5][3]

In 2005 Ciddor was awarded a two year grant by the Literature Board of the Australia Council.[6]

Ciddor based her fantasy books on global folk, fairy tale, and myth[7] as well as research into historic lifestyle and belief systems.[8] At the Melbourne Writers Festival in 2007 Ciddor appeared on a panel with Sophie Masson and Kate Forsyth discussing the historical truth behind their fantasy novels.[9] In a study of Canadian children's fantasy, author K.V. Johansen included a chapter on Ciddor's Viking Magic books because 'Although not by a Canadian author, the Viking Magic series is noteworthy' and 'does more towards realistic historical fiction than many "time-travel to learn history" novels' [10]

Ciddor's most recent book The Family with Two Front Doors was published in 2016 by Allen and Unwin.[11] It won a Notable Book Award from the Children's Book Council of Australia in March 2017.[12] The Family with Two Front Doors is based on interviews with the author's grandmother Nomi Rabinovitch, and tells the story of Nomi's childhood as the daughter of a rabbi in 1920s Lublin, Poland.[8][13][14] The writing style is inspired by Little House on the Prairie, presenting vignettes of the everyday life of a family.[8] The book combines historical fact and imagination but no fantasy elements.[13] According to a review by the Victorian Association for the Teaching of English, it is "an informative, gentle read' that "offers insight into how a Jewish household is run".[15] Unlike most books about the Jewish past, this one does not focus on the Holocaust and "there is... no violence and no hatred... but a charming reconstruction of daily routines".[16] Readings Bookstore, winners of the international Bookstore of the Year Award [17] described The Family with Two Front Doors as a modern counterpart to the classic book Little Women.[18]

Ciddor has written and illustrated over fifty books.[13]

Awards

Books

Trade market books

Selected education market books

References

  1. ↑ "OUR PATRONS". OzKids - Childrens Charity Network. Retrieved 31 May 2017.
  2. 1 2 3 Who's Who of Australian Writers. D.W. Thorpe. 1991-01-01. ISBN 9780909532819.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Cohen, John (2003). "Anna Ciddor, Into the Past". Reading Time. The Children's Book Council of Australia. 47 – via Austlit.
  4. 1 2 Lavi, Tali (2016). "Know the author: Anna Ciddor" (PDF). Magpies. 31: 16–18.
  5. ↑ "Runestone/Wolfspell/Stormriders". LaTrobe University. Retrieved 2015-12-21.
  6. 1 2 "Australia Council Annual Report 2005-6" (PDF).
  7. ↑ Masson, Sophie (2016). "Mosaic and Cornucopia: Fairy Tale and Myth in Contemporary Australian YA Fantasy". Bookbird. 54.3: 44–53 – via Proquest.
  8. 1 2 3 "Saturday March 19th - Book Families - 2SER - Real Radio 107.3 FM". Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  9. ↑ Sullivan, Jane (29 August 2007). "Nix reveals there is a ring of truth to fantasy writing". The Age.
  10. ↑ Johansen, K.V. (2007). Beyond Window Dressing? Canadian Children's Fantasy at the Millennium. Sybertooth. pp. 80–83. ISBN 9780968802458.
  11. ↑ Koonse, Emma (2017). "Religion Book Deals". Publishers Weekly.
  12. 1 2 "Children's Book Council of Australia Notable list 2017".
  13. 1 2 3 "Emotional literary journey to Poland". The Australian Jewish News. 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  14. ↑ "Reviews: The Other Mrs Walker, The Family With Two Front Doors". Stuff. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 2017-03-19.
  15. ↑ "IDIOM - The Family with Two Front Doors". www.vate.org.au. Victorian Association of Teachers of English. Retrieved 2017-03-14.
  16. ↑ Lees, Stella (16 March 2016). "The Family with Two Front Doors". Reading Time. The Children's Book Council of Australia.
  17. ↑ Miller, Nick (2016-04-13). "Readings Carlton wins top bookstore prize at London Book Fair". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2017-03-25.
  18. ↑ "Children’s classics paired with their modern counterparts by Leanne Hall". www.readings.com.au. Retrieved 2017-03-19.
  19. ↑ Inc., Advanced Solutions International,. "Book of the Year". www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au. Retrieved 2017-07-12.
  20. ↑ "Younger Readers" (PDF). Notable Australian Children's Books: 11. 2008.
  21. ↑ "Notable Australian Children's Books" (PDF). The Children's Book Council of Australia. 2003. p. 14.
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