Alison Sparkes (born 1966) is a British
children's
A child () is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The term may also refer to an unborn human being. In English-speaking countries, the legal definition of ''child ...
author. She is best known for her ''Shapeshifter'' book series.
Career
Sparkes previously worked as a journalist for the ''
Southern Daily Echo
The ''Southern Daily Echo'', more commonly known as the ''Daily Echo'' or simply ''The Echo'', is a regional tabloid newspaper based in Southampton, covering the county of Hampshire in the United Kingdom. The newspaper is owned by Newsquest, on ...
'' and for
BBC Radio Solent
BBC Radio Solent is the BBC's local radio station serving Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight, broadcasting on FM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios on Havelock Road in Southampton.
According to RAJAR, the station has a w ...
before focusing on writing children's books.
She published her first book, ''Finding the Fox'', with
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press (OUP) is the publishing house of the University of Oxford. It is the largest university press in the world. Its first book was printed in Oxford in 1478, with the Press officially granted the legal right to print books ...
in 2006. It became the first of the six-book ''Shapeshifter'' series. Later, she published ''Out of this World'', originally released as ''Miganium'', as a prequel to ''The Shapeshifter.'' Her five-book ''Unleashed'' series serves as a spin-off/sequel to ''The Shapeshifter'', centered on some of the other ''Shapeshifter'' characters.
Sparkes has published several books unrelated to ''The Shapeshifter'' series, including standalone novels, as well as the ''Monster Makers, Night Speakers'', and ''S.W.I.T.C.H.'' series.
Awards and honours
Personal life
Sparkes is from
Southampton
Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
and attended
Bitterne Park School.
She is married and has two sons.
Publications
Standalone books
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''Monster Makers''
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''Night Speakers'' series (2018-2020)
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''The Shapeshifter'' series (2006-2016)
''The Shapeshifter'' series follows the life of a boy named Dax Jones and is primarily set in England, firstly in the
Cornwall
Cornwall (; or ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is also one of the Celtic nations and the homeland of the Cornish people. The county is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, ...
area and later in the
Lake District
The Lake District, also known as ''the Lakes'' or ''Lakeland'', is a mountainous region and National parks of the United Kingdom, national park in Cumbria, North West England. It is famous for its landscape, including its lakes, coast, and mou ...
. During the first book, Finding the Fox, Dax discovers his ability to shapeshift into a fox, and is whisked away from his hated stepfamily by the government. Dax is one of a number of
COLAs (Children of Limitless Ability), young people who possess amazing supernatural powers. Some of his classmates are able to heal, move objects with their mind, communicate with the dead, or see into the future. These children attend a school called Tregarren College in Cornwall, which is later destroyed by a tidal wave, and the children move to Fenton Lodge, in the Lake District.
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''S.W.I.T.C.H.'' series (2011-2012)
The ''Switch'' books are illustrated by Ross Collins.
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''Unleashed'' series (2011-2014)
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References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sparkes, Ali
Living people
1966 births
English children's writers