'Writing stories for all the ages'

 

“It's a wonderful thing to write for children.   I move between the two: I write an adult novel, and then I write a children's book. I quite enjoy that. It's a nice change of pace each time.” – John Boyne

  

Born in Ireland on this date in 1971, Boyne has authored 18 novels for adults and 7 for younger readers, publishing in over 50 languages. A graduate of Trinity College in Dublin – where he still makes his home – Boyne started writing in college and was first published at age 22.  His first adult novel (and still one of his most popular) was 2000’s A Thief Of Time.  

 

His multi-award winning 2006 novel The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas also was adapted into a popular movie by the same name, and in 2022 the sequel All The Broken Places was another huge bestseller.  Boyne’s most recent adult works are the 4-book series Water, Earth, Fire and Air, and for younger readers he authored The Dog Who Danced on the Moon in 2024.

 

“I think that books for young people should have serious and important themes, they shouldn’t be trivial,” he said.  “So the books I write, they would be the kind of stories you would write in an adult novel only they just happen to feature a child at the center of them.”