David Almond has received several major awards, including a Hans Christian Andersen Award, a Carnegie Medal, and a Michael L. Printz Award. He is known worldwide as the author of Skellig, Clay, and many other novels and stories, including The Tale of Angelino Brown, illustrated by Alex T. Smith, and The Boy Who Swam with Piranhas, illustrated by Oliver Jeffers. David Almond lives in northern England.