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Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz was our Guest Editor in June 2011 - click here to see the books he chose.
Anthony lives in north London with his wife Jill Green, a TV producer, and their sons Nicholas and Cassian. His whole family gets involved in his writing. Jill has produced several of Anthony's scripts, including the drama serial Foyle's War, which won the Lew Grade Audience Award in 2003. His son Cassian is already a seasoned actor, having appeared in three of his shows, and Nicholas, his oldest son, has helped Anthony to research the Alex Rider books by trying his hand at everything from scuba-diving to snowboarding and surfing!
Anthony Horowitz as a child:
Born in north London, Anthony says, "I think I knew with certainty that I wanted to be a writer around eight." For birthdays, he asked for books, pens and a typewriter. His schooldays were not especially happy, more like something "out of Dickens or Dahl", and one reason he began writing books for young people was "to make up for the shortcomings of my childhood".
As an adult:
Anthony has an unrivalled reputation for getting boys, especially reluctant readers, into books. In 2007, Anthony was singled out by then Education Secretary Alan Johnson as the not-so-secret weapon to get boys reading. In 2008, Anthony was made the National Year of Reading’s first Champion Author due to his regular outreach work to Youth Offenders and Looked After Children throughout the UK.
As an artist:
Anthony's first novel was Enter Frederick K. Bower, published in 1979 when Anthony was just 23. He has since written many more and is also a prolific writer for television, film and theatre. He created Foyle’s War and the popular series Midsomer Murders and has also worked on Agatha Christie’s Poirot and Murder Most Horrid. Anthony’s phenomenally successful series of books about teen superspy Alex Rider has delighted children all over the world, and in 2003, Anthony was delighted to win the Red House Children’s Book Award for Skeleton Key as it was voted for entirely by children. He has since received numerous awards for the Alex Rider series. Stormbreaker, the first Alex Rider mission, was made into a blockbuster movie.
Things you didn't know about Anthony Horowitz:
1. Anthony began writing because he wanted to be like Tintin.
2. He has travelled to all the places in the Tintin books (except the moon).
3. Snatchmore Hall (in The Switch) is based on the house where Anthony lived as a child. He had a nanny, two cooks, two gardens, a chauffeur … and he hated it.
4. He was sent to a revolting boarding school, Orley Farm, in north London. The headmaster and his wife featured by name in one of his TV episodes. He depicted them as mad Nazis!
5. He takes research for his books very seriously. He has walked across the Andes and visited forbidden criminal enclaves in Hong Kong. For Point Blanc, he climbed – and operated – a 150m crane opposite the Houses of Parliament.
6. He got married in Hong Kong. He didn’t understand the ceremony because it was in Chinese.
7. He spent a year working as a cowboy in Australia. This was for fun – not for a book.
8. His passion is scuba-diving. He has dived all over the world, including Sipadan in the South China Sea, where he saw hammerhead sharks.
9. He has a chocolate-coloured Labrador called Lucky. Lucky by name, but not by nature – the dog has been run over three times!
10. He is a major film fan and goes to the cinema three or four times a week. His favourite film is The Third Man. He is also a big fan of Alfred Hitchcock’s mysteries.
Press play below to see a trailer for the final Alex Rider book, Scorpia Rising.
Featured Books, with extracts by Anthony Horowitz
Anthony Horowitz
A Lovereading4kids 'Great Read' you may have missed 2011 selection. This gripping final mission brings together Alex Rider's old enemies to frame the teenage superspy in an unstoppable plot of revenge, from which he can never return. Pursued from Europe to...
Featured in: 11+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Books of the Month
Format: Paperback - Released: 31/03/2011
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Anthony Horowitz
A World Book Day 'Recommended Read' for 2011 The long-awaited graphic-novel adaptation of the No. 1 bestseller Raven's Gate, from the creator of Alex Rider, Anthony Horowitz. A sinister and incredibly atmospheric story of the supernatural; first of five in the...
Featured in: 11+ readers | 9+ readers
Format: Paperback - Released: 02/08/2010
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Anthony Horowitz
As exciting as ever with even more action and suspense, boy hero Alex Rider is back for his eighth spectacular adventure. When Alex finds himself in great danger he turns to MI6 for protection. They are willing to help –...
Featured in: 11+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Audio Books
Format: Paperback - Released: 07/06/2010
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Anthony Horowitz
Bestselling author Anthony Horowitz retells some of his favourite myths and legends from around the world with his hallmark vigour and energy. This one is Beasts and Monsters and the second one is Battles and Quests. He has put...
Featured in: 9+ readers | Audio Books | Ebooks
Format: Paperback - Released: 07/05/2010
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Anthony Horowitz
Bestselling author Anthony Horowitz retells some of his favourite myths and legends from around the world with his hallmark vigour and energy. This one is Battles and Quests and the second one is Beasts and Monsters. He has put...
Featured in: 9+ readers | Ebooks
Format: Paperback - Released: 07/05/2010
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Anthony Horowitz
As exciting as ever with even more action and suspense, boy hero Alex Rider is back for his eighth spectacular adventure. When Alex finds himself in great danger he turns to MI6 for protection. They are willing to help –...
Featured in: 11+ readers | Audio Books
Format: Hardback - Released: 12/11/2009
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Anthony Horowitz
Yet again Anthony Horowitz has come up trumps with an edge-of-the-seat thriller with some brilliantly spun twists that will keep you guessing right up to the very end. The female protagonist is brilliantly portrayed - the first time, we think Horowitz has led...
Featured in: 11+ readers
Format: Paperback - Released: 04/05/2009
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Anthony Horowitz
Yet again Anthony Horowitz has come up trumps with an edge-of-the-seat thriller with some brilliantly spun twists that will keep you guessing right up to the very end. The female protagonist is brilliantly portrayed - the first time, we think...
Featured in: 11+ readers | Audio Books | Books of the Month
Format: Hardback - Released: 30/10/2008
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Anthony Horowitz
Undercover in a poisonous world, teen spy Alex Rider is back for another adrenalin rush adventure that will have all addicts of high-octane action and adventure clamouring for it. Guaranteed to enthral. Why not also check out the audio...
Featured in: 11+ readers | 9+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Audio Books
Format: Paperback - Released: 10/04/2008
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Anthony Horowitz
Undercover in a poisonous world, teen spy Alex Rider is back for another adrenalin rush adventure that will have all addicts of high-octane action and adventure clamouring for it. Guaranteed to enthral.
Featured in: 11+ readers | Audio Books
Format: Hardback - Released: 31/10/2007
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Anthony Horowitz
The CD audio version of the undercover in a poisonous world, teen spy Alex Rider is back for another adrenalin rush adventure that will have all addicts of high-octane action and adventure clamouring for it. Guaranteed to enthral. Shortlisted for the...
Featured in: 11+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Audio Books
Format: Cd-audio - Released: 31/10/2007
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Anthony Horowitz
When a dwarf comes into the office and leaves a package, Tim Diamond, the world's worst private dick, is faced with his toughest case yet. The office is ransacked and the package is found to contain simply a box of...
Featured in: 11+ readers | Audio Books | Ebooks
Format: Paperback - Released: 05/03/2007
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Anthony Horowitz
Contains fold-out blueprints of the gadgets used by the teen superspy in Anthony Horowitz's series. This work includes information from the first six books and technical specifications of the gadgets used in the series, as well as classified memos and...
Featured in: 9+ readers
Format: Paperback - Released: 05/06/2006
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Anthony Horowitz
Matt Freeman wears a hoodie, has an ASBO and finds life tough. But he also has telepathic powers and a destiny which he needs to fulfil. He has already defeated the evil and malevolent Old Ones once at Raven’s Gate...
Featured in: 11+ readers | Audio Books | Books for Boys
Format: Paperback - Released: 03/04/2006
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Anthony Horowitz
Ever since Anthony Horowitz introduced his boy hero Alex Rider in Stormbreaker he has had a series of sure fire winners on his hands. With the panache of James Bond restrained only by his age, Alex Rider acting as a...
Featured in: 11+ readers | 9+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Audio Books
Format: Paperback - Released: 01/04/2005
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Anthony Horowitz
A fabulous story that crackles with suspense and daring and shows that a bit of cheek will take you a very long way. Alex Rider is fourteen when his whole world is turned upside down. Already an orphan, his guardian...
Featured in: 11+ readers | 9+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Audio Books | Bookshelf Essentials | Reluctant Readers
Format: Paperback - Released: 01/04/2005
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Anthony Horowitz
High in the Alps, death waits for Alex Rider. Investigations into the 'accidental' deaths of two of the world's most powerful men have revealed just one link: both had a son attending Point Blanc Academy, the exclusive school for rebellious...
Featured in: 11+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Audio Books
Format: Paperback - Released: 01/04/2005
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Anthony Horowitz
The fifth revelation-packed mission in the Alex Rider series. Still reeling from the terrible discovery he has made about his father, teenage MI6 superspy, Alex Rider, is determined to find out more. Travelling to Italy, he manages to infiltrate the...
Featured in: 11+ readers | 9+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Audio Books
Format: Paperback - Released: 01/04/2005
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Anthony Horowitz
Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Best Book of the Decade. More edge of your seat thrilling action from one of the masters of suspense in children’s fiction. Super spy Alex Rider is in deep water again as he is enlisted by...
Featured in: 11+ readers | 9+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Audio Books
Format: Paperback - Released: 01/04/2005
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Anthony Horowitz
Reluctant teenage super sleuth Alex Rider fights clever and ingenious villains and meets plenty of pretty girls whilst trying to decode a secret operation of a madman named Gregorovich. Every chapter is left on a knife edge, perfect for reading...
Featured in: 11+ readers | 9+ readers | Alex Rider Series | Audio Books
Format: Paperback - Released: 01/04/2005
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