Gillian Cross

Gillian Cross is at the forefront of contemporary children's novelists. When it comes to weaving an unforgettable story, few can rival her - whether the genre is adventure, thriller, comedy or science-fiction.

She studied English Literature at Oxford and Sussex Universities before becoming a full time writer. Gillian has won several major literary awards, including the Whitbread Children’s Book Award, the Smarties Prize and the Carnegie Medal – and is best-known for her Demon Headmaster novels and the hugely successful BBC TV series of the same name.

Gillian, who lives near Coventry, is currently working with Cord to produce an education pack based on our work with Sudanese refugee children in Chad.

‘When I heard about Cord's work with Sudanese refugees in Chad, I was struck by the energy and optimism of the projects and the ways in which people in the refugee camps were being empowered to improve their own lives,’says Gillian. ‘It was moving to see children being taught in large classes, in the open air – and to hear how small things like buckets and skipping ropes can make a real difference to those classes. Practical details like that bring a situation to life and help us to understand how other people live.’

‘Writing about real situations is a way of understanding them even better. So I'm delighted to be working with Cord on an information pack for Key Stage 2 pupils in this country.’

‘The pack will provide teachers with lots of stories and practical information about the lives of refugee children in Chad. It will also contain a range of ideas for using these as a basis for a variety of different kinds of writing, in line with the Literacy Strategy.’

‘I hope the pack will promote good writing and encourage children in this country to understand more about their counterparts in Chad - and maybe also result in some fund-raising for those small things like buckets and skipping ropes which can make a real difference.’