About Francesca
Francesca Simon spent her childhood on the beach in California and started writing stories at the age of eight. She has since written over 60 books, and wrote her first Horrid Henry book in 1994. Horrid Henry has gone on to conquer the globe; his adventures are published in 27 languages and have sold millions of copies worldwide. In 2009, in one of the proudest moments of her career, Francesca was awarded a Gold Blue Peter badge. Her opera with composer Gavin Higgins, THE MONSTROUS CHILD, based on her novel, premiered at the Royal Opera House in 2019. Her cantata THE FAERIE BRIDE, also with Gavin Higgins, premiered at the Aldeburgh Music Festival in 2022. She was appointed MBE in the 2023 New Year Honours. Francesca is also a passionate ambassador for children’s literacy, a 500 Words judge, and is a former trustee of the World Book Day charity.
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