Seven million copies of the How to Train Your Dragon series had been sold globally by 2015. This body of work, adapted into a media franchise by DreamWorks Animation, cemented the position of the London-born author in contemporary literature. Her narrative style emerged from a childhood spent largely without television or telephone on an uninhabited Scottish island.
Formative Years and Education
Born on 15 April 1966, Cressida Cowell is the daughter of Michael Hare, 2nd Viscount Blakenham. Her early life involved alternating between London and the Inner Hebrides. While residing on a remote Scottish island, she developed her skills in writing and illustration. She later read English at Keble College, Oxford, and refined her visual arts capabilities through courses at Saint Martin's School of Art and the University of Brighton.
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The How to Train Your Dragon series remains her most commercially significant project. Beyond her solo writing, she has collaborated with illustrator Neal Layton on the Emily Brown series. The first installment of this collection, That Rabbit Belongs to Emily Brown, earned recognition in the 0-5 years category. Her bibliography also includes The Wizards of Once, which secured a Blue Peter Book Award in the Best Story category in 2018.
Professional Honors and Public Service
Cowell held the position of Children's Laureate from 2019 until 2022. Her contributions to the field of children's literature led to her appointment as a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2020 Birthday Honours. The following year, she received further professional acknowledgment through her election as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. She currently resides in London with her husband, Simon, and their three children.
Fast facts
- Born: 15 April 1966, London
- Education: Marlborough College, Keble College, Saint Martin's School of Art, University of Brighton
- Notable series: How to Train Your Dragon
- Children's Laureate: 2019-2022
- Awards: Nestlé Children's Book Prize (2006), Blue Peter Book Award (2018)
- Professional honors: Member of the Order of the British Empire, Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
Questions readers ask
What inspired the setting of her writing?
She drew from her experiences living on a small, uninhabited island off the west coast of Scotland during her childhood, where she spent significant time drawing and writing.
Did she study illustration professionally?
Yes, she attended both Saint Martin's School of Art and the University of Brighton to learn illustration.
Achievements
- Nestlé Children's Book Prize — 2006
- Member of the Order of the British Empire
- Notable work: How to Train Your Dragon
- Notable work: How to Train Your Dragon
