Sophie Masson facts for kids

Sophie Masson AM is a French-Australian fantasy and children's author.

Early life and education

Sophie Masson was born in Indonesia of French parents who are of mixed ancestry (French, Basque, Spanish and Portuguese). Masson, the third in a family of seven children, came to Australia at the age of five and spent most of the rest of her childhood shuttling back and forth between Australia and France.

Career

Her first two novels, one for adults entitled The House in the Rainforest; the second, for children, called Fire in the Sky, were published in Australia in 1990. Having written forty books, for children, young adults and adults, she is now published in the UK, United States, Thailand, France, Indonesia, Poland, Turkey, China, Korea and Germany as well as Australia. Many of her novels are in the fantasy genre, but she has also written realistic fiction, as well as crime, mystery and romance. She has also had many short stories, essays, articles and reviews published, in books, magazines, newspapers and internet journals.

Nominations and awards

• 2011: New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Patricia Wrightson Prize for Children's Literature for The Hunt for Ned Kelly
• 2005: Aurealis Award The YA category for The Hand of Glory
• 2019 Australia Day Honours: made Member of the Order of Australia (AM) for "significant service to literature as an author and publisher, and through roles with industry organisations."
• Aurealis Award for Excellence in Speculative Fiction.