Rachel Rooney

Rachel Rooney was born in London, the fifth of six children and now lives in Brighton, Sussex. She works as a special needs teacher, along with visiting schools for poetry workshops.

Her first collection of poems for older children The Language of Cat was the 2011 Poetry Book Society children’s choice. It also won the 2012 CLPE Poetry Award and was long listed for the Carnegie Medal. Her first rhyming picture book, A Patch of Black was published by Macmillan Children’s Books in September 2012, followed by her poetry collection My Life As A Goldfish with Frances Lincoln in October 2014. Rachel has written a new version of Sleeping Beauty for young emerging readers which was published in September 2015 in the Big Cat Reading Scheme collection with Collins. Her latest poetry collection A Kid in my Class is illustrated by Chris Riddell and is published by Otter-Barry Books.

  • 2012 CLPE Poetry Award

Praise for The Language of Cat

Rachel Rooney's poetry collection for children is a well-crafted, stimulating and un-patronising box of delights, always accessible and constantly inventive.

Carol Ann Duffy

Did you know…

  • Rachel has 4 sisters and one brother. She says:

    “When I was young, everything was divided into 6. I always wanted to be an only child because then I'd have more toys, food and adult attention and, best of all, a bedroom to myself. But even though we all fought a lot we also had lots of fun. And if I fell out with one sibling there was always another one around to play with.”

  • Rachel’s heroine is Helen Keller. She says:

    “I've been interested in her since I was a child. She was a woman born in the 1800's who, despite being both deaf and blind, became a writer and a political activist. She was an amazingly intelligent woman who learned and communicated all through touch.”

  • Rachel’s perfect day would involve writing, walking the dogs and talking with friends by an open fire.

Find out more on Rachel Rooney's website

Publishers' websites

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