John Farndon
John Farndon is a British writer of books, plays and music. He is best known as a writer of, and contributor to, science books for children.
Biography
Farndon studied Earth sciences and English literature at Jesus College, Cambridge University. He is a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund at Anglia Ruskin University.Farndon was described by the Royal Literary Fund as "a writer of non-fiction books, and a playwright, lyricist, composer and literary translator. Spurred by intense intellectual curiosity, his interests range widely and he writes on topics from chemistry to China."
In 2014 the Daily Telegraph reviewed Farndon's book for 'would be' Oxbridge students, Do You Still Think You’re Clever?, where he explains how to tackle the toughest “unanswerable” question and win a university place.
According to the Royal Literary Fund, Farndon has been shortlisted a record four times for the junior Science Book prize.
Farndon was the Chairman of Eurasian Creative Guild.
Publications
His titles include:How the Earth Works, Dorling Kindersley . Shortlisted for the Rhone-Poulenc Prizes for Science Books - Junior PrizeWhat Happens When?, Scholastic Corporation,. Shortlisted for the Rhone-Poulenc Prizes for Science Books - Junior PrizePocket Encyclopedia,, Dorling KindersleyThe Kingfisher First Animal Encyclopedia, Contributor, Published by Kingfisher Publications, 1000 Things You Should Know About Geography,, Miles Kelly PublishingInvestigate: Human Body,, Parragon Plus, 4000 Things You Should Know,, Miles Kelly Publishing, Children's Encyclopedia,, HarperCollins Children's Books4000 More Things You Should Know,, Miles Kelly Publishing, The Complete Book of the Brain, Hodder Wayland,. Short listed for the 'Aventis Prizes for Science Books - Junior Prize'.Big Book of the Brain,, Hodder WaylandScience Experiment series;, published by Benchmark Publications- * Color;
- * Electricity;
- * Light and Optics;
- * Sound and Hearing;
- * Water;
- * Gravity,
- * Weight and Balance;
- * Flight; Awarded the 'Best Books for Children' & 'Editors' Choice' by American Association for the Advancement of Science - 'AAAS Science, Books and Films'
- * The Human Body; Awarded the 'Best Books for Children' by American Association for the Advancement of Science - 'AAAS Science, Books and Films'
- * Levers, Wheels, and Pulleys;
- * Magnetism;
- * Solids, Liquids, and Gases;
- * Chemicals;
- * Motion;
- * Rocks and Minerals;
- * Time;
- * BuoyancyThe Big Book of Knowledge,, co-authored with Angela Koo, Parragon, 1000 Facts on Human Body,, Miles Kelly Publishing, 1000 Things You Should Know About World Geography, Miles Kelly Publishing, Space Bird Flu, Everything You Should Know, published by The Disinformation Company,Science Investigations: Electricity, Hodder Wayland. Shortlisted for Royal Society / Committee on Public Understanding of Science (CoPUS) Science Book prize.Do Not Open: An encyclopedia of the world's best-kept secrets published by Dorling KindersleyGreat Scientists: from Euclid to Stephen Hawking,, The Complete Guide to Minerals, Rocks and Fossils of the World,, Co-author with Steve Parker, Lorenz Educational Press, The World's Greatest Idea,, Icon Books, Do You Think You're Clever?: The Oxford and Cambridge Questions,, Co-author with Libby Purves. Icon Books,. Short-listed for the 'Society of Authors Education Award'.The Story of Science and Technology ,, Published by Rosen Publishing, What do We Know About Stars and Galaxies,, Raintree Publishing, SBN13 9781410941862Atlas of Oceans, on endangered life in the oceans. Published by Yale University Press in the USA, A & C Black in the UK, Australian Geographic in Australia. Listed by The Globe and Mail as a 2011 top ten science book.Atlas of Oceans: An Ecological Survey of Underwater Life,, Yale University Press, Atlas of Oceans: A Fascinating Hidden World,, Thomas Reed Publications, Oil,, Dorling Kindersley, Discover the Extreme World, Camilla de la Bedoyere, Clive Gifford, John Farndon, Steve Parker, Stewart Ross and Philip Steele, Miles Kelly Publishing,. Sh* Atlas of Oceans, on endangered life in the oceans. Published by Yale University Press in the USA, A & C Black in the UK, Australian Geographic in Australia. Listed by The Globe and Mail as a 2011 top ten science book. Shortlisted for the Blue Peter Book Award for the 'Best Book with Facts'.Super Bright Baby: 50 Things You Really Need to Know,, Quercus, Do You Still Think You're Clever?: The Oxford and Cambridge Questions,, Icon Books, Do You Still Think You're Clever?: Even More Oxford and Cambridge Questions!, Icon Books, The Illustrated Wildlife Encyclopedia: Bugs & Minibeasts: Beetles, Bugs, Butterflies, Moths, Insects, Spiders, contributory author with Barbara Taylor and Jen GreenStuff You Need to Know,, co-author with Rob Beattie, Firefly Books, Project Body, Miles Kelly Publishing Toy edition,. Short listed for 2016 Royal Society's young people's prize.Stuff You Should Know, QED Publishing, The Illustrated Guide to Rocks & Minerals: How to Find, Identify and Collect the World’s Most Fascinating Specimens,, Southwater; So, You Think You're Clever?, Icon Books, The Omnipaedia: Learn Everything you Need to in a Year, Square Peg Publishing,
Awards
Books
- Royal Society/Committee on Public Understanding of Science - Science Book prize shortlist: How the Earth Works
- Royal Society/Committee on Public Understanding of Science - Science Book prize shortlist: What Happens When
- Royal Society/Committee on Public Understanding of Science - Science Book prize shortlist: Investigations: Electricity
- Royal Society/Committee on Public Understanding of Science - Science Book prize shortlist: Big Book of the Brain
- Royal Society/Committee on Public Understanding of Science - Science Book prize shortlist - 2016: ''Project Body''
Plays
- Academia Rossica Russian translation prize shortlist: The Naked Guest plus ''Pushkin poems''