Celia Rees is a renowned English author, best known for her works in children's and young adult literature, including some fantasy and horror books. She was born in 1949 in Solihull, West Midlands and attended the University of Warwick where she earned a degree in History of Politics. After her university education, Rees went on to teach English in Coventry secondary schools for seventeen years. It was during this time that she began her writing career.
Rees has written over twenty young adult titles, and her books have been translated into twenty-eight languages. She has been shortlisted for several prestigious awards, including the Guardian, Whitbread (now Costa), and W.H. Smith Children's Book Awards. In addition to her work in young adult literature, Rees has also served as a tutor for the Arvon Foundation and has been involved in the Children's Writers and Illustrators Group and the Society of Authors' Management Committee.
In recent years, Rees has turned her attention to writing for adults. Her first book for adults, "Miss Graham's Cold War Cookbook," was published by HarperCollins in July 2020. This new direction in her writing was inspired by the chance discovery of an old family cookery book, which sparked her interest in researching and writing historical fiction for adults.
Rees is an accomplished and versatile author, who has made a significant contribution to children's and young adult literature, and is now expanding her horizons to include historical fiction for adults. She currently lives in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, with her husband and her Spanish rescue cat, Lyra. Her daughter, Catrin, lives and works in London.