Rosalind Kerven has written over 50 children's books for many leading publishers, with co-editions and translations in 20 countries.

She is currently working on a major, seven-part children’s fiction series, GRIM GRUESOME Viking Villain. The first two titles, The Cursed Sword and The Queen’s Poison are making big waves in the children’s book world. They have been highly acclaimed by The Times (“just the thing for...readers...who want Dahl-style jokes and adventure”), widely recommended in the educational press, and greatly enjoyed by young readers (“truly thrilling...adventurous, exciting and action packed” - York Children’s Book Group). The Cursed Sword is on the shortlist for the 2009 John Lewis Solihull Children’s Book Award. Rosalind is publishing the series with an innovative, ‘author-led publishing team’ under her own Talking Stone imprint. Do please visit www.grimgruesome.com to find out more about the books.

Her other most successful children's novels are Who Ever Heard of a Vegetarian Fox? (Puffin) which was shortlisted for the FCBG Children's Book Award, won a major award in Japan, was also translated into Dutch and Afrikaans and sold over 100,000 copies world-wide; and The Sea is Singing (Puffin) which was a TES `Book of the Year' and was dramatised several times on BBC Radio.

Rosalind has a specialist knowledge of world myths, legends and folk tales. Her most recent collection in this genre is English Fairy Tales and Legends (Anova for the National Trust), which has crossover adult and child appeal. Her retelling of King Arthur (Dorling Kindersley) was recommended by the American Library Association and has sold nearly ¼ million copies in the USA, Argentina, Brazil, Denmark, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Korea, Mexico, Norway and Portugal as well as the UK. Aladdin and other Tales from the Arabian Nights (Dorling Kindersley) has enjoyed similar success in many countries. Earth Magic, Sky Magic (Native American stories), In the Court of the Jade Emperor (stories from old China) and The Rain Forest Story Book, all published by Cambridge University Press, were highly acclaimed by reviewers. The Woman who went to Fairyland (Blackie) was shortlisted for the FCBG Children's Book Award, and The Fairy Spotter's Handbook (Frances Lincoln) was one of that publisher's most successful titles for Christmas 2003. The Secret World of Magic is on the School Library Association’s ‘Boys into Books’ list. She was commissioned to write The Giant King (Norse myths) and Enchanted Kingdoms (Celtic myths) for the British Museum; and the souvenir book for a major British Library exhibition, The Mythical Quest. Her retellings feature in many school literacy schemes published by Oxford University Press, Cambridge University Press, Ginn, Heinemann, Rigby and Scholastic.

She has written several non-fiction titles on subjects as diverse as animal rights, multi-cultural festivals and the Vikings; and also the text for the BBC Education Online website, www.bbc.co.uk/education/vikings.

Rosalind’s publishing house, Talking Stone, is named after a Native American myth about the origin of stories. Its list also includes Traditional Stories: A Practical Guide for people sharing books with children, which was highly acclaimed in the educational press, and Northumberland Folk Tales which quickly established itself as a best seller in the regional tourist market.

Rosalind is also an accomplished story teller, and her oral versions of the Grim Gruesome books enthrall schools, libraries, bookshops and festivals throughout the UK. She has visited numerous North-East primary schools, as well as major local venues such as Alnwick Garden and Seven Stories. For many years she has been the Children's Books Reviewer for The Northern Echo. She is currently the representative local children’s author for the new North-East Children’s Books Trail in connection with One North-East and Seven Stories.

Rosalind grew up in London and has a degree in social anthropology from Hull University. She has lived in the Northumberland National Park since 1982. Do feel free to contact her at roskerven@hotmail.com.