Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, North West England, with a population of 500,500 in 2022. The city is part of a broader metropolitan area that is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.24 million. A historic port city, Liverpool lies on the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary adjacent to the Irish Sea. The city was an important part of the Industrial Revolution in Great Britain and a vital hub for trade. The city celebrated its 800th anniversary in 2007 and was named the 2008 European Capital of Culture. Its selection was credited with kickstarting an economic renaissance in the region. The city's modern economy has a significant influence on the knowledge sector, maritime industry, tourism, culture, hospitality, healthcare industry, life sciences, the creative and digital sectors.
Anfield is a football stadium in Anfield, Liverpool, England, which has a seating capacity of 54,074, and is currently under expansion to seat 61,276, which makes it the fifth largest football stadium in England. It has been the home of Liverpool since their formation in 1892. It was originally the home of Everton from 1884 to 1891, before they moved to Goodison Park after a dispute with the club president.
Derek Anthony Hatton is a British former politician, later a broadcaster, property developer and businessman. He gained national prominence as deputy leader of Liverpool City Council in the 1980s and was a member of the Trotskyist Militant group.
Children's Laureate, now known as the Waterstones Children's Laureate, is a prestigious position awarded in the United Kingdom once every two years to a "writer or illustrator of children's books to celebrate outstanding achievement in their field." The role promotes the importance of children’s literature, reading, creativity and storytelling while promoting the right of every child to enjoy a lifetime of books and stories. Each Laureate uses their tenure to focus on an aspect of children’s books – these have included poetry, storytelling, readers with disabilities and illustration.
Frank Cottrell-Boyce is an English screenwriter, novelist and occasional actor, known for his children's fiction and for his collaborations with film director Michael Winterbottom. He has achieved fame as the writer for the 2012 Summer Olympics opening ceremony and for sequels to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car, a children's classic by Ian Fleming.
Charles Hubert Itandje is a retired professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Born in France, Itandje represented the Cameroon national team.
Pleasureland is a 2003 Channel 4 feature-length television drama focusing on a group of teenagers in Liverpool who feel pressured to grow up. Written by Helen Blakeman, directed by Brian Percival and produced by Kudos, the makers of the BBC One espionage series Spooks.
Alan Albert Gibbons is an English writer of children's books and campaigner known for his advocacy of libraries.
Here Lies Arthur is a young-adult novel by Philip Reeve, published by Scholastic in 2007. Set in fifth or sixth century Britain and the Anglo-Saxon invasion, it features a girl who participates in the deliberate construction of legendary King Arthur during the man's lifetime, orchestrated by a bard. Reeve calls it a back-creation: not a genuine historical novel as it is not based on actual specific events; rather it is "back-created" from the legends, giving them a "realistic" origin.
Ingo is a children's novel by English writer Helen Dunmore, published in 2005 and the first of the Ingo pentalogy.
The Tide Knot is a children's novel by English writer Helen Dunmore, published in 2006 and the second of the Ingo tetralogy. It won the Nestlé Children's Book Prize Silver Award and was longlisted for the Carnegie Medal.
The Deep is a children's novel by English writer Helen Dunmore, published in 2007 and the third of the Ingo tetralogy.
The Knife of Never Letting Go is a young-adult science fiction novel written by British-American author Patrick Ness. It was published by Walker Books on 5 May 2008. It is the first book in the Chaos Walking series, followed by The Ask and the Answer and Monsters of Men. The story follows Todd Hewitt, a 12-year-old boy who runs away from Prentisstown, a town where everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts, after learning of a secret about its past.
Jenny Downham is a British novelist and an ex-actress who has published four books.
Patrick Ness FRSL is an American-British author, journalist, lecturer, and screenwriter. Born in the United States, Ness moved to London and holds dual citizenship. He is best known for his books for young adults, including the Chaos Walking trilogy and A Monster Calls.
The Ingo tetralogy is a series of four children's novels, set in Cornwall, by British author Helen Dunmore. The four books are, in chronological order, Ingo, The Tide Knot, The Deep and The Crossing of Ingo. The first book was nominated for the 2008 Booktrust Teenage Prize.
Anthony John McGowan is an English author of books for children, teenagers and adults. He is the winner of the 2020 CILIP Carnegie Medal for Lark.
Helen Grant is an English author of novels for young adults, now based in Crieff, Scotland. She is a 2011 recipient of the Alex Awards.
Eastham Country Park is a country park located in Eastham, Wirral. The park is situated next to the River Mersey and covers an area of 100 acres (40 ha). Facilities at the park include a visitor information centre, tea garden and picnic areas. There are two jetties that were formerly used to ferry people and goods from Wirral to Liverpool with the road leading to the park called 'Ferry Road.'
