Kjartan Poskitt (born 15 May 1956 in York) is a British writer and TV presenter who is best known for writing the Murderous Maths children's series of books. [1]
Kjartan Poskitt (born 15 May 1956 in York) is a British writer and TV presenter who is best known for writing the Murderous Maths children's series of books. [1]
Poskitt was born in York, England, grew up in Selby, Yorkshire [2] and was educated at the Selby Abbey School, [2] at Terrington Hall, North Yorkshire, [3] and at Bootham School, York, [4] before studying engineering at Collingwood College, Durham University. [2]
Poskitt was a member of a comedy group while at Durham University, and toured with it to the US in 1979, playing the piano and singing, performing skits and doing a ventriloquist act with a dummy which wouldn't speak. [5] He participated in the National Student Drama Festival from 1976-1980, [6] and also performed solo at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from 1979 [7] to 1981. [2] [8] He was a member of the pop group Candlewick Green in the early 1980s. [9]
He has written and directed a number of pantomimes performed by the National Student Theatre Company, including Jack and the Beanstalk (1979), [7] The Sleeping Beauty (1980), [10] Cinderella (1981), Jack and the Beanstalk (1983), [11] as well as a nativity play, The Road to Bethlehem (1980), [12] and a "musical ghost pantomime", Sammy's Magic Garden (1985).
Early children's television appearances included Swap Shop during its Edinburgh Festival broadcasts, [2] and ITV Yorkshire's Behind the Bike Sheds. [6]
In addition to his science and maths books, which include books on Isaac Newton (Dead Famous: Isaac Newton and his Apple), and various galaxy puzzles, practical jokes and secret codes, Poskitt has written a book of magical tricks (Magic Tricks with Underpants, Scholastic 2004), [13] a GCSE Maths support book and four Rosie and Jim annuals. In 2007, Poskitt published the first in a series of children's novels called Urgum the Axeman. [14] Since then he has written the "Borgon the Axeboy" series and the award winning "Agatha Parrot" series. [15] [16]
He also wrote the theme tune for the children's art program SMart , as well as the title theme and music for the first two series of Brum . He is also the creator of a logic puzzle, Kjarposko. [14]
He has been a presenter for a number of (mostly BBC) educational children's TV shows. [14]
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