Catherine Johnson
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Catherine Johnson was born in 1962 when mixed race families where still considered unusual. Both good storytellers, her father was from Jamaica and her mother was Welsh. Johnson enjoyed her Primary School years and would have liked to have become a writer back then. Her Secondary School years at a very old fashioned girls’ school, however, ‘squashed’ all her creativity out of her. Catherine went to St. Martin’s Art College in London where she studied film.With the arrival of her children came her interest in teenage fiction.
Catherine Johnson is highly involved in the writing world. She has been writer in residence in schools and in Holloway Prison, Royal Literary Fund Writing Fellow at the London Institute, she mentors writers all over Africa for the British Council and she has run writing groups for teenagers in London and she was a judge for Booktrust’s Teenage fiction prize in 2003.
Catherine Johnson is also involved in the film world. She took on the challenge to co-write the screenplay for the feature film ‘Bullet Boy’ filmed in Hackney.
Catherine’s fascination with London mirror’s her interest in different cultures and countries:
‘I like the 24hour hot bagel shop and the Turkish restaurants in Dalston, my son loves Jamaican fried dumplings and I like the Portuguese restaurants in Stockwell. It’s the mix up that’s good, old and new Cornelissens art shop that sells dragon blood in a jar and The Algerian Coffee shop in Old Compton Street. The City farms, my local, Hackney, of course and Hampstead Heath and Epping Forest.’
Book List
Novels
A Nest of Vipers: Mother Hopkins’ family is a gang of fraudsters and pickpockets ready to teach Captain Walker, a proud and cruel slave captain, a lesson or two…
The Dying Game is a gripping and powerfully written thriller in which Shelana, a Bangladeshi Londoner with problems of her own, discovers a dying prostitute on her estate. Shelana grapples with relationships, honesty and her secret wish to go to University.
Arctic Hero is the incredible story of Matthew Henson, the African-American explorer who was written out of history - despite being one of the first to reach the North Pole. A fascinating life, a great adventure and a compelling story of prejudice.
Face Value is a story set in East London across two generations. Paula and Ness are two girls from different backgrounds who become unlikely friends when Paula becomes sucked into the dangers of the modelling scene and Lauren, a mixed race girl, is discovered by a modelling agent on a school trip.
Stella is the story about a mixed-race stage clairvoyant in Victorian London. Nominated for The Lancashire children’s book of the year award
Nominated for the City of Portsmouth book award
Shortlisted for the Hampshire Book Award
Hero, simultaneously published with Stella, is rich with authentic period detail and atmosphere with a delightfully spirited heroine, Hero, ‘the toughest girl in London’. When Hero’s father is taken away to be sent back to the slave plantation, Hero escapes to rescue him. Nominated for the Lancashire Children’s Book of the year award
In Black and White Stefanie lives on a run-down council estate in the East End of London with her seriously depressed mother. Only her interest in photography keep her going. Then there is a racist attack in which her boyfriend may have been involved. She finds her loyalties divided and has some difficult choices to make.
Landlocked is the story of Iestyn and the problems of growing up, leaving school and falling in love. With leaving school he now has to decide about his future. The problems of growing up are dealt with from the boy’s point of view.
Shortlisted for the Tir N’an Og award
An IBBY White Raven for 2000
Other Colours: Louise’s father dies and her mum and stepfather take her to live in Wales with them. The loneliness and lack of understanding she experiences drive her away to London where she discovers herself and the career she wants to pursue.
Sophie’s Ghost: Sophie’s new home is a modern blue bungalow in a tiny village in Wales. It’s a long way from London and her friends, and a long way from Dad. Suddenly, Sophie starts hearing ‘breathing’ at night and a ghost appears. The last thing Sophie needs is to be haunted…
The Last Welsh Summer: Suki and her cousin Nia travel to North Wales for their traditional summer holiday. However, having grown into teenagers and struggling with identity crises, both girls would much rather be elsewhere.
Cuts Deep: Devon is heading for trouble. He and his mates jack stuff from other kids. Then Devon meets
Savannah and everything changes. He starts to change…
