I grew up in Nottingham, studied for a languages degree in Bristol, and somewhere along the line did lots of travel, from Glasgow to Easter Island, London to Tahiti, Belfast to Buenos Aires . . . I finally landed with husband, children and dog in north Essex (near Cambridge) where I have slowly learned to love the big skies and changing seasons. I like reading and writing stories (books and films), wild swimming and walking (in cities and the countryside). I still like to travel.

I write stories for children because, for me, growing up was a time when reading was magical. I try to create worlds that I think ten-year-old me would have loved – adventures with magic and animals (preferably ones you can talk to) and lots of camping. Among my favourite books when I was young were Swallows and Amazons, The Faraway Tree and Tarka the Otter. 

In my writing for children, I hope to broaden horizons and engage with our changing world. I want to encourage children to develop tools of self-understanding, resilience and hope – something which is my own work-in-progress too. 

Antonia is a member of the Climate Fiction Writers League