History of Warts: Ditherus Wart: (accidental) Gladiator

About Alan Macdonald

Alan was born in Watford and went to university in Bangor, North Wales, where he studied English and Drama. He started working life in a travelling theatre company, visiting schools all over the country & writing much of their material. He says it was a useful apprenticeship - if the audience didn't like the play, they talked through it or threw bits of paper at the actors. He very quickly learned what children liked.

Alan later trained as a drama teacher at Nottingham University, but most of his work in connection with the theatre has been as a writer or director. Other jobs have included working as an editor and working in a day centre.

A keen football fan, Alan has supported Watford FC since childhood. Many of his stories have a football focus - which he rates as the next best thing to playing for England! He dreamed of becoming a professional footballer, but when he won a pen in a writing competition, his fate was sealed. Alan has written over eighty children's books, which have been translated into many languages and won several awards.

In 2010, Dirty Bertie: Loo! was winner of the Leicestershire Children's Book Prize. Alan also writes for TV, including the hugely popular 'Horrid Henry' on CITV.

The Dirty Bertie series by Alan Macdonald is immensely popular, particularly with boys! We recently received this from one massive fan:

"The books are amazing and very imaginative...I love your books like Pants, Mud, Fleas and Worms and will continue to read lots." Abdullah D