John Wilson was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and grew up on the Isle of Skye and in Paisley, outside Glasgow. He is the author of over twenty fiction and non-fiction books for young adults. His books have been shortlisted for numerous awards, including the Governor General's Literary Award, the Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People, the Sheila Egoff (BC Book) Prize, the Red Maple Award, the Chocolate Lily Award, the Norma Fleck Award, and the Science in Society Book Award.