Kevin Sands is a Canadian children's author from Ontario.
Sands began his career teaching math and physics to high school students. He published his debut novel, The Blackthorn Key, with Simon & Schuster in 2015.* This began a series followed by a Mark of the Plague (2016),* The Assassin's Curse (2017), Call of the Wraith (2018), The Traitor's Blade (2022), and The Raven's Revenge (2024). This book series takes place in 17th-century England/Europe. The main character is Christopher Rowe, and his friends are Tom Bailey and Sally Deschamps. Together, they solve mysteries and stop malicious plots against their king, King Charles II.
Following The Blackthorn Key series, Sands began the Thieves of Shadow series, including Children of the Fox (2021),* Seekers of the Fox (2022), and Champions of the Fox (2023).* The Chicago Public Library and CBC Books included Children of the Fox on their lists of the best books of 2021.
Awards The Blackthorn Key (2015), Mark of the Plague (2016), The Assassin's Curse (2017), and Call of the Wraith (2018) are Junior Library Guild books. The Chicago Public Library, and Kirkus Reviews named The Blackthorn Key among the best middle grade books of 2015. The following year, Bank Street College of Education included it on their list of the best historical fiction for children ages 9 to 12, and the Association for Library Service to Children included on their list of Notable Children's Books for Middle Readers. Bank Street College of Education also included Mark of the Plague on their 2017 list of the best historical fiction for children ages 9 to 12.
The Chicago Public Library and CBC Books included Children of the Fox on their lists of the best books of 2021.
+Awards for Sands's writingYearWorkAwardResult2015Cybils Award for Middle Grade FictionWinner2016Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence: Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime BookFinalistE. B. White Read Aloud Award for Middle ReadersHonorEdgar Allan Poe Award for Best JuvenileFinalistJohn Spray Mystery AwardWinnerViolet Downey Book AwardFinalist2017Silver Birch AwardFinalistMark of the PlagueGeoffrey Bilson AwardWinner2018The Assassin’s CurseEdgar Allan Poe Award for Best JuvenileFinalistGeoffrey Bilson AwardWinnerJohn Spray Mystery AwardFinalist2019Call of the WraithCrime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence: Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime BookFinalistJohn Spray Mystery AwardFinalist2020Forest of Reading Red Maple AwardFinalist2022Children of the FoxRuth & Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award for Young Adult/Middle ReadersFinalistCrime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence: Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime BookWinner2024Seekers of the FoxForest of Reading Red Maple AwardFinalistRuth & Sylvia Schwartz Children's Book Award for Young Adult/Middle ReadersWinnerChampions of the FoxCrime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence: Best Juvenile or Young Adult Crime BookFinalist
Publications
The Blackthorn Key series
Thieves of Shadow series
References
External links