Julian Sedgwick

Julian Sedgwick is an award-winning author of books for young people, with a lifelong interest in visual storytelling, and the culture and folklore of Japan.

On the way to realising his childhood ambition to be a writer, Julian read Oriental Studies and Philosophy at Cambridge, before working as a bookseller, script developer and researcher for film and TV, and therapist.

His books have been shortlisted for numerous awards: Dark Satanic Mills – a graphic novel written with his brother, Marcus, and illustrated by John Higgins and Marc Olivent – was shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway Medal in 2015. The brothers’ illustrated novel - Voyages in the Underworld of Orpheus Black – was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in 2020, as was part manga, part prose hybrid novel Tsunami Girl in 2022.

100 Tales from the Tokyo Ghost Café was nominated for the 2025 Carnegie Medal for both writing and illustration, the latter recognising Chie Kutsuwada’s wonderful manga work.

Julian still combines writing and school and adult education visits with his long-term work as a therapist. Repeated trips to Tohoku, Northern Japan, have led to deep connections and friendships that continue to inspire his writing. In any spare time, he works hard to improve his Japanese, draws a lot – and waits for the weather to get cold enough to go Fen skating.