Robert Atkinson Westall was an English author and teacher known for writing fiction aimed at children and young people. His work frequently explored complex, dark, and adult themes, earning him recognition as "the dean of British war novelists." Westall's debut novel, The Machine Gunners, won the Carnegie Medal in 1975, awarded annually for the year's outstanding children's book by a British subject. The book was later recognized among the top ten Medal-winners at the Medal's 70th anniversary celebration in 2007. Throughout his career, Westall received numerous accolades for his writing, including a second Carnegie Medal, a Smarties Prize, and the Guardian Prize.