A woman from Huddersfield who made a new life in Dubai 40 years ago has won a prestigious award for her latest children’s novel.
Huddersfield-born Julia Johnson moved to the United Arab Emirates with husband Brian in 1975 to work as a teacher. She has since carved out a career as an award-winning author.
Julia, whose father-in-law Ted Austen Johnson lives in Birkby, won an award at the prestigious Sharjah International Book Fair Awards.
The Turtle Secret won Best International Children’s Book. The story tells of 10-year-old Emirati girl Hessa who has a passion for the sea and the environment and wants to be a marine biologist when she grows up.
Also honoured at the awards – presented by ruler of Sharjah His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhamad Al-Qasimi – was best-selling American novelist David Baldacci and former pop star Cat Stevens, who became Yusuf Islam when he converted to Islam.
Baldacci’s novel The Finisher was Best International Fiction Book while Islam’s autobiography Why I still Carry a Guitar won Best Foreign Book.
Mum-of-two Julia, 62, lived in Blackley and attended Waverley School in Huddersfield before moving to Worcestershire with her family.
Architect Brian, now 65, later set up his own firm Godwin Austen Johnson Architects (GAJ) and remains managing partner.
The firm, which employs 200 people, has carried out many high-profile developments in Dubai including the stunning $105 million five star Arabian Court hotel commissioned by Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai.
The couple, who have two children and three grandchildren, came back to the UK in 1989 but returned to Dubai in 2001.
They still live in Dubai but have a converted watermill home in Worcestershire.
Julia has now written more than a dozen children’s stories focusing on the rich and colourful heritage of the Arabian Gulf.
She became a familiar face on TV reading children’s stories on Dubai Channel 33.
She now travels the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia giving talks and workshops for students and teachers.
Her latest book The Goat That Wanted to Fly is out on March 1.
