Saviour Pirotta

Saviour Pirotta, born in 1958, is a Maltese-born British author of bestselling historical fiction, myths, legends and fairy tales as well as picture books and educational books for children. He is a storyteller at heart whose vivid retellings of myths and history transport young readers across time, from the Stone Age to Ancient Greece, with cinematic flair inspired by C.S. Lewis and animator Ray Harryhausen.

After moving to England in 1981, he cut his teeth as a storyteller for the Commonwealth Institute and then ventured into picture books, multicultural non-fiction on pirates and festivals, and even early-years science under the pen name Sam Godwin. His 1995 title Pirates and Treasure broke new ground, while A Seed in Need earned him the 1998 English Association Award for best non-fiction picture book.

Pirotta’s bestselling The Orchard Book of First Greek Myths and his adaptation of the Russian folktale Firebird have captivated readers from the UK to South Korea. His Ancient Greek Mysteries detective series for Bloomsbury weaves classical lore into page-turning whodunnits. In 2024, his family musical Miti Miti, born from the Greek myths collection, debuted in Malta to rave reviews before setting off on a European tour.

Now settled in Driffield, East Riding of Yorkshire, he continues to conjure tales that blend historical curiosity with whimsical adventure. Away from the page, he delights in school visits, cats, vintage china and afternoon tea, proof that inspiration can strike anywhere. Perfect for young page turners, his books invite every child to discover that history and myth are the greatest playgrounds of all.

THE STONE AGE

The Wolf Song series:
The Stolen Spear (2019)
The Whispering Stones (2020)
The Mysterious Island (2021)
The Wolf’s Song (2022)

Shadowcave (2017)

ANCIENT GREECE

An Ancient Greece Mystery (Flashbacks) series:
Mark of the Cyclops (2017)
Secret of the Oracle (2017)
Pirates of Poseidon (2018)
Shadows of the Centaurs (2018)

My Cousin the Minotaur (2016)
Pandora’s Box (2020)
Earth Shaker (2022)

ANCIENT EGYPT

The Nile Adventures series:
The Heart Scarab (2022)
The Crocodile Cure (2023)
The Jackal’s Graveyard (2023)
The Serpent’s Eclipse (2024)

THE ISLAMIC GOLDEN AGE

The Golden Horsemen of Baghdad (2019)

Young Readers

The Friendly Pirates (2019)
Samira’s Wish (2020)

Educational

Dinner with a Pirate (2012)
The Dolphin King (2012)

Others

Turtle Bay (1997)
The Warrior Princess (2017)
The River Queen (2018)
The River King (2018)
The River Prince (2019)
Crash Landing (2024)

Gift Books

Ballet Stories (2016)