Kenneth Oppel is a renowned Canadian children's writer born on August 31, 1967, in Port Alberni, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. He spent much of his childhood in Victoria, B.C., and Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the opposite coast.

At the age of 14, while attending St. Michaels University School in Victoria, he penned his first book, Colin's Fantastic Video Adventure (1985). This work was completed during his secondary school years alongside future stars like Andrew Sabiston and Leslie Hope. The manuscript reached the legendary author Roald Dahl through a family friend, and Dahl, impressed by it, recommended it to his literary agent. The book saw publication in Canada, the United States, and eventually, France.

Kenneth pursued higher education at Trinity College, University of Toronto, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Cinematography and English. His second book, Live Forever-Machine (1992), was crafted during his final year as part of a creative writing course.

Following his marriage, Kenneth moved to Oxford, England, where his wife pursued doctoral studies on Shakespeare. During this period, Kenneth authored several more books, often inspired by his work reviewing student assignments. He also served as an editor for the Canadian literary magazine Quill and Quire from 1995 to 1996.

Among Kenneth's most celebrated works is the Silverwing series, which has sold over a million copies, and the novel Airborn, which earned him the Governor General's Award for children's literature in 2004 and the Michael L. Printz Honor Book award from the American Library Association.

Today, Kenneth Oppel resides in Toronto, Ontario, with his wife Felipa Sheppard and their three children, Sofia, Nate, and Julia.