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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Judy Cornwell to Howard Da Silva
Helen Cresswell Biography (1934-)
Born July 11, 1934, in Nottinghamshire, England; daughter of Joseph Edward (an electrical engineer) and Annie Edna (Clarke) Cresswell; married Brian Rowe(in textiles), April 14, 1962; children: Caroline Jane, Candida Lucy. Addresses: Agent--A. M. Heath and Co. Ltd., 79 St. Martins Lane, London WC2N4DD, England.
- Nationality
- American
- Gender
- Female
- Birth Details
- July 11, 1934
- Nottinghamshire, England
Famous Works
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Writings;Television Plays
- Dick Whittington (for children; based on original fairytale), BBC, 1974.
- For Bethlehem Read Little Thraves, BBC, 1976.
- Lizzie Dripping and the Witch (juvenile), BBC, 1977.
- The Day Posy Bates Made History, BBC, 1977.
- The Secret World of Polly Flint, Central TV (England), 1985.
- Moondial, BBC, 1988.
- (Adaptor) Five Children and It (based on work by Edith Nesbit), BBC, 1991.
- The Return of the Psammead, BBC, 1993.
- (Adaptor) The Demon Headmaster, BBC, 1996.
- (Adaptor) The Demon Headmaster Again, BBC, 1996.
- Also adaptor of six episodes of The Famous Five, ITV.
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Writings; Television Miniseries
- The Haunted School, BBC, 1986, also broadcast by Revcom in France and byABC in Australia, both 1986.
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Writings; Stage Plays
- Lizzie Dripping and the Witch, Unicorn Theatre, London, 1979.
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Writings; Children's Books
- Sonya-by-the-Shore, illustrated by Robbin Jane Wells, Dent, 1960.
- The White Sea Horse, illustrated by Robin Jacques, Oliver and Boyd, 1964,Lippincott (Philadelphia, PA), 1965.
- Pietro and the Mule, illustrated by Maureen Eckersley, Oliver and Boyd, 1965, Bobbs-Merrill (Indianapolis, IN), 1970.
- Where the Wind Blows, illustrated by Peggy Fortnum, Faber, 1966, illustrated by Ati Forberg, Funk (New York City), 1968.
- The Piemakers, illustrated by V. H. Drummond, Faber, 1967, illustrated byWitold T. Mars, Lippincott, 1968, new edition illustrated by Judith G. Brown, Macmillan (New York City), 1980.
- A Day on Big O, illustrated by Shirley Hughes, Benn, 1967, Follet, 1968.
- A Tide for the Captain, illustrated by Jacques, Oliver and Boyd, 1967.
- The Signposters, illustrated by Gareth Floyd, Faber, 1968.
- The Sea Piper, illustrated by Jacques, Oliver and Boyd, 1968.
- Rug Is a Bear, illustrated by Susanna Gretz, Benn, 1968.
- Rug Plays Tricks, illustrated by Gretz, Benn, 1968.
- The Barge Children, illustrated by Lynette Hemmant, Brockhampton Press, 1968.
- The Night-Watchmen, illustrated by Floyd, Macmillan, 1969.
- A Game of Catch, illustrated by Floyd, Oliver and Boyd, 1969, illustratedby Forberg, Macmillan, 1977.
- A Gift from Winklesea, illustrated by Janina Ede, Brockhampton Press, 1969.
- A House for Jones, illustrated by Margaret Gordon, Benn, 1969.
- Rug Plays Ball, illustrated by Gretz, Benn, 1969.
- Rug and a Picnic, illustrated by Gretz, Benn, 1969.
- The Outlanders, illustrated by Doreen Roberts, Faber, 1970.
- Rainbow Pavement, illustrated by Hughes, Benn, 1970.
- The Wilkses, illustrated by Floyd, BBC Publications, 1970.
- John's First Fish, illustrated by Prudence Seward, Macmillan, 1970.
- At the Stroke of Midnight: Traditional Fairy Tales Retold, illustrated byCarolyn Dinan, Collins (London), 1971.
- The Bird Fancier, illustrated by Renate Meyer, Benn, 1971.
- Up the Pier, illustrated by Floyd, Faber, 1971, Macmillan, 1972.
- The Weather Cat, illustrated by Margery Gill, Benn, 1971.
- The Beachcombers, illustrated by Errol Le Cain, Macmillan, 1972.
- Bluebirds over Pit Row, illustrated by Richard Kennedy, Benn, 1972.
- Jane's Policeman, illustrated by Gill, Benn, 1972.
- The Long Day, illustrated by Gill, Benn, 1972.
- Roof Fall!, illustrated by Kennedy, Benn, 1972.
- Short Back and Sides, illustrated by Kennedy, Benn, 1972.
- The White Sea Horse and Other Stories from the Sea (contains The White Sea Horse, The Sea Piper, and A Tide for the Captain), Chatto and Windus, 1972.
- The Beetle Hunt, illustrated by Anne Knight, Longman (Harmondsworth, England), 1973.
- The Bongleweed, illustrated by Ann Strugnell, Macmillan, 1973.
- The Bower Bird, illustrated by Gill, Benn, 1973.
- The Key, illustrated by Kennedy, Benn, 1973.
- Cheap Day Return, illustrated by Kennedy, Benn, 1974.
- The Trap, illustrated by Kennedy, Benn, 1974.
- Shady Deal, illustrated by Kennedy, Benn, 1974.
- Butterfly Chase, illustrated by Gill, Kestrel, 1975.
- The Winter of the Birds, Faber, 1975, Macmillan, 1976.
- Awful Jack, illustrated by Joanna Stubbs, Hodder and Stoughton, 1977.
- Donkey Days, illustrated by Hughes, Benn, 1977.
- The Flyaway Kite, illustrated by Bridget Clarke, Kestrel, 1979.
- My Aunt Polly by the Sea, illustrated by Gordon, Wheaton, 1980.
- Nearly Goodbye, illustrated by Tony Morris, Macmillan (London), 1980.
- Penny for the Guy, illustrated by Nicole Goodwin, Macmillan (London), 1980.
- Dear Shrink, Macmillan, 1982.
- The Secret World of Polly Flint, illustrated by Shirley Felts, Faber, 1982, Macmillan (New York City), 1984.
- Ellie and the Hagwitch, illustrated by J. Heap, P. Hardy, 1984.
- Petticoat Smuggler, illustrated by Shirley Bellwood, Macmillan, 1985.
- Whodunnit, illustrated by Caroline Browne, J. Cape, 1986.
- Greedy Alice, illustrated by Martin Honeysett, Deutsch, 1986.
- Moondial, Macmillan, 1987.
- Trouble, illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain, Gollancz, 1987, Dutton (NewYork City), 1988.
- Dragon Ride, illustrated by Liz Roberts, Kestrel, 1987.
- Time Out, illustrated by Peter Elwell, Lutterworth, 1987, Macmillan, 1990.
- The Story of Grace Darling, Viking (New York City), 1988.
- Rosie and the Boredom Eater, Heinemann, 1989.
- Whatever Happened in Winklesea?, Lutterworth, 1989.
- Almost Goodbye Guzzler, illustrated by Brown, A. and C. Black (London), 1990, published as Almost Goodbye, Dutton, 1992.
- Hokey Pokey Did It, Ladybird, 1990.
- (Editor) The Puffin Book of Funny Stories, illustrated by A.
- Macleod, Viking, 1992.
- The Return of the Psammead, illustrated by John Holder, BBC Books, 1993.
- The Watchers: Mystery at Alton Towers, Penguin Viking, 1993, Macmillan, 1994.
- (Editor) Classic Fairy Tales, illustrated by Carol Lawson, HarperCollins(San Francisco, CA), 1993.
- Stonestruck, Faber, 1995.
- Mystery at Winklesea: The Little Sea Horse, Hodder and Stoughton, 1995.
- Bag of Bones, Hodder and Stoughton, 1996.
- Author of Polly Thumb, 1994.
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Writings; "Jumbo Spencer" Children's Series
- Jumbo Spencer, illustrated by Clixby Watson, Brockhampton Press, 1963, Lippincott, 1966.
- Jumbo Back to Nature, illustrated by Leslie Wood, Brockhampton Press, 1965.
- Jumbo Afloat, illustrated by Wood, Brockhampton Press, 1966.
- Jumbo and the Big Dog, illustrated by Wood, Brockhampton Press, 1968.
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Writings; "Lizzie Dripping" Children's Series
- Lizzie Dripping, illustrated by Jenny Thorne, BBC Publications, 1972.
- Lizzie Dripping by the Sea, illustrated by Faith Jacques,BBC Publications, 1974.
- Lizzie Dripping and the Little Angel, illustrated by F. Jacques, BBC Publications, 1974.
- Lizzie Dripping Again, illustrated by F. Jacques, BBC Publications, 1974.
- More Lizzie Dripping, illustrated by F. Jacques, BBC Publications, 1974.
- Lizzie Dripping and the Witch, illustrated by Chris Riddell,BBC Books, 1991, Chivers North America, 1993.
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Writings; "Two Hoots" Children's Series
- Two Hoots, illustrated by Martine Blanc, Benn, 1974, Crown (New York City), 1978.
- Two Hoots Go to Sea, illustrated by Blanc, Benn, 1974, Crown, 1978.
- Two Hoots in the Snow, illustrated by Blanc, Benn, 1975, Crown, 1978.
- Two Hoots and the Big Bad Bird, illustrated by Blanc, Benn, 1975, Crown,1978.
- Two Hoots and the King, illustrated by Blanc, Benn, 1977, Crown, 1978.
- Two Hoots Play Hide and Seek, illustrated by Blanc, Benn, 1977, Crown, 1978.
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Writings; "Bagthorpe" Children's Series
- Ordinary Jack: Being the First Part of the Bagthorpe Saga, illustrated byJill Bennet, Macmillan, 1977.
- Absolute Zero: Being the Second Part of the Bagthorpe Saga, illustrated by Bennet, Macmillan, 1978.
- Bagthorpes Unlimited: Being the Third Part of the Bagthorpe Saga, illustrated by Bennet, Macmillan, 1978.
- Bagthorpes versus the World: Being the Fourth Part of the Bagthorpe Saga,illustrated by Bennet, Macmillan, 1979.
- Bagthorpes Abroad: Being the Fifth Part of the Bagthorpe Saga, Macmillan,1984.
- Bagthorpes Haunted: Being the Sixth Part of the Bagthorpe Saga, Macmillan, 1985.
- Bagthorpes Liberated: Being the Seventh Part of the Bagthorpe Saga, Faber/Macmillan, 1989.
- The Bagthorpe Triangle, illustrated by Bennet, Faber, 1992.
- Author of Bagthorpes Besieged, 1995.
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Writings; "Posy Bates" Children's Series
- Meet Posy Bates, illustrated by Kate Aldous, Bodley Head, 1990, Chivers North America, 1991.
- Posy Bates, Again!, illustrated by Aldous, Bodley Head, 1991, Macmillan,1994.
- Posy Bates and the Bag Lady, Bodley Head, 1992.
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Writings; Other
- Work represented in numerous anthologies, including Shivers in the Dark,Magnet Books, 1984; I Like This Story, Puffin, 1986; and Hidden Turnings, Greenwillow (New York City), 1989. Contributor of stories and poems to magazines, including Cornhill.
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Other Works
- Adaptations: Several television plays have been adapted from Cresswell'sbooks, including The Piemakers, BBC, 1967; The Signposters, BBC, 1968; The Night-Watchmen, BBC, 1969; The Outlanders, BBC, 1970; and The Bagthorpe Saga, BBC, 1981. Television series adapted from Cresswell's books include Lizzie Dripping, BBC, 1973, 1975; and Jumbo Spencer, BBC, 1976.
Further Reference
Books:
- Baskin, Barbara H., and Karen H. Harris, Books for the Gifted Child, Bowker (New York City), 1980, pp. 117-118.
- Blishen, Edward, editor, The Thorny Paradise: Writers on Writing for Children, Penguin Books (New York City), 1975, pp. 108-116.
- Children's Literature Review, Volume 18, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1989.
- Landsberg, Michele, Reading for the Love of It: Best Books for Young Readers, Prentice-Hall (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1987, pp. 157- 182.
- Swinfen, Ann, In Defence of Fantasy: A Study of the Genre in English andAmerican Literature Since 1945, Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1984, pp. 44-74.
- Townsend, John Rowe, A Sense of Story: Essays on Contemporary Writers for Children, Lippincott, 1971, pp. 57-67.
Periodicals:
- Children's Literature in Education, March, 1971; July, 1971, pp.
- 51-59; spring, 1975, pp. 21-30.
- Horn Book, April, 1981, pp. 215-217.
- Junior Bookshelf, June, 1970, pp. 135-139.
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