Mary Treadgold
Encyclopedia
Mary Treadgold was a British
author who won the Carnegie Medal
in 1941 for her children's book We Couldn't Leave Dinah
.
Treadgold attended St Paul's Girls' School
and Bedford College, London. She was a publisher by trade working for the firm of Raphael Tuck and later at Heinemann's
as their first Children's Editor.
In her position Treadgold frequently read stories about ponies and pony clubs. She was dismayed by how subpar most of these were and decided to write her own while hiding out in her air raid shelter during the thick of World War II. Thus We Couldn't Leave Dinah was written. It is the story of children on a fictional Channel Island faced with leaving their pony because of the Nazi occupation
.
No Ponies is set in post-war France, and The Polly Harris in post-war London, while several of the later books are set in the Heron riding school on the Downs. The Winter Princess concerns the visit of a young African princess to Hampton Court where she meets four English children. It has been described as "perhaps the most delightful book by a most talented writer", and as making "an effective contribution to the race question because there is no mention of it".
Mary Treadgold died on May 14, 2005 aged 95.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
author who won the Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
in 1941 for her children's book We Couldn't Leave Dinah
We Couldn't Leave Dinah
We Couldn't Leave Dinah is a children's novel by Mary Treadgold, published in 1941. It is a contemporary adventure story set on a fictional island in the English Channel during a German occupation...
.
Treadgold attended St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School
St Paul's Girls' School is a senior independent school, located in Brook Green, Hammersmith, in West London, England.-History:In 1904 a new day school for girls was established by the trustees of the Dean Colet Foundation , which had run St Paul's School for boys since the sixteenth century...
and Bedford College, London. She was a publisher by trade working for the firm of Raphael Tuck and later at Heinemann's
Heinemann (book publisher)
Heinemann is a UK publishing house founded by William Heinemann in Covent Garden, London in 1890. On William Heinemann's death in 1920 a majority stake was purchased by U.S. publisher Doubleday. It was later acquired by commemorate Thomas Tilling in 1961...
as their first Children's Editor.
In her position Treadgold frequently read stories about ponies and pony clubs. She was dismayed by how subpar most of these were and decided to write her own while hiding out in her air raid shelter during the thick of World War II. Thus We Couldn't Leave Dinah was written. It is the story of children on a fictional Channel Island faced with leaving their pony because of the Nazi occupation
Occupation of the Channel Islands
The Channel Islands were occupied by Nazi Germany for much of World War II, from 30 June 1940 until the liberation on 9 May 1945. The Channel Islands are two British Crown dependencies and include the bailiwicks of Guernsey and Jersey as well as the smaller islands of Alderney and Sark...
.
No Ponies is set in post-war France, and The Polly Harris in post-war London, while several of the later books are set in the Heron riding school on the Downs. The Winter Princess concerns the visit of a young African princess to Hampton Court where she meets four English children. It has been described as "perhaps the most delightful book by a most talented writer", and as making "an effective contribution to the race question because there is no mention of it".
Mary Treadgold died on May 14, 2005 aged 95.
Selected bibliography
- We Couldn't Leave DinahWe Couldn't Leave DinahWe Couldn't Leave Dinah is a children's novel by Mary Treadgold, published in 1941. It is a contemporary adventure story set on a fictional island in the English Channel during a German occupation...
(1941) - No Ponies (1946)
- The Polly Harris (1949)
- The Heron Ride (1960)
- Return to the Heron
- The Winter Princess (1962)
- The Weather Boy (1964)
- Journey from the Heron (1981)