Antonia Forest facts for kids
Antonia Forest (born May 26, 1915 – died November 28, 2003) was the pen name for Patricia Guilia Caulfield Kate Rubinstein. She was an English writer famous for her children's novels. Her real name was kept private during her lifetime. She is best known for her popular "Marlow series" of books.
About Antonia Forest
Antonia Forest was born on May 26, 1915. Her parents had both Russian-Jewish and Irish backgrounds. She grew up in Hampstead, London. She went to South Hampstead High School and later studied journalism at University College, London. During the Second World War, she worked in an Army Pay Office.
From 1938 until she passed away, she lived in Bournemouth and Dorset. In 1946, she became a Roman Catholic. Antonia Forest was also known for writing many letters to her readers and other writers. She never married. For many years, she earned money by renting out part of her house in Bournemouth.
The Marlow Series
Antonia Forest's most famous books are part of a series called the Marlows. These novels are about a modern family, the Marlows, whose father is a commander (and later a captain) in the Royal Navy. The family has eight children, including six daughters. Four of the books in the series are set at Kingscote, a boarding school where the six Marlow daughters attend.
| Title | Date | Setting | Twins' Form ‡ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Term | 1948 | Autumn term | Third Form |
| The Marlows and the Traitor | 1953 | Easter holidays | Third Form |
| Falconer's Lure | 1957 | Summer holidays | Third Form |
| End of Term | 1959 | Autumn term | Lower Fourth |
| Peter's Room | 1961 | Christmas holidays | Lower Fourth |
| The Thuggery Affair | 1965 | Spring half-term | Lower Fourth |
| The Ready-Made Family | 1967 | Easter holidays | Lower Fourth |
| The Cricket Term | 1974 | Summer term | Lower Fourth |
| The Attic Term | 1976 | Autumn term | Upper Fourth |
| Run Away Home | 1982 | Christmas holidays | Upper Fourth |
- ‡ "Twins' Form" refers to the school grades of the twin sisters, Nicola and Lawrie.
The world of the Marlow family is described in great detail in the books. The school stories show the many interests of the talented main characters. They also explore the strengths and weaknesses of everyone in their group of friends and family.
Antonia Forest's books are special because her characters grow up and change with the times. For example, characters who remember their childhood during the London Blitz (a time of bombing during WWII) later watch TV shows like Up Pompeii! and even dress up as punks.
Antonia Forest had mentioned she was working on another book after Run Away Home. However, no new manuscript was found after she passed away in 2003.
Forest also wrote two historical novels: The Player's Boy (1970) and The Players and the Rebels (1971). These books are about the ancestors of the Marlow family who lived during the time of Shakespeare.
Books Reissued
After some time, Antonia Forest's books were no longer printed. But then, they slowly became popular again. In 2000, Autumn Term was reprinted by Faber. After that, Girls Gone By Publishers started reprinting many of her other books, including Falconer's Lure, Run Away Home, The Marlows and the Traitor, The Ready-Made Family, Peter's Room, and The Thuggery Affair.
Girls Gone By Publishers also reprinted her historical novels, The Player's Boy in 2006 and The Players and the Rebels in 2008. They also published The Thursday Kidnapping in 2009. This publisher now owns the rights to almost all of Forest's books. They have released new editions of End of Term (2017) and The Cricket Term (2020). They also reprinted The Marlows and the Traitor (2015), Falconer's Lure (2016), Peter's Room (2018), and The Thuggery Affair (2019).
In 2011, Girls Gone By Publishers released Spring Term. This book continues the modern Marlow story and was written by Sally Hayward.
