Catherine Storr facts for kids

Catherine Storr (born Catherine Cole; 21 July 1913 – 8 January 2001) was a British writer. She was famous for her children's books, especially her novel Marianne Dreams. She also wrote a fun series of books about a wolf who tries to catch a young girl named Polly, starting with Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf. Sometimes, she used the pen name Helen Lourie.

Her Life Story

Catherine Storr was born in Kensington, London, England, on July 21, 1913. She was one of three children. Her father was a lawyer.

School Days

Catherine went to St Paul's Girls' School. There, she learned music from a famous composer named Gustav Holst. She even became the school's organist! After school, she studied English literature at Newnham College in Cambridge.

A Doctor and a Writer

Catherine first tried to become a novelist, but it was tough. So, she decided to study medicine and became a doctor in 1944. From 1950 to 1963, she worked as a Senior Medical Officer at the Middlesex Hospital. Even while working as a doctor, she kept writing children's books. Later, she also worked for Penguin Books, helping with editing.

Family Life

In 1942, Catherine married a psychiatrist and author named Anthony Storr. They had three daughters: Sophia, Polly, and Emma. Later, she married an economist named Lord Balogh. Catherine kept writing novels even when she was in her eighties. She passed away in London in January 2001.

Her Amazing Books

Catherine Storr wrote many books, especially for younger children who were just starting to read.

Polly and the Wolf

One of her most popular series was about Polly and a silly wolf. These stories were written for her own daughter, Polly. In these books, the wolf always tries to catch Polly using funny, impractical plans from fairy tales. But Polly is always too smart for him! The first book in this series was Clever Polly and the Stupid Wolf (1955).

Marianne Dreams

For slightly older children, Catherine wrote Marianne Dreams (1958). This book is a bit more serious. It's about a young girl who is sick at home and travels in her dreams to a house she drew while awake. In her dream, she meets another child. At one point, she feels a bit jealous and draws stones with eyes around the house, trapping him. She then has to figure out how to fix her mistake. This book was even made into a TV show called Escape Into Night and a movie called Paperhouse.

Facing Fears

Catherine Storr's books often explore the idea of facing fears. Even in the lighter Polly stories, there's a hint of danger. She believed it was important to show children that scary things are not completely outside of their understanding. This helps them feel more in control.

TV Work

Catherine also wrote two series for a TV show called Starting Out (1973 and 1976). These shows were made to be shown in schools.