Esther Glen facts for kids

Alice Esther Glen (born December 26, 1881 – died February 9, 1940) was a famous writer, journalist, and community helper from New Zealand. Everyone knew her as Esther. She was born and died in Christchurch, New Zealand. Esther Glen was the very first important New Zealand author to write books especially for children.

Esther Glen's Amazing Life

Esther Glen grew up in Linwood. She was one of twelve children. When she was just eleven years old, she won a writing contest! She sent her story to a magazine called Little Folks.

After finishing school, Esther Glen went to Australia. She helped her sister Helen run a kindergarten there. In Australia, she discovered children's books by Australian authors. One book she really liked was Seven Little Australians by Ethel Turner. This book was very popular when it came out in 1894.

At that time, no children's books were written by New Zealand authors. So, Esther Glen decided to change that. She wrote Six little New Zealanders, which was first published in 1917. This story was about children growing up in New Zealand.

Six little New Zealanders

The book tells the funny story of three uncles who are not used to kids. They live on a sheep farm in Canterbury. Their six nieces and nephews from Auckland come to visit them for the summer. Since the children are not used to farm life, many funny things happen! The book was very popular and was published six times until 1983. People liked Esther Glen's fun writing style and how real her characters felt. In 1926, she wrote a sequel called Uncles three at Kamahi.

Working as a Journalist

From 1922, Esther Glen edited the children's page for the Christchurch Sun newspaper. At first, she worked as a freelance writer. Then, in 1925, she was hired as a full-time editor and reporter. She also helped with the women's page. People started calling her Lady Gay. She encouraged children to send in their own stories, poems, and drawings. Later, from 1935, she worked for the Christchurch Press. Esther Glen also wrote some of the first radio plays made for children.

Helping Her Community

Esther Glen cared a lot about her community. She was a kind person who helped others. She started clubs where children could meet and make friends. This helped kids who felt lonely in the New Zealand countryside. During a tough time called the Great Depression, children in these clubs knitted, sewed, and cooked for people who were poor.

Glen also helped the Christchurch Women's Unemployment Committee. She spoke up to make sure single women had good places to live. She also supported the idea of setting up a children's home.

Esther Glen never married and did not have children. She passed away on February 9, 1940, in Christchurch after a short illness.

The Esther Glen Award: Honoring Her Legacy

The Esther Glen Award was created to remember Esther Glen and her important work. This special literary prize has been given out almost every year since 1945. It is awarded by the Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA). The award goes to a New Zealand author who writes the "most distinguished contribution to New Zealand literature for junior fiction." It is the oldest and most famous literary prize for children's books in New Zealand.