Lynne Reid Banks facts for kids

Lynne Reid Banks (born July 31, 1929 – died April 4, 2024) was a talented British author. She wrote many books for both kids and adults. You might know her best for her super popular children's book, The Indian in the Cupboard. This book sold over 15 million copies and was even made into a movie! Her very first novel, The L-Shaped Room, published in 1960, was also a huge hit.

About Lynne Reid Banks

Lynne Reid Banks was born in London, England. She was the only child of James and Muriel Reid Banks. During World War II, she was sent to live in Saskatoon, Canada, for safety. She returned to England after the war ended. Lynne went to St Teresa's School Effingham in Surrey.

Before becoming a famous writer, Lynne had other interesting jobs. She was an actress, performing on stage. She also worked as a television journalist in Britain. This was a big deal because she was one of the first women to do this job!

In 1962, Lynne moved to Israel. There, she taught for eight years on a kibbutz. A kibbutz is a special type of community farm in Israel where people live and work together. In 1965, she married Chaim Stephenson, who was a sculptor. They had three sons together. Later, the family moved back to England in 1971. They lived in Shepperton, Surrey.

Her time in Israel was very important to Lynne. It even inspired some of her books! For example, One More River and its sequel, Broken Bridge, are set partly on a kibbutz. In October 2013, Lynne Reid Banks won the J. M. Barrie award. This award celebrates people who have made amazing contributions to children's arts. Lynne Reid Banks passed away in 2024 when she was 94 years old.

Lynne Reid Banks' Books

Lynne Reid Banks wrote 48 books during her life. She wrote stories for young readers and for adults too. Her books are known for their exciting plots and interesting characters.

Popular Children's Books

Lynne Reid Banks is most famous for her children's novels. Many of them have been loved by kids around the world.

The Indian in the Cupboard Series

This is Lynne Reid Banks' most well-known series. It tells the story of a boy named Omri. He discovers that a small plastic Indian toy comes to life when placed inside a magical cupboard. The series includes:

• The Indian in the Cupboard (1980)
• The Return of the Indian (1985)
• The Secret of the Indian (1989)
• The Mystery of the Cupboard (1993)
• The Key to the Indian (1998)

Other Children's Novels

Lynne Reid Banks wrote many other exciting books for kids, including:

• The Farthest-Away Mountain (1976)
• The Adventures of King Midas (1976)
• The Fairy Rebel (1985)
• I, Houdini: The Autobiography of a Self-Educated Hamster (1978)
• Angela and Diabola (1997)
• Alice-By-Accident (2000)
• Tiger, Tiger (2005)
• Bad Cat Good Cat (2011)
• Ella and her bad Yellow T-Shirt (2011)
• The Wrong-Coloured Dragon (2012)
• Uprooted: a Canadian war story (2014)
• The Red Red Dragon (2022)

Harry the Poisonous Centipede Series

This fun series follows the adventures of a centipede named Harry:

• Harry the Poisonous Centipede: a story to make you squirm (1997)
• Harry the Poisonous Centipede's Big Adventure (2001)
• Harry the Poisonous Centipede Goes to Sea (2006)

Books for Older Readers

Lynne Reid Banks also wrote novels for older teens and young adults. Some of these include:

• One More River (1973)
• My Darling Villain (1977)
• The Writing on the Wall (1982)
• Melusine: a mystery (1988)
• Broken Bridge (1994) – a sequel to One More River
• Maura's Angel (1998)
• Moses in Egypt (1998)
• The Dungeon (2002)
• Stealing Stacey (2004)

Adult Novels

Her first adult novel, The L-Shaped Room, was very popular. It was even made into a movie. She wrote two sequels to this book: The Backward Shadow and Two is Lonely. Lynne also wrote historical fiction, like Dark Quartet, which was about the famous Brontë family of writers.