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Mary Norton (writer) facts for kids

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Mary Norton
Mary Norton
Mary Norton
Born Kathleen Mary Pearson
(1903-12-10)10 December 1903
London, England, UK
Died 29 August 1992(1992-08-29) (aged 88)
Bideford, Devon, England, UK
Occupation Writer
Nationality British
Genre Children's fantasy novels
Notable works
  • The Borrowers series
  • The Magic Bed Knob
  • Bonfires and Broomsticks
  • Are All the Giants Dead?
Notable awards Carnegie Medal
1952

Mary Norton (born Kathleen Mary Pearson; 10 December 1903 – 29 August 1992) was a famous English writer. She wrote many popular children's books. She is most known for her exciting The Borrowers series of low fantasy novels.

The Borrowers books are about tiny people. These small characters live secretly in human homes. They "borrow" things from humans to survive. The first book in the series was published in 1952.

Mary Norton won the important Carnegie Medal in 1952. This award was for The Borrowers. It recognized it as the best children's book by a British author that year. Her books The Magic Bed Knob and Bonfires and Broomsticks were made into the 1971 Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Mary Norton's Life Story

LeightonMiddleSchool
'The Cedars', Mary Norton's childhood home. It is said to be the setting for The Borrowers.

Kathleen Mary Pearson was born in London, England. Her father was a doctor. She grew up in a large Georgian house. This house was in Leighton Buzzard.

Today, her childhood home is part of Leighton Middle School. Many believe this house was the inspiration for The Borrowers. It is where the tiny Borrowers might have lived.

Mary Norton married Robert Charles Norton in 1926. They had four children together. Her son, also named Robert Norton, became a printer.

Starting Her Writing Career

During World War II, Mary Norton worked for the War Office. In 1940, her family moved to the United States. She started writing her first books while living in New York City.

Her first book was The Magic Bed Knob; or, How to Become a Witch in Ten Easy Lessons. It came out in 1945. Its follow-up, Bonfires and Broomsticks, was published two years later. These two stories were later combined into one book called Bed-Knob and Broomstick.

These stories became the basis for the well-known 1971 Disney movie Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Later Years and Legacy

Later in her life, Mary Norton lived in a village called Hartland in Devon, England. She passed away in Bideford, Devon, on 29 August 1992.

Mary Norton's Devon House
"Borrowers' Cottage" in Hartland, North Devon. Mary Norton lived here in her final years.

Mary Norton's Books

Mary Norton wrote many beloved books for children. Her most famous works are the Borrowers series.

  • The Magic Bedknob (1944)
  • Bonfires and Broomsticks (1947)
    • These two books were later put together as Bedknob and Broomstick (1957). After the 1971 Disney movie, the title was often changed to Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

The Borrowers Series

Mary Norton also wrote a book not related to the Borrowers:

  • Are All the Giants Dead? (1975)

Her books have been illustrated by different artists. In the UK, Diana Stanley and Pauline Baynes illustrated the Borrowers novels. In the U.S., Joe and Beth Krush illustrated all five books.

Movies and TV Shows Based on Her Books

Many of Mary Norton's stories have been turned into movies and TV shows.

Mary Norton's final resting place
Mary Norton's final resting place in the graveyard of St. Nectan's Church.

There have been several adaptations of The Borrowers:

Her books have also been adapted for the stage as plays.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Mary Norton para niños

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