Mavis Thorpe Clark facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mavis Thorpe Clark
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in 1948
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| Born | Mavis Rose Clark 26 June 1909 Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Died | 8 July 1999 (aged 90) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | novelist and writer for children |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Years active | 1930-1993 |
| Notable works | The Min-Min The Brown Land Was Green |
| Notable awards | Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers |
Mavis Thorpe Clark AM (June 26, 1909 – July 8, 1999) was a well-known Australian writer. She wrote many books, especially for children and young adults. Mavis was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Mavis went to Methodist Ladies' College in Melbourne. She started writing very early. Her first story was even published in her school's magazine! Throughout her life, she wrote many different types of books. She wrote novels for kids and teens, biographies about real people, short stories, and non-fiction books.
In 1932, Mavis married Harold Latham. They had two daughters. Their first daughter, Beverley Jeanne, was born in 1936. Their second daughter, Ronda Faye, was born in 1944.
Mavis Thorpe Clark was recognized for her amazing writing. She won the Children's Book of the Year Award: Older Readers in 1967. This award was for her book The Min-Min.
In 1996, she received a special honor. She was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). This award was for her great work as an author of children's books. It also recognized her active role in groups that support writers in Australia. Mavis Thorpe Clark passed away in 1999.
Books for Young Readers
Mavis Thorpe Clark wrote many exciting stories for children and young adults. Here are some of her popular books:
- Hatherly's First Fifteen (1930)
- The Red School House (1934)
- Sunnymount School (1936)
- The Boy from the Mallee (1939)
- Dark Pool Island (1949)
- The Twins from Timber Creek (1949)
- Home Again at Timber Creek (1950)
- Missing Gold (1951)
- Jingaroo (1951)
- The Brown Land Was Green (1956)
- Gully of Gold (1958)
- Pony from Tarella (1959)
- They Came South (1963)
- The Min-Min (1966)
- Blue Above the Trees (1967)
- Spark of Opal (1968)
- Nowhere to Hide (1969)
- Iron Mountain (1970)
- New Golden Mountain (1973)
- Wildfire (1973)
- The Sky is Free (1974)
- The Hundred Islands (1976)
- Spanish Queen (1977)
- The Lilly-Pilly (1979)
- A Stranger Came to the Mine (1980)
- Solomon's Child (1981)
Non-Fiction Works
Besides fiction, Mavis Thorpe Clark also wrote non-fiction books. These included biographies, which are stories about real people's lives.
- Pastor Doug : The Story of an Aboriginal Leader (1965)
- A Pack-Tracker (1968)
- Joan & Betty Rayner : Strolling Players (1972) – a biography
- The Boy from Cumeroogunga (1979) – a biography
- Young and Brave (1984) – a biography
- No Mean Destiny : The Story of the War Widows' Guild of Australia 1945-85 (1986)
- Trust the Dream : An Autobiography (2004) – her own life story
