Meriol Trevor facts for kids

Meriol Trevor (born April 15, 1919, died January 12, 2000) was a very busy writer from England. She wrote many books, especially about history and for children. She was known for her strong Catholic faith, which influenced her writing.

Meriol Trevor: A Life of Stories

Early Life and Adventures

Meriol Trevor grew up in England. She went to Perse Girls' School in Cambridge and then to St Hugh's College, Oxford University, finishing her studies in 1942.

During World War II, Meriol helped out in different ways. She worked in a day nursery, looking after young children. Later, she even steered a cargo barge, which is a type of boat that carries goods, along the Grand Union Canal.

In 1946, after the war, she traveled to Italy to help people who had been affected by the war. She worked with an organization called UNRRA and lived in a region called the Abruzzi for almost a year. While in Italy, she learned a lot about Catholic culture. Even though she had not been religious before, she decided to join the Roman Catholic Church in 1950 when she was back in Oxford.

Becoming a Writer

Meriol Trevor became a very successful writer. She wrote a two-part biography about a famous person named Saint John Henry Newman. This book was so good that it won a special award called the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for Biography in 1962.

She also wrote biographies about other important figures, like Pope John XXIII, Philip Neri, and King James II. Besides these true stories, Meriol wrote many historical novels, which are fictional stories set in the past. She also wrote lots of stories especially for children and even a book of poetry.

In 1967, she was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. This is a special honor for writers in England. After she passed away in 2000, people in her hometown of Bath started an annual lecture series to remember her and her work.

Books for Young Readers

Meriol Trevor wrote many wonderful books for children. Here are some of them:

• The Forest and the Kingdom (1949)
• Hunt the King, Hide the Fox (1950)
• The Fires and the Stars (1951)
• Sun Slower, Sun Faster (1955)
• The Treasure Hunt (1957)
• Merlin's Ring (1957)
• The Other Side of the Moon (1957)
• The Caravan War (1958)
• The Sparrow Child (1958)
• Four Odd Ones (1958)
• William's Wild Day Out (1963)
• The Rose Round (1963)
• The Midsummer Maze (1964)
• Lights in a Dark Town (1964)
• The King of the Castle (1966)
• The Crystal Snowstorm (1997)
• Following the Phoenix (1998)
• Angel and Dragon (1999)
• The Rose and Crown (1999)

Other Works

Meriol Trevor wrote many historical novels for older readers, often in series, like her "Luxembourg series" and "Warstowe Series." She also wrote a book of poetry called Midsummer, Midwinter and Other Poems (1957).

Her nonfiction books included detailed biographies and works about religious topics:

• Newman: The Pillar of the Cloud (1962)
• Newman: Light in Winter (1962)
• Apostle of Rome: A Life of St Philip Neri, 1515-1595 (1966)
• Pope John (1967)
• The Shadow of a Crown: The Life Story of James II of England and VII of Scotland (1988)