Norman Hunter (author) facts for kids

Norman George Lorimer Hunter (born November 23, 1899 – died February 23, 1995) was a British author who wrote books for children. He is best known for creating the funny character Professor Branestawm.

Discovering Norman Hunter's Early Life

Norman Hunter was born in Sydenham, a part of London, England, on November 23, 1899. He went to Beckenham County School for Boys. When he was older, he decided to join the London Irish Rifles. This was during the time of the First World War, a very big global conflict.

Norman Hunter's Amazing Career

After the First World War ended, Norman Hunter started working as an advertising copywriter. This meant he wrote the words for advertisements. In the 1930s, he also became a stage magician in Bournemouth. He performed magic tricks for audiences.

He wrote many popular books on different topics. These included books about writing for advertising, brain-teasers, and even how to do magic tricks. But his most famous creations were the stories about Professor Branestawm. These stories were first written for radio shows.

The very first book, The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm, came out in 1933. It had cool drawings by W. Heath Robinson. The second book, Professor Branestawm's Treasure Hunt, was published in 1937. Later, other artists like George Adamson and Gerald Rose helped illustrate his books. Many of his books were re-released as Puffin Books, making them popular with even more young readers.

During the Second World War, Norman Hunter moved back to London. He lived on a boat on the River Thames. In 1949, he moved to South Africa and stopped writing fiction for a while.

After he retired in 1970, he returned to London. Around this time, a TV show called Professor Branestawm was made! He continued writing even in his retirement. His very last book was published in 1983.

Norman Hunter's Published Works

Norman Hunter wrote many interesting books during his life. He is most famous for his series about Professor Branestawm, a very clever but often clumsy inventor.

Some of his other books taught readers about magic tricks. He also wrote guides on advertising and collections of puzzles. His stories were known for being funny and imaginative.

• Simplified Conjuring for All (1923)
• Advertising Through the Press (1925)
• The Incredible Adventures of Professor Branestawm (1933)
• Professor Branestawm's Treasure Hunt (1937)
• The Peculiar Triumph of Professor Branestawm (1970)
• Professor Branestawm Up the Pole (1972)
• Professor Branestawm's Dictionary (1973)
• The Puffin Book of Magic (1968)
• Professor Branestawm's Great Revolution (1974)
• Professor Branestawm's Do-It-Yourself Handbook (1976)
• Professor Branestawm Round the Bend (1977)
• Professor Branestawm's Perilous Pudding (1979)
• The Best of Branestawm (1980)
• Professor Branestawm and the Wild Letters (1981)
• Professor Branestawm's Pocket Motor Car (1981)
• Professor Branestawm's Mouse War (1982)
• Professor Branestawm's Building Bust-Up (1982)
• Professor Branestawm's Crunchy Crockery (1983)
• Professor Branestawm's Hair-Raising Idea (1983)