Petronella Breinburg facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Petronella Breinburg
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| Born | Petronella Alexandrina Breinburg 1927 |
| Died | (aged 92) |
| Occupation | Children's book author, playwright, educator |
| Nationality | Surinamese British |
| Education | University of Keele |
| Notable works | My Brother Sean (1973) |
Petronella Breinburg (1927 – 5 November 2019) was an important author, playwright, and professor. She was from Suriname and later lived in Britain. Petronella was one of the first black British authors to write picture books about black children.
Her famous book, My Brother Sean, was published in 1973. It was illustrated by Errol Lloyd. This book led to a series, including Sean Goes to School and Sean's Red Bike. She also wrote books for older kids, like Legend of Suriname and Stories from the Caribbean. Her early books were very special. They gave black children in Britain some of the first chances to read stories that felt like their own lives.
Contents
Life Story of Petronella Breinburg
Petronella Breinburg was born in Suriname in 1927. She had both European and African family roots. Her father, a policeman, died when she was 12 years old. Her family had six children. They went to live with their grandmother near an old Dutch plantation. This grandmother used to tell scary stories about the old Dutchman who owned the plantation.
Early Life and Writing
Petronella loved writing from a young age. She was influenced by many storytellers in her family. She started winning local writing contests when she was only eight. By age 13, she had written her first play. She went to school at St. Rosa and St. Margaret's Convent in Suriname. After that, she trained to become a teacher.
Moving to the UK
Petronella moved to Guyana with her husband. There, she had two children. She was a member of the Red Cross Society for 10 years in Guyana. She even served as a leader for the Girls Life Brigade. In 1961, she moved to the UK with her children to join her husband. She worked as a supply teacher in London. Her experiences with racism and how black people were shown in books greatly influenced her writing.
Education and Career
Petronella earned a special degree called a doctorate in education. She studied linguistics at Keele University. She also spent a year at University of Amsterdam and did research at the University of Sheffield. Later, she became a senior lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London. She was also the head of the Caribbean Centre there. Petronella wrote many books for children, teenagers, and adults. She also wrote plays and poems.
Petronella Breinburg passed away on November 5, 2019.
Books by Petronella Breinburg
- Legends of Suriname (1971)
- My Brother Sean (1973)
- Sean Goes to School (1974)
- Us Boys of Westcroft (1975)
- Doctor Sean (1975)
- Sean’s Red Bike (1976)
- A Girl, Frog and Petticoat (1977)
- One Day, Another Day (1977)
- Sally-Ann's Umbrella (1977)
- Sally-Ann in the Snow (1977)
- Sally-Ann's Skateboard (1979)
- Tiger, Paleface and Me (1979)
- Brinsly's Dream (1980)
- Stories From The Caribbean (1999)
- Jeremia and The Trumpet Man (2004)
- Instead of Roses and Rings (2005)
- Thoughts of a Creole Woman: A Reminiscence (2006)
- A Long Road to Salamanca (2007)
- Goodasyu: Crescendo (2011)
- Out of a Coloured Box: The Broken Shoes Tale (2015)
