Phyllis Flowerdew facts for kids

Phyllis May Flowerdew (born 1913, died 1994) was a very successful writer of educational books for children. She was from the UK and her books were popular across the British Commonwealth. It's thought she sold over seven million copies since her first book came out in 1948. Phyllis was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, UK.

Phyllis Flowerdew's Life and Books

Early Life and Teaching

Phyllis Flowerdew trained to be a primary school teacher. She studied at Southlands College in south London. During the Second World War, she taught in South Africa. Her time there gave her many ideas for stories and books.

When she came back to Britain, she taught in schools in Oxfordshire. She continued teaching until the late 1950s. After that, she became a full-time author.

Becoming a Famous Author

Soon after returning to Britain, a publisher named Oliver and Boyd asked her for help. This company is now part of the Longman Publishing Group, which is part of Pearson Education. They wanted her to work with an Australian educator named Fred Schonell.

Fred Schonell and his wife Eleanor had already published reading books for children. These books, called 'The Happy Venture' and 'Wide Range' series, used a special way to teach words. Oliver and Boyd thought Phyllis Flowerdew's storytelling skills would be a great match.

Successful Partnerships

Their partnership worked very well. In 1948, the first 'Wide Range Readers' books were published. Then, from 1954 onwards, the 'Happy Venture Library Books' came out. The 'Wide Range Reader' series was incredibly popular. It had many different editions and was still being printed in 2017.

Oliver and Boyd kept asking Flowerdew to write for them until the 1970s. They even asked her to help with a third edition of the 'Readers' in the early 1980s.

Phyllis Flowerdew also worked with other writers. She teamed up with Sam Stewart, an editor, for the book 'Reading On' in 1958. She also collaborated with Ronald Ridout, another well-known children's writer. Together, they created the 'Reading to Some Purpose' series, starting in 1961. Flowerdew also wrote many books by herself, like the 'Flamingo' series and the 'New Interest' series, which began in 1972.

Why Her Books Were Popular

Phyllis Flowerdew's books were so successful for a few reasons. She used language that slowly built up, helping young readers gain confidence. Her stories were also very engaging. She had a talent for finding interesting topics.

Her writing included made-up stories and retellings of old tales. She also wrote non-fiction books, often about history. These historical books focused on brave and visionary people. For example, her 'New Interest Reader' helped bring attention to important figures like Mary Seacole.