Racey Helps facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Racey Helps
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| Born | 2 February 1913 Bristol, England |
| Died | 1970 Barnstaple |
| Occupation | Children's author, illustrator |
| Genre | Children's literature |
Angus Clifford Racey Helps (1913–1970) was a talented English children's author and illustrator. He was famous for his simple stories about woodland animals and birds, which he also illustrated himself. Besides books, Racey Helps also created pictures for postcards, greeting cards, jigsaw puzzles, playing cards, and even wrapping paper.
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The Life of Racey Helps
Racey Helps was born in Bristol, England, on February 2, 1913. He grew up in a small village called Chelvey in Somerset. He went to school privately and later attended Bristol Cathedral School.
Racey Helps once shared that he started telling stories when he was in school. He would write them for a younger cousin who was not feeling well. This was how his journey as a storyteller began! After school, he worked with old books and also studied art at the West of England College of Art.
Family and Inspiration
Racey Helps married Irene Orr on April 8, 1936. They had a daughter named Anne in 1937, and a son named Julian a few years later. Racey Helps loved to tell his daughter Anne a bedtime story every night.
During World War II, Anne was sent to a quieter part of the country for safety. Even though she was far away, she still wanted her stories! So, Racey Helps wrote them down for her, drew pictures to go with them, and sent them to her. These stories became his first big success as an author and artist.
How His Books Were Published
During the war, Racey and Irene lived in Shepton Mallet, Somerset. They even ran a hairdressing salon. One day, a book publisher happened to visit their salon. The publisher saw one of Racey Helps's handwritten story booklets with his drawings. The publisher was very impressed and invited Racey Helps to London to talk about publishing his work!
His stories were first published by a company called Collins. Later, they were also published by the Medici Society. Racey Helps also contributed to several children's annual books. Many of his books were published in the United States by Rand McNally, where he also illustrated books for another author named Helen Wing. His picture books were even translated into German and Danish.
Later Life and Legacy
Over the years, Racey Helps and his family lived in different places in Somerset, including Clevedon and Saltford. In 1962, they moved to Barnstaple, Devon. The beautiful countryside there gave Racey Helps even more ideas for his lovely pictures.
Racey Helps passed away in 1970 at his home in Barnstaple, when he was 57 years old. His charming stories and illustrations continue to be enjoyed by children and families around the world.
