Rachel Anderson facts for kids

Rachel Anderson (born 1943) is an English journalist and author. She is famous for writing books for children and young adults. Her stories often show characters with learning disabilities in a positive way. She also writes about fairness and feeling like you don't belong. Rachel was married for 45 years to David Bradby, who was a writer and translator. Her mother, Verily Anderson, was also a writer.

In 1991, Rachel Anderson won the Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for her novel Paper Faces. This special award is given only once to a writer. A group of British children's writers chose the winner.

Meet Rachel Anderson: Her Life Story

Early Life and Family

Rachel Anderson was born in 1943 in Hampton Court, Surrey, England. She is the second of five children. Her parents were Verily Anderson and Captain Donald Clive Anderson. Her siblings include the author Janie Hampton and the television producer Eddie Anderson.

Starting Her Career as a Writer

Rachel left school when she was 16 years old. She began her career as a journalist. She worked for BBC Radio, newspapers, and magazines for women. For ten years, she was the children's book reviews editor for Good Housekeeping magazine.

Her first book, Pineapple, was for adults. It came out in 1965. This was the same week she married David Bradby. She wrote a few other books for adults, but now she mainly writes for young readers.

In 2011, her novel for teenagers, Asylum, was published. It came out at the same time as her mother's last book. Her mother had been working on it when she passed away the year before.

Rachel Anderson has four children. She also has many grandchildren. She mostly lives in Cromer, Norfolk.

Rachel Anderson's Books

Books for Children and Young Adults

Rachel Anderson has written many popular books for young readers. Here are some of them:

• Moffatt's Road (1978)
• Tim Walks (1985)
• Jessy Runs Away (1988)
• French Lessons (1988)
• Tough as Old Boots (1988)
• The Bus People (1989)
• Julie and the Queen of Tonga (1990)
• Best Friends (1991)
• Treasures for Cousin Crystal (1992)
• The Working Class (1993)
• Jessy and the Long-short Dress (1993)
• Black Water (1994)
• The Doll's House (1995)
• Princess Jazz and the Angels (1995)
• Letters from Heaven (1996)
• Blackthorn, Whitethorn (1997)
• Carly's Luck (1998)
• Ollie and the Trainers (1999)
• The Scavenger's Tale (2000)
• The War Orphan (1984, 2000)
• The Flight of the Emu (2001)
• Joe's Story (2001)
• Paper Faces (2002)
• The Rattletrap Trip (2003)
• Hello Peanut! (2003)
• Hugo and the Long Red Arm (2004)
• Pizza on Saturday (2004)
• The Poacher's Son (2006)
• Warlands (2006)
• This Strange New Life (2006)
• Red Moon (2006)
• Big Ben (2007)
• Asylum (2011)

The Little Angel Trilogy

• Little Angel Comes to Stay (1984)
• Little Angel, Bonjour (1988)
• Happy Christmas Little Angel (1991)

Moving Times Trilogy

• Bloom of Youth (1999)
• Grandmother's Footsteps (1999)
• Stronger than Mountains (2000)

Translations by Rachel Anderson

Rachel Anderson has also helped translate books into English:

• The Cat's Tale (1985)
• Renard the Fox (1986) (with D. Bradby)
• Wild Goose Chase (1986)
• Little Lost Fox (1992)

Awards and Recognition

Rachel Anderson has received several awards for her writing:

• 1949: Tiny Tots Order of Merit (TTOM)
• 1990: Medical Journalists' Award
• 1992: Guardian Children's Fiction Prize for Paper Faces (she was one of two winners that year)