Robert Leeson facts for kids

Robert Arthur Leeson (born March 31, 1928, in Northwich, Cheshire – died September 29, 2013) was an English author. He was best known for writing many books for children and young people. Before he became a writer, he worked as an editor for a newspaper called the Morning Star.

Robert Leeson: A Prolific Author

Robert Leeson wrote a lot! He published over 70 books for young people between 1973 and 2003. His stories covered many different types of books.

Stories from History

Leeson wrote several historical novels. These are stories set in the past. One example is Beyond the Dragon Prow, which is about a Viking boy who has a disability.

He also wrote a series of three books, called a trilogy. This trilogy was about a British family living in the 1500s and 1600s. The books were Maroon Boy (1974), Bess, and The White Horse (1977). The White Horse tells the story of a young man who fought on the Roundhead side during the English Civil War. This was a big war in England a long time ago.

Fantasy and Science Fiction

Robert Leeson also wrote fun and imaginative stories. The Third Class Genie (1975) is a funny fantasy novel. It's a story with magic and make-believe.

He also wrote science-fiction books. These are stories about the future, space, or advanced technology. His science-fiction series included Time Rope (1986) and Zania Experiment (1993).

Real-Life Stories

Leeson wrote books that showed real-life problems. These are sometimes called social realist novels. For example, It's My Life (1980) is about a teenage girl. She has to take care of her family after her mother leaves them.

Other Fun Books

Silver's Revenge is a funny follow-up to the famous pirate story Treasure Island. Candy for the King is a fairytale about a giant. It was inspired by another classic story called Candide.

Leeson also wrote a book about children's books themselves. It was called Reading and Righting: the past, present and future of Fiction for the young (1985). This book tells the history of children's literature.

Besides books, Robert Leeson wrote for other things too. He wrote scripts for radio shows, television programs, and plays for the theatre.

Notable Books by Robert Leeson

Here are some of the books Robert Leeson wrote:

• United We Stand (1971)
• Strike (1973)
• Beyond the Dragon Prow (1973)
• Maroon Boy (1974)
• The Third Class Genie (1975)
• The Demon Bike Rider (1976)
• The White Horse (1977)
• Silver's Revenge (1978)
• It's My Life (1980)
• Bess (1983)
• Candy for King (1983)
• Time Rope (1986)
• Slambash Wangs of a Compo Gormer (1987)
• Never Kiss Frogs (1988)
• The Last Genie (1993)
• The Dog Who Changed the World (1994)
• The Story of Robin Hood (1994)
• The Song of Arthur (2000)
• My sister Shahrazad: Tales from the Arabian Nights (2001)

Writing for TV

Robert Leeson also wrote books based on popular TV shows. These are sometimes called "tie-in" books.

• Grange Hill Rules OK? (1980)
• Grange Hill Goes Wild (1980)
• Grange Hill for Sale (1981)
• Grange Hill Home and Away (1982)
• Forty Days of Tucker J. (1983)