Sally Watson facts for kids

Sally Watson (born January 28, 1924) is an American author. She is best known for her "English Family Tree" book series. These books follow a family through many generations. Their story starts in England and Scotland and then moves to early America. Sally Watson has also written books set in Ancient Egypt and early modern Israel. She has even shared her own life story in two memoirs.

About Sally Watson's Life

Sally Watson was born in Seattle, Washington. She went to Reed College. She started writing stories in 1953. While writing, she worked for Great Books. She also helped create a reading course called Listen and Learn with Phonics.

In 1964, Sally moved to England. She lived there for 24 years. During this time, she wrote many historical novels for young people. Her books often featured brave and adventurous girl heroes. An example is her book Jade. Sally also enjoyed Scottish highland dance. She taught Judo and earned a black belt. She was also a member of Mensa International. Over time, it became harder to get her books published. By the mid-1970s, many of her books were no longer being printed.

Sally eventually moved back to the United States. She settled in Santa Rosa, California. There, she helped organizations that rescue feral cats. Her fans kept asking for her books to be printed again. Finally, a company called Image Cascade republished many of her novels. Sally has continued to add to her "English Family Tree" series. She has also published several young adult novels set in Ancient Egypt. Her more recent books include Tailwavers, a story for cat lovers. She also wrote The Next Pharaoh, an Egyptian history novel. Return of the Exiles is set during the rebirth of Israel. Her memoir, Dance to a Different Piper, tells about the first 30 years of her life.

You can find more information about Sally in a book called Something About the Author.

The English Family Tree Series

Sally Watson's historical novels are set in Great Britain and America. Each book is a complete story. But they are all connected by a family tree. The stories take place over four centuries, from 1582 to 1892. No character is the main star twice. However, main characters might appear in another book as a grandparent, sibling, or cousin. The family seems to have many strong-willed women. The main characters range from 11 years old to adults. The stories are written for readers aged 11 and up.

• Highland Rebel (1954)
• Mistress Malapert (1955)
• Witch of the Glens (1962)
• Lark (1962)
• The Hornet's Nest (1968)
• Jade (1969)
• Linnet (1971)
• The Outrageous Oriel (2006) (Young adult)
• Loyal and the Dragon (2008) (Young adult)
• Castle Adamant (2009) (Young adult)

Other Historical Novels for Young People

• To Build a Land (1957)
• Poor Felicity (1961)
• Other Sandals (1966)
• The Mukhtar's Children (1968)
• Magic at Wychwood (1970)
• The Wayward Princess (2006)
• The Delicate Pioneer (2007) (a slightly changed version of "Poor Felicity")

Novels for Adults

• The Ivory Cat (2007)
• The Missing Queen (2008)
• The Angry Earth (2009)
• The Next Pharaoh (2012)
• Return of the Exiles (2014)

Books About Her Own Life

• Tailwavers (2010)
• Dance to a Different Piper (2015)

Awards and Recognitions

Sally Watson's books have won several awards and honors:

• To Build a Land won the Woodward Annual Award in 1959.
• Witch of the Glens was on the Horn Book Magazine honor list in 1963. This means it was recognized as an excellent book.
• The Mukhtar's Children was named a Horn Book Magazine Fanfare Best Book of the Year in 1968. This is a special list of the best books published that year.
• Magic at Wychwood was recommended by Library Journal in 1970.
• Linnet was chosen as a Junior Literary Guild selection in 1971. This means it was picked as a great book for young readers.