Trish Cooke facts for kids

Trish Cooke (born 1962) is a talented British writer, actress, and television presenter. She is well-known for writing plays, TV shows, and especially children's books. You might remember her as a presenter on the popular children's TV series Playdays. She also used the writing name Roselia John Baptiste for some of her work.

Trish Cooke's Early Life and Career

Trish Cooke was born in Bradford, England, in 1962. Her parents came from Dominica, an island in the Caribbean. They were part of the "Windrush generation", which refers to people who moved from Caribbean countries to the UK after World War II to help rebuild the country.

Trish studied Performing Arts at Leeds Polytechnic. After finishing her studies, she moved to London in 1984. She wanted to become an actress. She worked backstage for a theatre company called Black Theatre Co-operative. Later, she became a professional actress.

Becoming a Writer and TV Presenter

In 1988, Trish received a special grant from Thames Television. This helped her become a writer at the Liverpool Playhouse theatre. From 1988 to 1996, she was a presenter and writer for Playdays on Children's BBC. This was a very popular show for young children.

Besides Playdays, Trish also wrote scripts for many other TV shows. These included popular dramas like EastEnders and Doctors. She also wrote for comedy shows like The Real McCoy. Trish was a Writer in Residence at the Bush Theatre from 2019 to 2021. She is also a Royal Literary Fund fellow, which means she helps other writers.

Trish Cooke's Famous Books and Plays

Trish Cooke is celebrated for her children's books and plays. Her book So Much (published in 1994) won several awards. It won the Nestle Smarties Book Prize for children aged 0-5. It also won the She/WH Smith’s Under-Fives Book Prize and the Kurt Maschler Award. The book was also highly praised for the Kate Greenaway Medal.

Plays for the Stage

Trish has written many plays, including some for children. Many of her plays have been shown at the Theatre Royal Stratford East. She is known for creating new versions of classic fairy tales. These plays often feature diverse characters.

Her play Cinderella (from 2007) was very special. It was the first pantomime (a type of musical play popular in the UK) to be nominated for an Olivier Award. This is a very important award for theatre in London. She has also written other popular pantomimes like Aladdin and Little Red Riding Hood.

Trish Cooke's Family

Trish Cooke has a family with ties to professional sports. Her brother, Joe Cooke (footballer), was a professional footballer. Her second cousin, Tyler Magloire, is also a professional footballer.

Works by Trish Cooke

Trish Cooke has written many plays and children's books. Here are some of her most well-known works:

Plays

• Shoppin' People (1989)
• Back Street Mammy (1989)
• Running Dream (1993)
• Gulp Fiction (1995, 1996)
• Pinocchio (2005)
• Cinderella (2007, 2011)
• Anansi Trades Places (2007)
• Aladdin (2009)
• Little Red Riding Hood (2010)
• Dick Whittington (2013)
• Robin Hood (2015)
• Left Hangin' (2015)
• Rapunzel (2017, 2018)

Children's Books

• Mammy, Sugar Falling Down (1989)
• Mrs Molly's Shopping Trolley (1990)
• Looking For Auntie Natal (1992)
• Mr Pam Pam and the Hullabazoo (1994)
• So Much (1994)
• When I Grow Bigger (1994)
• The Grandad Tree (2000)
• Waiting for Baby (2000)
• Zoom! (2000)
• The Diary of A Young West Indian Immigrant (2001)
• Full, Full, Full of Love (2003)
• Catch! (2003)
• Hey Crazy Riddle! (2006)
• Hoorah for Mary Seacole (2008)
• No Dinner for Anansi (2009)
• How Anansi Got His Stories (2011)
• Look Back! (2013)
• King Kafu and the Moon (2016)
• Tales from the Caribbean (2017)