JOAN AIKEN


English author (1924)

Biography:

Joan Aiken was born on 4th September 1924 in Rye, Sussex, daughter of the American poet Conrad Aiken. She has written many books for both children and adults and she has published a countless number of short stories in magazines for female readers.
During the 1960s, after her husband's death, Aiken came into her own as an author, winning popular and critical acclaim for The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, The Whispering Mountain, Black Hearts in Battersea, and Nightbirds on Nantucket.
In 1969 she was awarded with America's Edgar Allen Poe Award for her novel for children Night Fall.

Joan Aiken, author of illustrated works:

Mortimer says Nothing, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Harper & Row, 1986.
Up the chimney down and Other Stories, illustrated by Pat Marriott, New York: Harper and Row, 1985.
The wolves of Willoughby Chase, illustrated by Pat Marriott, New York, Dell Pub, 1962.
A foot in the grave, Vicking, 1991.
Arabels Raven, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Doubleday.
Black hearts in battersea, illustrated by Pat Marriot, Red Fox, 1999.
The Cuckoo Tree, illustrated by Pat Marriot, Red Fox, 1999.
Night Birds on Nantucket, illustrated by Pat Marriot, Red Fox, 1999.
The Stolen Lake, illustrated by Pat Marriot, Red Fox, 1999.
Les perles de la pluie et autres contes, Rouge et Or, 1981.
Arabelle en croisière, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Nathan, 1983, col. Arc-en-poche, n°150.
The Cockatrice Boys, cover and interior illustrations by Jason Van Hollander. Alice in Wonderland meets Salem's Lot in a wonderful fantasy by a great writer. Voices, Hippo, 1988.
Les perles de la pluie et autres contes, illustrated by Boiry, Hachette Jeunesse, 1989. Le bois des ombres, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Gallimard, 1995.
Le corbeau d'Arabelle, illustrated by Quentin Blake, Pocket, 1997.

Critical analysis on Joan Aiken:

Alec Ellis, Joan Aiken. School Librarian 18, June 1970, pp. 147-151.
John Rowe Townsend, Joan Aiken. Signal 5, May 1971, pp. 72-77
Lesley Aers, Writers for Children--Joan Aiken. Use of English 22, Summer 1971, pp 336-344.
Joan Aiken, "Between Family and Fantasy: An Author's Perspec tives on Children's Books." Quarterly Journal of the Library of Congress 29, October 1972, pp. 308-326
Malcolm Usrey, America's Gift to British Children: The Tall Tales of Joan Aiken. Proceedings of the Children's Literature Association 6, 1979, pp. 196-202.

Joan Aiken on the Internet:

Joan Aiken's Biography
Another site about Joan Aiken (Puffin)