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Joan Aiken

Author

About Joan Aiken

Joan Aiken was born in Sussex in 1924. She was the daughter of the American poet, Conrad Aiken; her sister, Jane Aiken Hodge, is also a novelist. Before joining the 'family business' herself, Joan had a variety of jobs, including working for the BBC, the United Nations Information Centre and then as features editor for a short story magazine. Her first children's novel, The Kingdom of the Cave, was published in 1960.

Joan Aiken wrote over a hundred books for young readers and adults and is recognized as one of the classic authors of the twentieth century. Amanda Craig, writing in The Times, said, 'She was a consummate story-teller, one that each generation discovers anew.' Her best-known books are those in the James III saga, of which The Wolves of Willoughby Chase was the first title, published in 1962 and awarded the Lewis Carroll prize. Both that and Black Hearts in Battersea have been filmed. Her books are internationally acclaimed and she received the Edgar Allan Poe Award in the United States as well as the Guardian Award for Fiction in this country for The Whispering Mountain.

Joan Aiken was decorated with an MBE for her services to children's books. She died in 2004.

Joan Aiken books

Recent updates about Joan Aiken

World Children's Day

A remarkable book that your children will love. Is by Joan Aiken.

Yesterday

World Children's Day

More Arabel and Mortimer by Joan Aiken from Puffin is brilliant!

Yesterday

Halloween

A remarkable book that your children will love. Cold Shoulder Road by Joan Aiken.

21 days ago

Halloween

You should read Cold Shoulder Road by Joan Aiken. Published by Penguin Random House Children's UK.

21 days ago

National Tell A Story Day

Books can be so much fun, why not share this one Dido And Pa by Joan Aiken from Red Fox

25 days ago

National Tell A Story Day

Books can be so much fun, why not share this one Dido And Pa by Joan Aiken from Penguin Random House Children's UK

25 days ago

National Tell A Story Day

Books can be so much fun, why not share this one The Kingdom Under the Sea by Joan Aiken from Penguin Random House Children's UK

25 days ago

National Tell A Story Day

Stories is so much fun, why not sit down and read Mortimer and the Sword Excalibur by Joan Aiken from Frances Lincoln Children's Books

25 days ago

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