Philippa Pearce is considered one of the outstanding children's writers of the twentieth century. She has created a string of classic titles, including Tom's Midnight Garden, Minnow on the Say and The Battle of Bubble and Squeak. Critics praise her genius in seeing the world through a child's eye and tapping into the fear, isolation and strong emotions of childhood. THE BASICS Born: Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire Jobs: Civil servant, radio scriptwriter & producer, book editor, reviewer, lecturer, author Lives: Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire First Book for young people: Minnow on the Say, 1955 THE BOOKS Philippa Pearce was the youngest of four children of a flour-miller. The family lived in the Mill House on the upper reaches of the River Cam. 'Although there wasn't much cash we had lots of space,' remembers Philippa, 'We had a canoe, we swam, we fished with net and with rod, we skated on flooded water meadows. On Saturday afternoons, we used to creep into the the mill by a secret way and play among the bulging sacks, and hide.' Philippa has vivid memories of her childhood.

During a long spell in hospital with TB, she drew on those memories to create her first book Minnow on the Say. 'It was a hot summer and the hospital was boring and stuffy. I thought of my home and the coolness of the river and how lovely it would be to.