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Barbara Leonie Picard

May 03, 2024

Barbara Leonie Picard (17 December 1917 – 15 December 2011) was a British writer of children's books, best known for historical fiction and for retellings of ancient myths and medieval legends. Her works were meticulously researched. She also wrote original fairy tales.[1] Three of her books were commended runners up for the annual British Carnegie Medal, one collection of her fairy tales and two historical novels.[2][a]

Barbara Leonie Picard
Born(1917-12-17)17 December 1917
Richmond-upon-Thames, London, England
Died15 December 2011(2011-12-15) (aged 93)
OccupationWriter
NationalityBritish
GenreChildren's historical fiction, myth and legend, fairy tale

Biography edit

Picard was born in Richmond-upon-Thames, a borough of London, and lived for some time in a rented cottage outside Seaford, East Sussex, with her mother. Her mother was raised in Venezuela, moved to Britain, and married a French soldier who had been sent to London as a consul.[1] The marriage faltered early and Picard saw her father only fleetingly as a child. Although Picard was raised by her mother, her father supported the family and wrote to her all his life.[1]

When I was a small child, polite people said of me that I was shy; I never was, I was merely unsociable. When I was grown up, they called me reserved; I was, but only because I was unsociable. Now that I am old, they speak of me as a recluse: and I am a recluse–because I am still unsociable.[3]

– Barbara Leonie Picard, Something about the Author Autobiography Series, V. 10, p. 229-30

Educated by a governess until the age of nine, Picard was not acquainted with children until she went to prep school. She had three happy years until she was placed in a boarding school in Berkshire where she made no friends. As an old woman, she explained that she had been and remained always "unsociable" (see box).[3] Although she earned high academic honours, she left school at age 16, deciding to write rather than enter university. She trained as a librarian in Eastbourne and during that time also taught herself Greek. During the Second World War she was a volunteer fire-watcher, spending her time at night on top of the library roof writing literary fairy tales for her own amusement. Readings were broadcast on British Radio Children's Hour in 1947[1] and fifty original fairy tales were eventually published, primarily by Oxford University Press beginning in 1949.[4]

Early in the 1950s Picard moved from her mother's home to nearby Lewes. She continued working during the day[clarification needed] and writing in the evening. After publishing a second collection of her stories, Oxford suggested that she try retelling ancient Greek mythology for children. Picard did so, beginning with The Odyssey of Homer in 1952; later she heard that it was appreciated by the famous interpreter of Greek myths, Robert Graves. She followed that with Tales of the Norse Gods and Heroes (1953), Stories of King Arthur and his Knights (1955), and French Legends, Tales, and Fairy Stories (1955). Picard refrained from writing in a poetic style and her prose stayed faithful to the ferocity of the original works.[1] A decade later, she retold material from south and west Asia. One retrospective account cited her retellings generally for the "resonant, almost ceremonial language she uses to convey both story and feeling. Her narratives have the ring of tales told by skald and bard, and her choice of words would fill great halls."[3]

Meanwhile, the third and last Oxford volume of her original stories was published in 1954, The Lady of the Linden Tree.[4] For that work she was one of six commended runners up for the 1954 Carnegie Medal, a distinction the Library Association introduced that year.[2][a]

Picard's first novel, Ransom for a Knight (1956), was historical fiction set in the 14th century. It features a 10-year-old girl, a knight's daughter, who hears of her father's death in Scotland and leaves her Sussex home to find the truth behind his disappearance. Illustrated by C. Walter Hodges, Ransom for a Knight was popular with girl readers who related to the spirited female heroine of the story. It earned her second Carnegie commendation[2] but narrowly missed winning. The story of a missing or distant parent would be a recurring theme for Picard, mirroring her own childhood.[1]

In 1965, seven more of her 1940s fairy tales were published by Harrap as The Goldfinch Garden. The last two saw the light in 1968.[4] That same year, another historical novel set in the 14th century, One is One (1965) earned her third Carnegie commendation.[2][a]

Encyclopædia Britannica names Picard one of ten foremost members of a "new English school" of children's historical fiction, "stressing conscientious scholarship, realism, honesty, social awareness, and general disdain for mere swash and buckle, [which] produced work that completely eclipsed the rusty tradition of Marryat and George Alfred Henty."[5]

Late in her career Picard become increasingly solitary—a recluse, she admitted (see box). Her work came to be neglected and she was forced to raise £5,000 to see her final novel, The Deceivers, published in 1996.[1]

Books edit

  • The Mermaid and the Simpleton (Oxford, 1949), illustrated by Philip Gough —15 original fairy tales ‡
  • The Faun and the Woodcutter's Daughter (Oxford, 1951), illus. Charles Stewart —14 original fairy tales ‡
  • The Odyssey of Homer (1952), illus. Joan Kiddell-Monroe
  • Tales of the Norse Gods and Heroes (1953), illus. Joan Kiddell-Monroe
  • The Lady of the Linden Tree (Oxford, 1954), illus. Charles Stewart —12 original fairy tales ‡
  • Stories of King Arthur and his Knights (1955), illus. Roy Morgan
  • French Legends, Tales, and Fairy Stories (1955), illus. Joan Kiddell-Monroe
  • Ransom for a Knight (1956), illus. C. Walter Hodges
  • German Hero-Sagas and Folk-Tales (1958), illus. Joan Kiddell-Monroe
  • The Iliad of Homer (1960), illus. Joan Kiddell-Monroe
  • Tales of the British People (1961), illus. Eric Fraser
  • The Tower and the Traitors (1961), illus. William Stobbs
  • Lost John: A Young Outlaw in the Forest of Arden (1962), illus. Charles Keeping
  • Hero-tales from the British Isles (1963), illus. John G. Galsworthy
  • One is One (1965), illus. Victor Ambrus
  • The Goldfinch Garden: Seven Tales (Harrap & Co, 1965), illus. Anne Linton —7 original fairy tales ‡
  • Celtic tales: Legends of tall warriors & old enchantments (1965), illus. John G. Galsworthy
  • The Young Pretenders (1966), illus. Victor Ambrus
  • Twice Seven Tales (Kaye & Ward Ltd, 1968), illus. Victor Ambrus —The Lady of the Linden Tree plus two more original fairy tales ‡
  • The Story of the Pandavas, retold from the Mahøabhøarata (1968), illus. Charles Stewart
  • Tales of Ancient Persia, retold from the Shah-Nama of Firdausi (1972), illus. Victor Ambrus
  • Three ancient Kings: Gilgamesh, Hrolf Kraki, Conary (1972), illus. Philip Gough
  • Selected Fairy Tales (1994), illus. Julia Cobbold —16 of the 50 previously published original fairy tales[4] ‡
  • The Deceivers (1997)
  • The Midsummer Bride (Oxford, 1999), illus. Alan Marks, a picture book edition of one story from Selected Fairy Tales ‡

‡ Fifty original fairy tales that Picard wrote in the 1940s were published in five volumes with four illustrators and three publishers, 1949 to 1968. Years later Oxford published Selected Fairy Tales, her 16 favourites of the 41 that had appeared in the three early Oxford volumes.[4]

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ a b c Today there are usually eight books on the Carnegie shortlist. According to CCSU, there were about 160 commendations of two kinds in 49 years from 1954 to 2002, including six each for 1954, 1956, and 1965.

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Barbara Leonie Picard". The Times, Obituary Register. 11 February 2012. Retrieved 12 February 2012. (subscription required)
  2. ^ a b c d "Carnegie Medal Award" 27 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine. 2007(?). Curriculum Lab. Elihu Burritt Library. Central Connecticut State University (CCSU). Retrieved 24 August 2012.
  3. ^ a b c Janice M. Del Negro (1 May 2000). . The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books. Archived from the original on 2 August 2013. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
  4. ^ a b c d e "The Complete Fairy Tales of Barbara Leonie Picard". 5 June 2011. Rick Bowes. Retrieved 24 August 2012. Survey of the six collections (‡) by a collector.
  5. ^ "Barbara Leonie Picard". Encyclopædia Britannica Online Academic Edition. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2012. Retrieved 25 August 2012.

External links edit

May 03, 2024
barbara, leonie, picard, december, 1917, december, 2011, british, writer, children, books, best, known, historical, fiction, retellings, ancient, myths, medieval, legends, works, were, meticulously, researched, also, wrote, original, fairy, tales, three, books. Barbara Leonie Picard 17 December 1917 15 December 2011 was a British writer of children s books best known for historical fiction and for retellings of ancient myths and medieval legends Her works were meticulously researched She also wrote original fairy tales 1 Three of her books were commended runners up for the annual British Carnegie Medal one collection of her fairy tales and two historical novels 2 a Barbara Leonie PicardBorn 1917 12 17 17 December 1917Richmond upon Thames London EnglandDied15 December 2011 2011 12 15 aged 93 OccupationWriterNationalityBritishGenreChildren s historical fiction myth and legend fairy tale Contents 1 Biography 2 Books 3 See also 4 Notes 5 References 6 External linksBiography editPicard was born in Richmond upon Thames a borough of London and lived for some time in a rented cottage outside Seaford East Sussex with her mother Her mother was raised in Venezuela moved to Britain and married a French soldier who had been sent to London as a consul 1 The marriage faltered early and Picard saw her father only fleetingly as a child Although Picard was raised by her mother her father supported the family and wrote to her all his life 1 When I was a small child polite people said of me that I was shy I never was I was merely unsociable When I was grown up they called me reserved I was but only because I was unsociable Now that I am old they speak of me as a recluse and I am a recluse because I am still unsociable 3 Barbara Leonie Picard Something about the Author Autobiography Series V 10 p 229 30 Educated by a governess until the age of nine Picard was not acquainted with children until she went to prep school She had three happy years until she was placed in a boarding school in Berkshire where she made no friends As an old woman she explained that she had been and remained always unsociable see box 3 Although she earned high academic honours she left school at age 16 deciding to write rather than enter university She trained as a librarian in Eastbourne and during that time also taught herself Greek During the Second World War she was a volunteer fire watcher spending her time at night on top of the library roof writing literary fairy tales for her own amusement Readings were broadcast on British Radio Children s Hour in 1947 1 and fifty original fairy tales were eventually published primarily by Oxford University Press beginning in 1949 4 Early in the 1950s Picard moved from her mother s home to nearby Lewes She continued working during the day clarification needed and writing in the evening After publishing a second collection of her stories Oxford suggested that she try retelling ancient Greek mythology for children Picard did so beginning with The Odyssey of Homer in 1952 later she heard that it was appreciated by the famous interpreter of Greek myths Robert Graves She followed that with Tales of the Norse Gods and Heroes 1953 Stories of King Arthur and his Knights 1955 and French Legends Tales and Fairy Stories 1955 Picard refrained from writing in a poetic style and her prose stayed faithful to the ferocity of the original works 1 A decade later she retold material from south and west Asia One retrospective account cited her retellings generally for the resonant almost ceremonial language she uses to convey both story and feeling Her narratives have the ring of tales told by skald and bard and her choice of words would fill great halls 3 Meanwhile the third and last Oxford volume of her original stories was published in 1954 The Lady of the Linden Tree 4 For that work she was one of six commended runners up for the 1954 Carnegie Medal a distinction the Library Association introduced that year 2 a Picard s first novel Ransom for a Knight 1956 was historical fiction set in the 14th century It features a 10 year old girl a knight s daughter who hears of her father s death in Scotland and leaves her Sussex home to find the truth behind his disappearance Illustrated by C Walter Hodges Ransom for a Knight was popular with girl readers who related to the spirited female heroine of the story It earned her second Carnegie commendation 2 but narrowly missed winning The story of a missing or distant parent would be a recurring theme for Picard mirroring her own childhood 1 In 1965 seven more of her 1940s fairy tales were published by Harrap as The Goldfinch Garden The last two saw the light in 1968 4 That same year another historical novel set in the 14th century One is One 1965 earned her third Carnegie commendation 2 a Encyclopaedia Britannica names Picard one of ten foremost members of a new English school of children s historical fiction stressing conscientious scholarship realism honesty social awareness and general disdain for mere swash and buckle which produced work that completely eclipsed the rusty tradition of Marryat and George Alfred Henty 5 Late in her career Picard become increasingly solitary a recluse she admitted see box Her work came to be neglected and she was forced to raise 5 000 to see her final novel The Deceivers published in 1996 1 Books editThe Mermaid and the Simpleton Oxford 1949 illustrated by Philip Gough 15 original fairy tales The Faun and the Woodcutter s Daughter Oxford 1951 illus Charles Stewart 14 original fairy tales The Odyssey of Homer 1952 illus Joan Kiddell Monroe Tales of the Norse Gods and Heroes 1953 illus Joan Kiddell Monroe The Lady of the Linden Tree Oxford 1954 illus Charles Stewart 12 original fairy tales Stories of King Arthur and his Knights 1955 illus Roy Morgan French Legends Tales and Fairy Stories 1955 illus Joan Kiddell Monroe Ransom for a Knight 1956 illus C Walter Hodges German Hero Sagas and Folk Tales 1958 illus Joan Kiddell Monroe The Iliad of Homer 1960 illus Joan Kiddell Monroe Tales of the British People 1961 illus Eric Fraser The Tower and the Traitors 1961 illus William Stobbs Lost John A Young Outlaw in the Forest of Arden 1962 illus Charles Keeping Hero tales from the British Isles 1963 illus John G Galsworthy One is One 1965 illus Victor Ambrus The Goldfinch Garden Seven Tales Harrap amp Co 1965 illus Anne Linton 7 original fairy tales Celtic tales Legends of tall warriors amp old enchantments 1965 illus John G Galsworthy The Young Pretenders 1966 illus Victor Ambrus Twice Seven Tales Kaye amp Ward Ltd 1968 illus Victor Ambrus The Lady of the Linden Tree plus two more original fairy tales The Story of the Pandavas retold from the Mahoabhoarata 1968 illus Charles Stewart Tales of Ancient Persia retold from the Shah Nama of Firdausi 1972 illus Victor Ambrus Three ancient Kings Gilgamesh Hrolf Kraki Conary 1972 illus Philip Gough Selected Fairy Tales 1994 illus Julia Cobbold 16 of the 50 previously published original fairy tales 4 The Deceivers 1997 The Midsummer Bride Oxford 1999 illus Alan Marks a picture book edition of one story from Selected Fairy Tales Fifty original fairy tales that Picard wrote in the 1940s were published in five volumes with four illustrators and three publishers 1949 to 1968 Years later Oxford published Selected Fairy Tales her 16 favourites of the 41 that had appeared in the three early Oxford volumes 4 See also editPortals nbsp Children s literature nbsp Mythology nbsp England nbsp History nbsp Speculative fictionNotes edit a b c Today there are usually eight books on the Carnegie shortlist According to CCSU there were about 160 commendations of two kinds in 49 years from 1954 to 2002 including six each for 1954 1956 and 1965 References edit a b c d e f g Barbara Leonie Picard The Times Obituary Register 11 February 2012 Retrieved 12 February 2012 subscription required a b c d Carnegie Medal Award Archived 27 March 2019 at the Wayback Machine 2007 Curriculum Lab Elihu Burritt Library Central Connecticut State University CCSU Retrieved 24 August 2012 a b c Janice M Del Negro 1 May 2000 Barbara Leonie Picard The Bulletin of the Center for Children s Books Archived from the original on 2 August 2013 Retrieved 12 February 2012 a b c d e The Complete Fairy Tales of Barbara Leonie Picard 5 June 2011 Rick Bowes Retrieved 24 August 2012 Survey of the six collections by a collector Barbara Leonie Picard Encyclopaedia Britannica Online Academic Edition Encyclopaedia Britannica Inc 2012 Retrieved 25 August 2012 External links editBarbara Leonie Picard permanent dead link at Library of Congress Authorities with 37 catalogue records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Barbara Leonie Picard amp oldid 1217819554, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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