Serraillier, Ian

Ian Serraillier was born September 24, 1912, in London, England, and died November 28, 1994. He was an educator, poet, and author, who wrote many books for children. He was known for his retellings of folk tales, fairy tales, and legends. Biographical Sources: Something About the Author, vols. 1, 73, 83 Something About the Author Autobiography Series, vol. 3 Children's Literature Review, vol. 2.

Ian Serraillier was born in London on September 24th 1912 and educated at Brighton College and St Edmund Hall, Oxford. He became an English teacher, first at Wycliffe College, Gloucestershire and later at Dudley Grammar School and Midhurst Grammar School. He was a committed Quaker and was therefore permitted to continue his teaching career throughout the war. It was during this period that his first published work appeared, in the form of poetry for both adults and children. In 1946 his first children's novel, They raced for treasure was published, which was followed by several more adventure stories of treasure and spies. His best-known work, The Silver Sword was published in 1956 and has become a classic, bringing to life the story of four refugee children and their search for their parents in the chaos of Europe immediately after the war.

As well as children's novels and poetry Serraillier produced his own retellings of classic tales, in prose and verse, including Beowulf, Chaucer and Greek myth. Together with his wife Anne he founded in 1948 the New Windmill Series, published by Heinemann Educational Books, which set out to provide cheap editions of good stories, welcomed in schools. He continued as co-editor of the series until the onset of Alzheimer's disease. Ian Serraillier died on November 28th 1994.

Ian Serraillier was born September 24, 1912, in London, England, and died November 28, 1994. He was an educator, poet, and author, who wrote many books for children. He was known for his retellings of folk tales, fairy tales, and legends.

Biographical Sources: Something About the Author, vols. 1, 73, 83 Something About the Author Autobiography Series, vol. 3 Children's Literature Review, vol. 2