Wild, Margaret 1948-

views updated May 14 2018

Wild, Margaret 1948-

Personal

Born 1948, in Eschew, South Africa; immigrated to Australia, 1972; children: two. Education: Attended Australian National University. Hobbies and other interests: Music, opera, frequenting cafés.

Addresses

Home—Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Career

Journalist, book editor, and children's author. ABC Books, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, editor and publisher.

Awards, Honors

Book of the Year Award for Picture Book shortlist, Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA). and Kate Greenaway Award shortlist, both 1984, both for There's a Sea in My Bedroom; Book of the Year Award for Picture Book, CBC, 1990, for The Very Best of Friends; Australian Books of the Year Awards shortlist, 1992, for Let the Celebrations Begin!; CBCA Book of the Year Award for Picture Book shortlist, 1997, for The Midnight Gang; Young Australian Best Book Award (YABBA) shortlist, 1999, for Miss Lily's Fabulous Pink Feather Boa; CBC Book of the Year for Early Childhood, 2002, and YABBA shortlist, and Bilby Award shortlist, both 2003, all for The Pocket Dogs; New South Wales State Literary Award shortlist, and CBC Book of the Year Award for Picture Book, both 2000, and YABBA shortlist, 2001, all for Jenny Angel; CBCA Book of the Year Award for Picture Book, and Queensland Premier's Literary Award for Children's Book, both 2001, both for Fox; May Gibbs Literature Trust fellowship, La Trobe University, 2001; CBCA Award shortlist for novel, 2002, for Jinx; Bilby Award for Early Reader, 2006, for Baby Broomsticks; CBCA Book of the Year Award for Picture Book shortlist, 2004, for Seven More Sleeps, 2007, for Chatterbox; Aurealis Award for Children's Book, 2006, and CBCA Book of the Year Award for Picture Book shortlist, 2007, both for Woolvs in the Sitee.

Writings

FOR CHILDREN

There's a Sea in My Bedroom, illustrated by Jane Tanner, Nelson (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1984, reprinted, Puffin (Camberwell, Victoria, Australia), 2005.

Something Absolutely Enormous, illustrated by Jack Hannah, Ashton Scholastic (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1984.

One Shoe On, illustrated by Hannah Koch, Hodder & Stoughton (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1984.

Creatures in the Beard, illustrated by Margaret Power, Omnibus Books (Adelaide, South Australia, Australia), 1986.

Kathy's Umbrella, Hodder & Stoughton (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1986.

The Diary of Megan Moon (Soon to Be Rich and Famous), illustrated by Shirley Peters, Collins Australia (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1988.

Mr. Nick's Knitting, illustrated by Dee Huxley, Hodder & Stoughton (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1988, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1989.

The Very Best of Friends, illustrated by Julie Vivas, Margaret Hamilton (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1989, Harcourt Brace (San Diego, CA), 1990.

Something Rich and Strange, illustrated by Janet Bridgland, Omnibus Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 1990.

Harvey Jackson's Cubby, illustrated by Keith McEwan, Macmillan Australia (South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1990.

Remember Me, Margaret Hamilton (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1990, Albert Whitman (Morton Grove, IL), 1995.

A Bit of Company, illustrated by Wayne Harris, Ashton Scholastic (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1991.

Let the Celebrations Begin!, illustrated by Julie Vivas, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1991, published as A Time for Toys, Kids Can Press (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 1992.

Thank You, Santa, illustrated by Kerry Argent, Omnibus Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 1991, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.

Belinda's Blanket, illustrated by Alice Mak, Macmillan Australia (South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1992.

Space Travellers, illustrated by Gregory Rogers, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.

The Queen's Holiday, illustrated by Sue O'Loughlin, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1992.

First Best Friends, illustrated by Donna Rawlins, Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1992.

When Penny Was Mum, illustrated by Chantal Stewart, Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1992.

My Dearest Dinosaur, illustrated by Donna Rawlins, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1992, reprinted, Scholastic Press (Gosford, New South Wales, Australia), 2005.

All the Better to See You With!, illustrated by Pat Reynolds, Allen & Unwin (St. Leonards, New South Wales, Australia), 1992, Albert Whitman (Morton Grove, IL), 1993.

The Slumber Party, illustrated by David Cox, Omnibus Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 1992, Ticknor & Fields (New York, NY), 1993.

Beast, Omnibus Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 1992, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.

(With Lorraine Hannay) Sam's Sunday Dad, Hodder & Stoughton (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1992.

Going Home, illustrated by Wayne Harris, Ashton Scholastic (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1993, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.

Our Granny, illustrated by Julie Vivas, Omnibus Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 1993, Ticknor & Fields (New York, NY), 1994.

Toby, illustrated by Noela Young, Omnibus Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 1993, Ticknor & Fields (New York, NY), 1994.

Light the Lamps, illustrated by Dee Huxley, Margaret Hamilton Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1994, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.

But Granny Did!, illustrated by Ian Forss, SRA School Group (Santa Rosa, CA), 1994.

Morris the Reinbear, illustrated by David Francis, David Jones (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1995.

Looking after Alice & Co., illustrated by David Cox, Margaret Hamilton (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1995.

Old Pig, illustrated by Ron Brooks, Allen & Unwin (St. Leonards, New South Wales, Australia), 1995, Dial (New York, NY), 1996.

The Midnight Gang, illustrated by Ann James, Omnibus Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1996.

Big Cat Dreaming, illustrated by Anne Spudvilas, Viking (Ringwood, Victoria, Australia), 1996.

Morris the Reinbear's Magic Books, illustrated by David Francis, David Jones (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1997.

First Day, illustrated by Kim Gamble, Allen & Unwin (St. Leonards, New South Wales, Australia), 1998.

Rosie and Tortoise, illustrated by Ron Brooks, Allen & Unwin (St. Leonards, New South Wales, Australia), 1998, DK Publishing (New York, NY), 1999.

Bim, Bam, Boom!, illustrated by Wayne Harris, ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1998.

Miss Lily's Fabulous Pink Feather Boa, illustrated by Kerry Argent, Penguin (Ringwood, Victoria, Australia), 1998.

Jenny Angel, illustrated by Anne Spudvilas, Viking (New York, NY), 1999.

Midnight Babies, illustrated by Ann James, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 1999.

The Midnight Feast, illustrated by Ann James, ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999.

Tom Goes to Kindergarten, illustrated by David Legge, ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1999, Albert Whitman (Morton Grove, IL), 2000.

(With Donna Rawlins) Robber Girl, Random House Australia (Milsons Point, New South Wales, Australia), 2000.

Fox, illustrated by Ron Brooks, Allen & Unwin (St. Leonards, New South Wales, Australia), 2000, Kane/Miller Book Publishers (La Jolla, CA), 2001.

Nighty Night!, illustrated by Kerry Argent, ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2000, Peachtree Publishers (Atlanta, GA), 2001.

The Pocket Dogs, illustrated by Stephen Michael King, Omnibus Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 2000, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.

The House of Narcissus, illustrated by Wayne Harris, ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2001.

Jinx, Allen & Unwin (Crows Nest, New South Wales, Australia), 2001, Walker (New York, NY), 2002.

(With Jonathan Bentley) Mr. Moo, ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2002.

One Night, Allen & Unwin (Crows Nest, New South Wales, Australia), 2003, Knopf (New York, NY), 2004.

Babs the Baby and Fog the Dog, Working Title Press (Kingswood, South Australia, Australia), 2003.

Baby Boomsticks, illustrated by David Legge, ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2003.

Pat the Cat and Sailor Sam, illustrated by Tohby Riddle, Solo Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 2003.

Too Many Monkeys, illustrated by Sally Rippin, Omnibus Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 2004.

Fox, illustrated by Ron Brooks, Allen & Unwin (St. Leonards, New South Wales, Australia), 2004.

Kiss Kiss!, illustrated by Bridget Strevens-Marxo, Simon & Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.

Seven More Sleeps, illustrated by Donna Rawlins, Working Title Press (Kingswood, South Australia, Australia), 2004.

Farmer Fred's Cow, illustrated by David Waller, ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2004.

Piglet and Mama, illustrated by Stephen Michael King, Working Title Press (Kingswood, South Australia, Australia), 2004, Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2007.

Miss Lily's Fabulous Pink Feather Boa, illustrated by Kerry Argent, Puffin (Camberwell, Victoria, Australia), 2005.

The Little Crooked House, illustrated by Jonathan Bentley, ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2005.

The Bilbies of Bliss, illustrated by Noela Young ABC Books (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 2005.

Hop, Little Hare!, illustrated by Peter Shaw, Little Hare (Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia), 2005.

Woolvs in the Sitee, illustrated by Anne Spudvilas, Penguin (Camberwell, Victoria, Australia), 2005, Front Street (Asheville, NC), 2007.

Bobbie Dazzler, illustrated by Janine Dawson, Working Title Press (Kingswood, South Australia, Australia), 2006.

Chatterbox, illustrated by Deborah Niland, Viking (Camberwell, Victoria, Australia), 2006.

Lucy Goosey, illustrated by Ann James, Little Hare (Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia), 2007.

Ruby Roars, illustrated by Kerry Argent, Allen & Unwin (E. Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 2007.

Little Dumpty, illustrated by Ann James, Little Hare (Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia), 2007.

Piglet and Papa, illustrated by Stephen Michael King, Working Title Press (Kingswood, South Australia, Australia), 2007.

Puffing, illustrated by Julie Vivas, Omnibus (Malvern, South Australia, Australia), 2007, Feiwel & Friends (New York, NY), 2009.

The Pocket Dogs Go on Holiday, illustrated by Stephen Michael King, Omnibus Books (Norwood, South Australia, Australia), 2008.

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Bit Red Hen and the Little Lost Egg, illustrated by Terry Denton, Penguin (Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia), 2008.

Baby Bird's Blankie, illustrated by Gwyn Perkins, Working Title Press (Kingswood, South Australia, Australia), 2008.

Piglet and Granny, illustrated by Stephen Michael King, Abrams Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2009.

Grandpa Baby, illustrated by Deborah Niland, Penguin (Camberwell, Victoria, Australia), 2009.

Harry and Hopper, illustrated by Freya Blackwood, Omnibus (Malvern, South Australia, Australia), 2009.

Going Home, illustrated by Wayne Harris, Walker Books (Newton, New South Wales, Australia), 2009.

A Bit of Company, illustrated by Wayne Harris, Walker Books (Newton, New South Wales, Australia), 2009.

Old Pig, illustrated by Ron Brooks, Allen & Unwin (Crows Nest, New South Wales, Australia), 2009.

Hush, Hush!, illustrated by Bridget Strevens-Marzo, Little Hare (Surry Hills, New South Wales, Australia), 2010.

Contributor to Doctor Gemma and Out of Reach!, education resource kits, New South Wales Department of Education and Training (Ryde, New South Wales, Australia), 2001.

Sidelights

Margaret Wild is a prolific author of children's books whose themes sometimes range to issues outside the genre's norm: death and dying, grief, divorce, aging, and fears of being lost, overwhelmed, or bullied. Her realistic portrayals of these difficult subjects have been widely praised by critics and reviewers alike. In contrast, Wild's picture books, such as Our Granny, Little Humpty, Piglet and Papa, and Bobbie Dazzler, are jubilant celebrations of grandmothers, babies, childhood, and friendship. Even her more sober works, such as her highly lauded picture book Woolvs in the Sitee and her verse novel Jinx, hold the message that children have the ability to understand and cope with a sad or scary situation.

Set in Wild's native Australia, The Very Best of Friends introduces a farm couple, James and Jessie, and their cat, William. James is especially fond of William, and Jessie tolerates the cat for her husband's sake. When James dies suddenly, Jessie shuts out everything, including William, and stops caring for the farm, the animals, and herself. The neglected cat becomes thin and vicious, in his own way shut out from the world. However, when William claws Jessie, she realizes how she has let herself and her world deteriorate, and the two develop a strong friendship. The Very Best of Friends is a "story about relationships, love and loss, survival and recovery," wrote Patricia Dooley in School Library Journal. "The poignant tale is superbly told by Wild … who achieves an enviable balance of detail and simplicity," added a reviewer in Publishers Weekly.

Let the Celebrations Begin!—also published as A Time for Toys!—has the unusual setting of the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany. Miriam, an older child prisoner, can remember what life was like before the camp, when she had parents and a home and toys. Because many of the younger children have known nothing but the camp, Miriam plans a very special party for the children, one that will happen when "the soldiers come to set us free" from their captivity. The women tear usable scraps of cloth from their already-threadbare clothing to make the toys, which are indeed given when the camp is liberated. Marjorie Gann, writing in Canadian Children's Literature, noted that A Time for Toys "tells an important story well." Susan Perren, reviewing the book in Quill & Quire, called Wild's story "a work of alchemy, creating something of beauty from the bleakest material."

The theme of death coupled with the hopeful message of moving on from grief while not forgetting a loved one informs two of Wild's more popular books. In Old Pig the title character and Granddaughter live happily together, and have for a very long time. Old Pig carefully teaches Granddaughter how to fend for herself; the two do their daily chores together, have their meals together, and sleep peacefully together. One day, after being unable to get up and go about her routine as usual, Old Pig realizes what is coming and begins tidying up—returning library books, closing bank accounts, paying bills, and feasting her eyes on nature for the very last time. The final picture in the book shows Granddaughter alone, feasting on nature the way Old Pig taught her to. "Beautiful in its simplicity, this captures the essence of a life; and children, even little ones, cannot help but feel the love that infuses it," wrote Ilene Cooper in Booklist.

In Toby the family dog is elderly and ailing, but twelve-year-old Sara is indifferent, sometimes even harsh to her lifelong pet. Her two younger brothers cannot understand Sara's anger toward the dog, so they decide to play with Toby and comfort him. When the vet announces that it would be kindest to put Toby to sleep, Sara reacts with hostility toward the ailing pup. Sara's mom realizes that the girl's reaction is a response to the sadness she feels at the prospect of losing Toby and the entirety of her childhood that he represents. Michael J. Rosen, writing in the Washington Post Book World, called Toby "a glorious book worth weeping over together," while Booklist critic Ellen Mandel deemed the work "a genuinely touching illumination of a family's loss of a beloved friend."

Wild also deals with the loss of a family member in Jenny Angel. Here young Davy is gravely ill and dying, but his older sister Jenny believes she can save his life by acting as his guardian angel and willing him to live. She perches protectively outside his window at night, and then spends time "flying" over the city in her imagination to bring back marvelous stories of her adventures. She even wears a heavy coat at school to hide her

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"wings," enduring relentless teasing and questioning in order to maintain her illusion of being Davy's guardian angel. It is only after the boy's unavoidable death and his funeral that Jenny finally takes off her coat, visits the roof one last time, and accepts that Davy is gone. "Understated, honest, and ultimately hopefully, Jenny Angel does not simplify emotions nor does it give answers to impossible questions," remarked Nola Allen in a Magpies review. Rosemary Stores, writing in Books for Keeps, declared that "Wild's depiction of Jenny finding a way to accept her loss is … so sensitively conveyed that young readers can only be enriched by it," and Margaret Dunkle remarked in the Australian Book World that Jenny Angel "is a tender, loving, beautiful story, splendidly reinforced by Anne Spudvilas's sensitive paintings."

Other children's books by Wild tackle complex subjects: divorce and visitation in Sam's Sunday Dad, coping with homelessness in Space Travellers, a child's need for glasses in All the Better to See You With!, the aging of a relative in Remember Me and Big Cat Dream-ing, and the first day of school in both First Day and Tom Goes to Kindergarten. Joan Zahnleitner, writing in Magpies, observed that with First Day, Wild's approach "has been towards a more optimistic side of life even while acknowledging that what may seem small worries to adults can assume monumental proportions for young children."

In her verse novels Jinx and One Night Wild refocuses her writing for more sophisticated teen readers. Told in a series of interrelated poems, Jinx relates the story of Jen, a girl who considers herself a jinx and source of bad luck for those around her. Two consecutive boyfriends have died—the first by suicide, the second in an accident—and her parents have split up. Her sister is "born imperfect," and she has a stepmother she hates. In frustration, Jen blames another boy, Ben, for the accident that killed her second boyfriend, and she terrorizes him and his family relentlessly. Her circle of family and friends try to help her cope, but Jen adopts the "Jinx" nickname that she has been given at school. When she feels remorse for being so harsh to Ben and begins to fall in love with the young man, she sheds her Jinx persona. "Jinx emerges as a subtly wrought, deeply affecting story dealing with friendship and familial and romantic love," commented a Kirkus Reviews critic. "The device of the poetry will attract many young readers; the skill with which it is told will keep them hooked."

Also told in short poems divided in three parts, One Night focuses on two teens, Gabe and Helen, who meet at a party, become intimate, and go their separate ways only to realize later that their lives have been altered forever by the events of that night. For Helen, a young woman with a disfigured face, her pregnancy changes her life course because of her decision to keep Gabe's baby. For Gabe the encounter initially has far less resonance; Helen is just one of many women he has had sex with. However, as time passes, Helen and Gabe reconnect and begin to deal more responsibly with the future. "It's quite amazing how a carefully crafted poem is able to reveal character so clearly on two levels of understanding: intellectual and emotional," noted Claire

Rosser in her Kliatt appraisal of Wild's verse novel. While maintaining an air of compassion, the author "doesn't pull back from the weaknesses and mistakes" exhibited by her protagonists, the critic added. Praising the "spare, lyrical poems" in One Night, Booklist critic Gillian Engberg also wrote that the novel contains "moments of exceptional beauty" and phrases that "shimmer with startling, intense feeling."

Featuring evocative illustrations by Spudvilas, Wild's award-winning large-format picture book Woolvs in the Sitee distills the horrors of being a survivor in a post-apocalyptic future into a minimal text. Living in the basement room in a stark, almost-empty apartment building, Ben is terrified of what he believes are wolves living in the shadows of his city neighborhood. For the teen, his only friend is Mrs. Radinski, an elderly woman who lives upstairs until she vanishes after rescuing Ben from the dangers in the outer world. Using a text designed to represent the words of a young man with limited education or understanding of the things around him, Wild creates what Horn Book contributor Claire E. Gross described as a "chilling" story "reinforcing the idea of a decayed society and adding a sense of otherness through accent and slang." "The jarring reading experience … heightens the impression of a brutal, off-kilter world," explained Kate McClelland in her School Library Journal review. Praising Spudvilas's haunting paintings, Gross noted that they combine with Wild's "deceptively simple poetic trajectory … to enhance the fear, ruin, longing, and hope of this eerie dystopian allegory."

In contrast to some of her books for older readers, optimism and exuberance take center stage in many of Wild's illustrated picture books. In Our Granny, for example, Wild offers a celebration of well-loved grandmothers in all colors, shapes, and sizes. "And they can take part in any activities they like," explained Russ Merrin in Magpies. "No white-haired buns pulled back from wrinkled brows here. These ladies are stirrers and doers and goers." In The Queen's Holiday Wild serves up a "royal romp" that will be "enjoyed by young and old," according to School Library Journal critic Nancy Seiner. Here Wild follows the queen's trip to the beach and the steadily increasing mayhem brought about by her attendants, until the regal woman decides to put things right in a suitably royal manner. In the picture book Midnight Babies a group of toddlers gathers at midnight to dance, feast, and cavort before returning to bed and "normal" life, while Little Humpty introduces readers to a young camel who lives with his mother in a hot, sandy desert. Ilene Cooper, writing in Booklist, called Midnight Babies a "fantastical ode to babydom" acted out with characters whose "actions are whimsical, bold, and delicious." Noting that the illustrations Ann James contributes to Little Humpty are "luminous and evincing an almost palpable fluidity," a Publishers Weekly critic added that Wild's "reassuring" story captures "the picture-perfect definition of the boundless love between parent and child."

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Biographical and Critical Sources

BOOKS

Children's Books and Their Creators, edited by Anita Silvey, Houghton Mifflin (New York, NY), 1995.

Wild, Margaret, Let the Celebrations Begin!, illustrated by Julie Vivas, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1991.

Wild, Margaret, The Queen's Holiday, illustrated by Sue O'Loughlin, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1992.

Wild, Margaret, Jenny Angel, illustrated by Anne Spudvilas, Viking (New York, NY), 1999.

PERIODICALS

Australian Book Review, June, 1992, Meg Sorensen, review of Sam's Sunday Dad, pp. 60-63; April, 1995, Linnet Hunter, review of Light the Lamps, pp. 61-62; December-January, 1996-97, Linnet Hunter, review of The Midnight Gang, pp. 91-92; October, 1999, Margaret Dunkle, review of Jenny Angel, pp. 43-44; February, 2001, review of Robber Girl, p. 52.

Booklist, November 1, 1992, Carolyn Phelan, review of Thank You, Santa, p. 88; July, 1993, Lisa Napoli, review of All the Better to See You With!, p. 1978; October 1, 1993, Stephanie Zvirin, review of The Slumber Party, p. 355; January 15, 1994, Hazel Rochman, review of Our Granny, p. 925; March 15, 1994, Ellen Mandel, review of Toby, p. 1375; April 1, 1994, Hazel Rochman, review of Going Home, p. 463; February 1, 1996, Leone McDermott, review of Remember Me, p. 940; May 15, 1996, Ilene Cooper, review of Old Pig, p. 1578; February 1, 1998, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Big Cat Dreaming, p. 924; December 1, 1999, Michael Cart, review of Rosie and Tortoise, p. 715; May 1, 2000, Catherine Andronik, review of Tom Goes to Kindergarten, p. 1680; February 1, 2001, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Pocket Dogs, p. 1051; February 15, 2001, Ilene Cooper, review of Midnight Babies, p. 1135; September 1, 2001, Shelle Rosenfeld, review of Nighty Night!, p. 118; November 15, 2001, Gillian Engberg, review of Fox, p. 585; January 1, 2002, review of Midnight Babies, p. 769; September 15, 2002, Ilene Cooper, review of Jinx, p. 228; January 1, 2004, Hazel Rochman, review of Kiss Kiss!, p. 884; May 15, 2004, Gillian Engberg, review of One Night, p. 1615; March 1, 2005, Hazel Rochman, review of Piglet and Mama, p. 1207; May 1, 2007, Gillian Engberg, review of Piglet and Papa, p. 84; November 15, 2007, Jennifer Mattson, review of Woolvs in the Sitee, p. 40.

Book Report, September-October, 1995, Carol Burbridge, review of Beast, p. 42.

Books for Keeps, March, 2000, Rosemary Stores, review of Jenny Angel, p. 24.

Books in Canada, December, 1997, Gillian Chan, review of Big Cat Dreaming, p. 35.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September, 1991, review of Let the Celebrations Begin!, p. 25; November, 1992, review of Thank You, Santa, p. 94; May, 1993, review of Space Travellers, p. 298; June, 1994, review of Toby, p. 339; February, 1995, review of Beast, p. 218; March, 1996, review of Old Pig, p. 247; March, 2001, review of The Pocket Dogs, p. 283; September, 2001, review of Nighty Night!, p. 40; November, 2007, Deborah Stevenson, review of Woolvs in the Sitee, p. 155.

Canadian Children's Literature, 1993, Marjorie Gann, review of A Time for Toys, pp. 34-36.

Emergency Librarian, March-April, 1987, Anne Hazell, review of Creatures in the Beard, p. 23.

Family Matters, winter, 2000, Carole Jean, review of Sam's Sunday Dad, p. 70.

Horn Book, November-December, 1989, Hanna B. Zeiger, review of Mr. Nick's Knitting, p. 766; March-April, 1990, Karen Jameyson, review of The Very Best of Friends, p. 235; May-June, 1990, Margaret A. Bush, review of The Very Best of Friends, p. 331; September-October, 1992, Hanna B. Zeiger, review of The Queen's Holiday, pp. 580-581; March-April, 1993, Karen Jameyson, review of My Dearest Dinosaur, pp. 241-244; September-October, 1993, Maeve Visser Knoth, review of The Slumber Party, pp. 593-594; May-June, 1994, Hanna B. Zeiger, review of Our Granny, pp. 322-323; November-December, Lauren Adams, review of Jinx, p. 765; November-December, 2007, Claire E. Gross, review of Woolvs in the Sitee, p. 671.

Junior Bookshelf, December, 1984, There's a Sea in My Bedroom, pp. 244-245; August, 1991, review of Let the Celebrations Begin!, p. 149.

Kirkus Reviews, September 15, 1992, review of Thank You, Santa, p. 1195; May 1, 1994, review of Going Home, p. 638; November 15, 1997, review of Big Cat Dreaming, p. 1714; September 15, 2001, review of Fox, p. 1371; July 15, 2002, review of Jinx, p. 1048; April 15, 2004, review of One Night, p. 403; December 15, 2004, review of Little Humpty, p. 1211; April 15, 2005, review of Piglet and Mama, p. 428; May 1, 2007, review of Piglet and Papa; August 1, 2007, review of Woolvs in the Sitee; August 15, 2007, review of Bobbie Dazzler.

Kliatt, May, 2004, Claire Rosser, review of One Night, p. 15.

Los Angeles Times Book Review, December 17, 1989, Patricia MacLachlan, review of Mr. Nick's Knitting, p. 7; May 27, 1990, Patricia MacLachlan, review of The Very Best of Friends, p. 8; June 9, 1996, Michael Cart, review of Old Pig, p. 15.

Magpies, March, 1991, review of Something Rich and Strange, p. 28; July, 1991, Melanie Guile, review of Remember Me, p. 27; November, 1991, Margot Tyrrell, review of Let the Celebrations Begin!, p. 29; May, 1992, review of A Bit of Company, p. 27; November, 1992, Lynne Ferencz, review of The Slumber Party, p. 31; May, 1993, Stephanie Owen Reeder, review of Sam's Sunday Dad, p. 27, Mandy Cheetham, review of All the Better to See You With!, p. 26, and Robyn Shehan, review of Beast, p. 29; July, 1993, Stephanie Owen Reeder, review of Space Travellers, pp. 30-31, and Mandy Cheetham, review of My Dearest Dinosaur, p. 29; November, 1993, Renya Spratt, review of Christmas Magic, p. 27; July, 1994, Russ Merrin, review of Our Granny, p. 26; March, 1995, Melanie Guile, review of Light the Lamps, p. 24; July, 1996, Mandy Cheetham, review of Big Cat Dreaming, p. 25; March, 1996, Annette Dale-Meiklejohn, review of Looking after Alice and Co., p. 34; May, 1998, Moira Robinson, review of Rosie and Tortoise, p. 27; September, 1998, Margaret Phillips, review of Bim Bam Boom!, p. 28, and Joan Zahnleitner, review of First Day, p. 24; November, 1998, Linnet Hunter, review of Miss Lily's Fabulous Pink Feather Boa, p. 24; November, 1999, Nola Allen, review of Jenny Angel, pp. 8-9, and Joan Zahnleitner, review of The Midnight Feast, p. 26; July, 2000, Anne Hanzl, review of Robber Girl, p. 46; November, 2001, Kevin Steinberger, review of The House of Narcissus, p. 17.

New York Times Book Review, February 18, 1990, review of Mr. Nick's Knitting, p. 25.

People, November 28, 1994, review of Our Granny, pp. 42-43.

Publishers Weekly, October 13, 1989, review of Mr. Nick's Knitting, p. 53; March 16, 1990, review of The Very Best of Friends, p. 69; July 25, 1991, review of Let the Celebrations Begin!, p. 52; August 24, 1992, review of The Queen's Holiday, p. 78; September 7, 1992, review of Thank You, Santa, p. 68; September 28, 1992, review of My Dearest Dinosaur, p. 78; April 12, 1993, review of Space Travelers, p. 63; July 19, 1993, review of The Slumber Party, p. 252; February 14, 1994, review of Going Home, pp. 88-89; September 20, 1999, review of Rosie and Tortoise, p. 87; May 1, 2000, review of Tom Goes to Kindergarten, p. 70; February 5, 2001, review of Midnight Babies, p. 87; April, 2001, review of The Pocket Dogs, p. 63; July 9, 2001, review of Nighty Night!, p. 66; October 8, 2001, review of Fox, p. 65; August 5, 2002, review of Jinx, p. 74; January 19, 2004, review of Kiss Kiss!, p. 74; June 21, 2004, review of One Night, p. 64; January 17, 2005, review of Little Humpty, p. 54; August 27, 2007, review of Woolvs in the Sitee, p. 89.

Quill & Quire, May, 1991, Susan Perren, review of A Time for Toys, p. 24.

Reading Teacher, February, 1991, Barbara Kiefer, review of The Very Best of Friends, p. 410; October, 1992, Barbara Tolin, review of The Very Best of Friends, p. 146, and Barbara Tolin, review of Let the Celebrations Begin, p. 146.

School Librarian, summer, 2000, Trevor Dickinson, review of Jenny Angel, p. 91.

School Library Journal, October, 1989, Jeanne Marie Clancy, review of Mr. Nick's Knitting, pp. 98-99; June, 1990, Patricia Dooley, review of The Very Best of Friends, p. 106; July, 1991, Susan Scheps, review of Let the Celebrations Begin!, p. 75; October, 1992, review of Thank You, Santa, p. 45, and Nancy Seiner, review of The Queen's Holiday, pp. 99-100; January, 1993, Cathryn A. Camper, review of My Dearest Dinosaur, p. 88; April, 1993, Karen K. Radtke, review of Space Travellers, pp. 103-104; August, 1993, Anna DeWind, review of All the Better to See You With, p. 154; October, 1993, Karen James, review of The Slumber Party, p. 114; March, 1994, Patricia Pearl Dole, review of Toby, p. 212; April, 1994, Karen James, review of Our Granny, pp. 114-115, and Louise L. Sherman, review of Going Home, p. 114; February, 1995, Tim Rausch, review of Beast, pp. 100-101; January, 1996, Pamela K. Bomboy, review of Remember Me, p. 98; April, 1996, Christina Dorr, review of Old Pig, p. 121; February, 1998, Lauralyn Persson, review of Big Cat Dreaming, p. 92; September, 1999, Kathleen Staerkel, review of Rosie and Tortoise, p. 209; April, 2000, Ginny Gustin, review of Tom Goes to Kindergarten, p. 117; April, 2001, Joy Fleishhacker, review of Midnight Babies, p. 126; June, 2001, Lisa Gangemi Krapp, review of The Pocket Dogs, p. 132; September, 2001, Debbie Stewart, review of Nighty Night!, p. 208; December, 2001, Susan Scheps, review of Fox, pp. 114-115; November, 2002, Sharon Morrison, review of Jinx, p. 178; January, 2004, Faith Brautigam, review of Kiss Kiss!, p. 107; February, 2005, Suzanne Myers Harold, review of Little Humpty, p. 112; June, 2005, Shawn Brommer, review of Piglet and Mama, p. 131; July, 2007, Judith Constantinides, review of Piglet and Papa, p. 87; September, 2007, Kate McClelland, review of Woolvs in the Sitee, p. 210; September, 2007, Martha Simpson, review of Bobbie Dazzler, p. 178.

Spectator, December 5, 1992, Juliet Townsend, review of The Queen's Holiday, p. 49.

Times Educational Supplement, August, 1984, review of There's a Sea in My Bedroom, p. 21; May 31, 1991, Ann Thwaite, review of Let the Celebrations Begin!, p. 24; April 19, 1996, Robert Dunbar, review of Old Pig, p. B18.

Tribune Books (Chicago, IL), May 8, 1994, Mary Harris Veeder, review of Our Granny, p. 6.

Voice of Youth Advocates, April, 1995, Karen S.H. Roggenkamp, review of Beast, p. 29; December, 2002, review of Jinx, p. 392; August, 2004, review of One Night, p. 226.

Washington Post Book World, May 8, 1994, Michael J. Rosen, review of Toby, p. 18.

Wilson Library Bulletin, April, 1994, review of The Slumber Party, p. 119.

ONLINE

Allen & Unwin Web site,http://www.allen-unwin.com/ (December 12, 2002), "Margaret Wild."

Little Hare Books Web site,http://www.littleharebooks.com/ (January 27, 2009), "Margaret Wild."

Something About the Author

Wild, Margaret 1948-

views updated May 29 2018

WILD, Margaret 1948-

Personal

Born 1948, in South Africa; immigrated to Australia, 1972; children: two. Education: Attended Australian National University. Hobbies and other interests: Music, opera, frequenting cafés.

Addresses

Home— Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Agent— c/o Author Mail, ABC Books, Allen & Unwin, P.O. Box 8500, St. Leonards, New South Wales 1590, Australia.

Career

Journalist, book editor, and children's author. Editor and publisher, ABC Books, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

Awards, Honors

Children's Book Council of Australia, Picture Book of the Year designation, 1990, for The Very Best of Friends, Picture Book of the Year shortlist, 1997, for The Midnight Gang; Australian Books of the Year Awards shortlist, 1992, for Let the Celebrations Begin!; Children's Book Council of Australia Award shortlist, 2002, for Jinx; May Gibbs Literature Trust fellowship, La Trobe University, 2001.

Writings

There's a Sea in My Bedroom, illustrated by Jane Tanner, Nelson (Melbourne, Victoria, Australia), 1984.

Something Absolutely Enormous, illustrated by Jack Hannah, Ashton Scholastic (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1984.

One Shoe On, illustrated by Hannah Koch, Hodder & Stoughton (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1984.

Creatures in the Beard, illustrated by Margaret Power, Omnibus Books (Adelaide, South Australia, Australia), 1986.

Kathy's Umbrella, Hodder & Stoughton (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1986.

The Diary of Megan Moon: (Soon to Be Rich and Famous), illustrated by Shirley Peters, Collins Australia (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia), 1988.