Helen Cresswell

Helen Cresswell (11 July 1934 – 26 September 2005) was an English television scriptwriter and author of more than 100 children's books, best known for comedy and supernatural fiction. Her most popular book series, Lizzie Dripping and The Bagthorpe Saga, were also the basis for television series.

Cresswell's TV work included adaptation of her own books for television movies and series: Lizzie Dripping (two series, 1973–75), Jumbo Spencer (1976), The Secret World of Polly Flint (1987), and Moondial (1988). Works by others that she adapted for TV include The Haunted School, Five Children and It (1991, from the 1902 novel), The Phoenix and the Carpet (1997), The Famous Five (1995–96), and The Demon Headmaster (1996–98). The Key (1973) The Trap (1973) Cheap Day Return (1974) Shady Deal (1974) White Sea Horse and Other Sea Magic (1975) The Winter of the Birds (1976) A Game of Catch with Ati Forberg (1977) My Aunt Polly (1979) Dear Shrink (1982) The Secret World of Polly Flint (1982) Moondial (1987) Ellie and the Hagwitch (1987) Dragon Ride (1987) Trouble (1988) Time Out with Peter Elwell (1990) Weather Cat (1990) Five Children and It (1991) The Return of the Psammead (1992), a sequel to the Five Children books by E. Nesbit