Isabelle Holland

Isabelle Christian Holland (June 16, 1920 – February 9, 2002) was an American author of fiction for children and adults. She wrote gothic novels, adult mysteries, romantic thrillers and many books for children and young adults.

Life and career Holland was born in Basel, Switzerland. Her father was the American Consul in Liverpool, England, during World War II. Due to the war, she moved to the United States in 1940. She attended Tulane University and also was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. As publicity director for Lippincott, she oversaw the publicity for To Kill a Mockingbird and became a friend of author Harper Lee. She wrote over 50 books and was still working at the time of her death at age 81 in New York City.

Holland's books for children and young adults tackled a variety of difficult and/or controversial topics—death, rape, incest, teen pregnancy, sexual abuse, and homosexuality. Reoccurring themes in her books for adults and children include the ravages of alcoholism on families, and the healing and redemptive power of animals.

Her literary archives are in the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection at the University of Southern Mississippi