Jane Shaw

Jane Shaw (3 December 1910 – 19 November 2000), born Jean Bell Shaw Patrick, was a Scottish author of fiction for children and young adults. From 1939 to 1969 she appeared with 40 books and numerous short stories. She is best remembered as the author of the "Susan" series.

Early life Jean Bell Shaw Patrick was born in Glasgow on 3 December 1910, the daughter of John Patrick and Margaret Shaw Patrick. She then spent a year in London at the Maria Grey Training College for teaching.

Career Instead of teaching, Shaw took her first job at the Times Book Club in London. She was then offered a job at William Collins, Sons, where the editor of children's books, Jocelyn Oliver, recognized her talent and encouraged her to write a story. The result was her first book, Breton Holiday, published in 1939. Her house in Dulwich was bombed in World War II and she moved in with friends in Bath and Kent. She continued to write through wartime disruption and the births of two children: a further three books appeared during the war. After the war, several of her short stories were adapted for broadcasting on BBC's Children's Hour. In Johannesburg, she worked at the Children's Book Shop and continued writing books and short stories. Her popular "Susan" series of books has the title character staying in London and having adventures with her cousins, while her parents live in Africa.

Shaw's books became collectibles after she stopped writing in 1970; some were reissued after her death.

Personal life In 1938, Jean Shaw married Robert Evans, an accountant, whom she had known since childhood. They set up home in Dulwich Village, London. The Evans had two children. In 1952 her husband was offered an accountancy position in Johannesburg, and the family moved there. Highland Holiday (1942)

The Moochers series: The Moochers (1950) The Moochers Abroad (1951)

The Penny series: Penny Foolish (1953) Twopence Coloured (1954) Threepenny Bit (1955) Fourpenny Fair (1956) Fivepenny Mystery (1958) Crooked Sixpence (1958)

The Thomas series: Looking After Thomas (1957) Willow Green Mystery (1958) The Tall Man (1960)

The Northmead series: New House at Northmead (1961) Northmead Nuisance (1964)

Dizzy and Alison series: Anything Can Happen (1964) Nothing Happened After All (1965)

Susan series: Susan Pulls the Strings (1952) Susan's Helping Hand (1955) Susan Rushes In (1956) Susan Interferes (1957) Susan at School (1958) Susan Muddles Through (1960) Susan's Trying Term (1961) No Trouble for Susan (1962) Susan's Kind Heart (1965) Where is Susan? (1968) A Job for Susan (1969)

Individual titles: House of the Glimmering Light (1943) Magic Ships (1943) The Crew of the Belinda (1945) Farm Friends (1953) Puppy Tales (1953) Venture to South Africa (1960) Crooks Tour (1962) Left-Handed Tumfy (1962), illustrated by Gwyneth Mamlok