McAllister, Angela

Personal

Born in England; married; children: two children.

Addresses

Home—Dorset, England.

Career

Children's book author and illustrator.

Writings

FOR CHILDREN

The King Who Sneezed, illustrated by Simon Henwood, Morrow (New York, NY), 1988.

Snail's Birthday Problem, illustrated by Susie Jenkin-Pearce, Viking (New York, NY), 1989.

Nothing to Do, Bodley Head (London, England), 1989.

Nothing to Cook, Bodley Head (London, England), 1989.

The Whales' Tale, illustrated by Michaela Bloomfield, Aurum (London, England), 1990, published as When the Ark Was Full, Dutton (New York, NY), 1990.

Nesta, the Little Witch, illustrated by Susie Jenkin-Pearce, Viking (New York, NY), 1990.

The Enchanted Flute, illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain, Aurum (London, England), 1990.

The Acorn Sailor, illustrated by Alex Ayliffe, Aurum (London, England), 1990.

The Christmas Wish, illustrated by Susie Jenkin-Pearce, Aurum (London, England), 1990, Viking (New York, NY), 1991.

Matepo, illustrated by Jill Newton, Aurum (London, England), 1990, Dial (New York, NY), 1991.

(Self-illustrated) The Battle of Sir Cob and Sir Filbert, Clarkson N. Potter (New York, NY), 1991.

Mungo Moonbats, Dent (London, England), 1991.

Paradise Park, illustrated by Martin Pierce, Bodley Head (London, England), 1991.

Magic from the Ground, Dent (London, England), 1992.

One Breeze-scented, Sun-sparkling Morning, illustrated by Susie Jenkin-Pearce, Hutchinson (London, England), 1992.

Dinny's Diplodocus, Bodley Head (London, England), 1992.

Jessie's Journey, illustrated by Anne Magill, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1992.

The Babies of Cockle Bay, illustrated by Susie Jenkin-Pearce, Hutchinson (London, England), 1993, Barron's (Hauppauge, NY), 1994.

The Snow Angel, illustrated by Lothrop, Lee & Shepard (New York, NY), 1993.

Sleepy Ella, illustrated by Susan Winter, Dent (London, England), 1993, Doubleday (New York, NY), 1994.

Felix and the Dragon, illustrated by Jane Tattersfield, Dent (London, England), 1993, illustrated by Mary Claire Smith, Orion (London, England), 2005.

Midnight at the Oasis, illustrated by Frances Lloyd, Bodley Head (London, England), 1994.

Daniel's Train, illustrated by Alan Curless, Hutchinson (London, England), 1994.

The Wind Garden, illustrated by Claire Fletcher, Bodley Head (London, England), 1994, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard (New York, NY), 1995.

The Ice Palace, illustrated by Angela Barrett, Putnam (New York, NY), 1994.

Scaredy Ghosts, illustrated by Susie Jenkin-Pearce, Hippo (London, England), 1998.

The Clever Cowboy, illustrated by Katherine Lodge, D.K. Publishing (New York, NY), 1998.

Jack and Lily, illustrated by Phillida Gili, Orion (London, England), 2001.

(Reteller) The Tortoise and the Hare: An Aesop's Fable, illustrated by Jonathan Heale, Frances Lincoln (London, England), 2001.

Be Good Gordon, illustrated by Tim Archbold, Bloomsbury (London, England), 2001.

The Baddies' Goodies, illustrated by Sally Anne Lambert, Bloomsbury (London, England), 2002, published as Barkus, Sly, and the Golden Egg, Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2002.

Blue Rabbit, illustrated by Jason Cockcroft, Bloomsbury (London, England), 2003, published as The Little Blue Rabbit, Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2003.

Harry's Box, illustrated by Jenny Jones, Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2003.

Night-night, Little One, illustrated by Maggie Kneen, Random House (New York, NY), 2003.

Found You, Little Wombat!, illustrated by Charles Fuge, Gullane (London, England), 2003.

Little Jack Rabbit, illustrated by Sue Porter, Gullane (London, England), 2003.

Elephant in a Rowboat, illustrated by Holly Swain, Gullane (London, England), 2004.

Brave Bitsy and the Bear, illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke, Macmillan (London, England), 2004, Clarion (New York, NY), 2006.

Jasmine's Lion, illustrated by Marie-Louise Fitzpatrick, Doubleday (London, England), 2005.

Big Yang and Little Yin, illustrated by Eleanor Taylor, Gullane (London, England), 2005.

Monster Pet, illustrated by Charlotte Middleton, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2005.

Trust Me, Mom!, illustrated by Ross Collins, Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2005.

The Tide Turner, Orion (London, England), 2006.

Ruby and Little Joe, illustrated by Terry Milne, Simon & Schuster (London, England), 2006, published as Mama and Little Joe, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), 2007.

Just like Sisters, illustrated by Sophie Fatus, Atheneum (New York, NY), 2006.

Digory the Dragon Slayer, illustrated by Ian Beck, Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2006.

Take a Kiss to School, illustrated by Sue Hellard, Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2006.

Digory and the Lost King, illustrated by Ian Beck, Bloomsbury (New York, NY), 2007.

Author's works have been translated into Welsh.

Adaptations

Digory the Dragon Slayer was adapted as an audiobook by BBC Audiobooks America, 2006.

Sidelights

Angela McAllister is a prolific British author of picture books and chapter books. Since her first book was published in the late 1980s, McAllister has produced, on average, three books a year since, entertaining readers in the United States as well as her native England with titles such as The Wind Garden, Harry's Box, The Whales' Tale, and Digory the Dragon Slayer. Citing the author's "nimble prose" in Harry's Box for bringing to life a story about the power of imagination, a Publishers Weekly contributor added that in her repetitive text McAllister "echo[es] … the ambitions of imaginative kids everywhere." While usually collaborating with other illustrators, such as Katherine Lodge, Angela Barrett, Sue Hellard, and frequent collaborator Susie Jenkin-Pearce, McAllister also dons the illustrator cap for The Battle of Sir Cob and Sir Filbert. Reviewing this story, which finds two knights engaged in a fight during which they ultimately destroy the very things they are fighting for, a Publishers Weekly reviewer wrote that McAllister's pen-and-ink art "displays her humor in yet another medium and brings new dimension to her talent."

McAllister honed her storytelling talents while growing up in a large family, and she well knows the value of humorous nonsense and wordplay, as well as upbeat endings, among young readers. Her first published book, The King Who Sneezed, introduces aptly named King Parsimonious, a monarch who is so foolish that he does not realize that his own stinginess has caused his castle to become damp and uncomfortable. The Yippeeville Pancake Tossin' Contest brings together a host of quirky characters in The Clever Cowboy, as a group of spatula-wielding buckaroos attempt to out-toss each other and wind up blanketing the sun with a poorly aimed flapjack, while a young mole finds the second day of school easier to deal with when armed with a pocketful of kisses in Take a Kiss to School. Long-distance pen pals Nancy and Ally finally meet in Just like Sisters, and realize that their friendship is just as strong in real life—even though Nancy is a human child and Ally is an alligator. Reviewing The Clever Cowboy in Publishers Weekly, a critic cited the "spirited mood" carried by McAllister's "western vernacular," while a Kirkus Reviews contributor deemed Take a Kiss to School "heart-

warming" and "a sweet take on an old theme." Calling Just like Sisters a "fresh, but odd spin on pen pals," a Kirkus Reviews writer added that artist Sophie Fatus's inclusion of "coy details" in her "colorful illustrations add understated humor" to McAllister's story. "A strong intertwining of text and illustration" make Just like Sisters "a charming celebration of friendship," concluded Elaine Lesh Morgan in School Library Journal.

In the chapter book Digory the Dragon Slayer McAllister introduces readers to a young boy who enjoys nothing better than spending time alone in the forest near his village playing his lute and making up songs. One day Digory finds a strange object in the woods. When the object is discovered to be a dragon's tooth, the boy is hailed as a dragon slayer. Forced to leave off writing songs, Digory soon finds himself mounted on an old, deaf horse named Barkley, wearing a suit of homemade armor. Reluctantly setting to slay dragons, rescue distressed damsels, and eventually marry a beautiful princess, the boy ultimately meets his destiny at the castle of King Widget, where both a fun-loving princess named Enid and a fearsome dragon live. Digory's adventures continue in Digory and the Lost King, as the young knight follows the trail of the missing King Weget and the monarch's long-missing twin brother. Digory finds even more expected of him, however, when he is mistaken for a powerful wizard. McAllister's "lighthearted plot and the strong underlying message about courage and individuality" in Digory the Dragon Slayer makes the book "a good choice for fantasy fans," according to School Library Journal contributor Elaine E. Knight. Discussing the sequel, Knight cited the "amusing" pen-and-ink art by Ian Beck for contributing to Digory and the Lost King, the critic adding that McAllister's "lighthearted fantasy spoof is filled with mock heroic dialogue and derring-do."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, March 15, 1992, Julie Corsaro, review of The Battle of Sir Cob and Sir Filbert, p. 1389; September 1, 1992, Hazel Rochman, review of Jessie's Journey, p. 67; October 1, 1993, Janice Del Negro, review of The Show Angel, p. 353; October 15, 1994, Mary Harris Veeder, review of The Ice Palace, p. 437; March 15, 1995, Julie Corsaro, review of The Wind Garden, p. 1335; October 1, 1998, GraceAnne A. DeCandido, review of The Clever Cowboy, p. 336; June 1, 2003, Lauren Peterson, review of The Little Blue Rabbit, p. 1787; August, 2003, John Peters, review of Harry's Box, p. 1989; August 1, 2006, Hazel Rochman, review of Take a Kiss to School, p. 95.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, January, 1989, review of The King Who Sneezed, p. 129; May, 1990, review of When the Ark Was Full, p. 221; January, 1992, review of The Enchanted Flute, p. 133; December, 1998, review of The Clever Cowboy, p. 137; April, 2004, Janice Del Negro, review of The Tortoise and the Hare: An Aesop's Fable, p. 339.

Kirkus Reviews, June 1, 2002, review of Barkus, Sly, and the Golden Egg, p. 807; October 15, 2002, review of Be Good, Gordon, p. 1534; February 15, 2003, review of Night-night, Little One, p. 312; June 15, 2003, review of Harry's Box, p. 861; October 15, 2005, review of Trust Me, Mom!, p. 1143; May 1, 2006, review of Digory the Dragon Slayer, p. 463; May 15, 2006, review of Just like Sisters, p. 521; June 15, 2006, review of Take a Kiss to School, p. 635; July 1, 2006, review of Felix and the Blue Dragon, p. 679; October 1, 2006, review of Brave Bitsy and the Bear, p. 1020; March 1, 2007, review of Mama and Little Joe, p. 227.

Publishers Weekly, December 14, 1990, review of Matepo, p. 66; January 13, 1992, review of The Battle of Sir Cob and Sir Filbert; October 24, 1994, review of The Ice Palace, p. 61; November 9, 1998, review of The Clever Cowboy, p. 75; December 9, 2002, review of Night-night, Little One, p. 81; May 26, 2003, review of The Little Blue Rabbit, p. 68; July 7, 2003, review of Harry's Box, p. 71; June 12, 2006, review of Take a Kiss to School, p. 51.

School Library Journal, February, 1989, Kathy Piehl, review of The King Who Sneezed, p. 72; April, 1990, Susan H. Patron, review of Snail's Birthday Problem, p. 93; September, 1990, Kathy Piehl, review of When the Ark Was Full, p. 206; March, 1991, Lisa S. Murphy, review of Nesta, the Little Witch, p. 175; June, 1991, Susan Scheps, review of Matepo, p. 85; December, 1991, Susan L. Rogers, review of The Enchanted Flute, p. 96; June, 1992, Lauralyn Persson, review of The Battle of Sir Cob and Sir Filbert, p. 98; January, 1993, Elizabeth Hanson, review of Jessie's Journey, p. 81; November, 1993, Shirley Wilton, review of The Snow Angel, p. 86; July, 1994, Alexandra Marris, review of Sleepy Ella, p. 85; October, 1994, Patricia Lothrop Green, review of The Ice Palace, p. 125; April, 1995, Patricia Pearl Dole, review of The Wind Garden, p. 104; October, 1998, Roxanne Burg, review of The Clever Cowboy, p. 107; September, 202, Marie Orlando, review of Barkus, Sly, and the Golden Egg, p. 200; January, 2003, Bina Williams, review of Be Good, Gordon, p. 105; March, 2003, Carolyn Janssen, review of Night-night, Little One, p. 198; July, 2003, Wendy Woodfill, review of The Little Blue Rabbit, p. 101; October, 2003, Kathleen Whalin, review of Harry's Box, p. 130; July, 2005, Shawn Brommer, review of Monster Pet!, p. 78; December, 2005, Robin L. Gibson, review of Trust Me, Mom!, p. 118; June, 2006, Elaine Lesh Morgan, review of Just like Sisters, p. 121; July, 2006, Lisa Gangemi Kropp, review of Take a Kiss to School, p. 82; August, 2006, Elaine E. Knight, review of Digory the Dragon Slayer, p. 92; October, 2006, Linda Staskus, review of Brave Bitsy and the Bear, p. 116; April, 2007, Amy Lilien-Harper, review of Mama and Little Joe, p. 112; July, 2007, Elaine E. Knight, review of Digory and the Lost King, p. 81.