Roy F. Brown

Roy Frederick Brown was a Canadian by birth, born in Vancouver, British Columbia, on 10 December 1921. He spent most of his life in Britain as a teacher, first in primary schools from 1946 and then as deputy headmaster of the Helen Allison School for Autistic Children, Gravesend, Kent, between 1969-75.

Brown was married to Wendy Landman and had two sons and two daughters. He died on 14 September 1982.

Peggy Heeks, writing in Twentieth Century Children's Writers, says that "Among major children's writers of the 1970s, Roy Brown was one particularly open to his times, in tune with their issues and concerns and, while the readability and human interest of his stories guarantee a wide readership, the settings indicate a conscious desire to offer the non-academic urban child a means of identification. The years brought development in technique but not deviation from city backgrounds and characters at risk or disadvantage in modern society."

Brown anonymously contributed to Swift Annual 2, 4-7 and 1963 (1955-62) and to Robin Annual 4, 6-7 (1956-59), in which he was also listed as an illustrator for the 6th edition (1958). Only one story, illustrated above, was credited to him.

Novels
A Saturday in Pudney, illus. James Hunt. London & New York, Abelard-Schuman, 1966; New York, Macmillan, 1968.
The House on the Green, illus. Trevor Parkin. Edinburgh, Oliver & Boyd, 1967.
Little Brown Mouse, illus. Constance Marshall. London, University of London Press (Dolphin Books A12), 1967.
The Viaduct, illus. James Hunt. London & Toronto, Abelard-Schuman, 1967; New York, Macmillan, 1968.
The Wonderful Weathercock, illus. Ferelith Eccles Williams. London, University of London Press (Dolphin Books B12), 1967.
The Day of the Pigeons, illus. James Hunt. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1968; New York, Macmillan, 1968.
The Saturday Man, as told on 'Jackanory' by Joe Melia; illus. Trevor Ridley. London, British Broadcasting Corporation, 1969.
The Wapping Warrior, illus. James Hunt. London, Chatto, Boyd & Oliver, 1969.
The River, illus. James Hunt. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1970; as Escape the River, New York, Seabury Press, 1972.
The Battle of Saint Street, illus. James Hunt. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1971; New York, Macmillan, 1971.
The Thunder Pool, illus. Gareth Floyd. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1971.
Flight of Sparrows. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1972; New York, Macmillan, 1973.
Bolt Hole. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1973; as No Through Road, New York, Seabury Press, 1974.
The White Sparrow. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1974; New York, Seabury Press, 1975.
The Million Pound Mouse, illus. Joanna Stubbs. Londonm Abelard-Schuman, 1975.
Shep the Second, illus. Clifford Bayly. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1975.
The Siblings. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1975; as Find Debbie, New York, Seabury Press, 1976; Harmondsworth, Penguin, 1979.
The Big Test, illus. James Hunt. London, Andersen Press, 1976.
Chubb on the Trail, illus. Margaret Belsky. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1976.
The Cage. London, Abelard-Press, 1977; New York, Seabury Press, 1977.
Chubb to the Rescue, illus. Margaret Belsky. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1977.
A Nag Called Wednesday, illus. Jeroo Roy. London, Andersen Press, 1977.
The Swing of the Gate. London, Andersen Press, 1978; New York, Seabury Press, 1978.
Trojan Rides Again, illus. Ivan Hissey. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1978.
Undercover Boy, illus. Pauline Carr. London, Andersen Press, 1978.
Chips and the Crossword Gang, illus. Pauline Carr. London, Andersen Press, 1979.
Chubb Catches a Cold, illus. Margaret Belsky. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1979.
Cover Drive. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1979.
Collision Course. London, Andersen Press, 1980; as Suicide Course, New York, Clarion, 1980.
Chips and the River Rat, illus. Victoria Cooper. London, Andersen Press, 1981.
Octopus. London, Andersen Press, 1981.
Chips and the Black Moth, illus. Victoria Cooper. London, Andersen Press, 1982.

Non-fiction
The Book of Saints. London, Cassell, 1959.
Port of Call, illus. Jack Trodd. London, Abelard-Schuman, 1965.
The Battle Against Fire, with W. Stuart Thomson; illus. James Hunt. London & New York, Abelard-Schuman, 1966.

Others
The Children's Book of Old Testament Stories, illus. Hugh T. Marshall. London, George G. Harrap & Co., 1959.
The Children's Pinocchio by Carlo Lorenzini, retold by Roy Brown; illus. Sheila Ross. London, George G. Harrap & Co., 1960.
The Children's Heidi by Johanna Spyri, retold by Roy Brown; illus. Sheila Connelly. London, George G. Harrap & Co., 1963.
The Legend of Ulysses, retold from Homer's Odyssey; illus. Mario Logli & Gabrielle Santini. London, Hamlyn, for Golden Pleasure Books, 1965.
Reynard the Fox, based on the version by Joseph Jacobs and retold by Roy Brown; illus. John Vernon Lord. London & New York, Abelard-Schuman, 1969.

Radio Plays
News Extra! series (1973).