Marion St John Webb
Marion St John Adcock Webb was an English writer of novels and poetry for children that presaged A. A. Milne, with her character "The Littlest One".
Life
She was born in Hampstead on 5 December 1888, the daughter of the poet Arthur St John Adcock and Marlon Louise Taylor. She grew up at 42 Paddington Street and was admitted to St Marylebone School in Marylebone in January 1894, having just turned 5 years old.Webb wrote poems for a series of fairy books illustrated by Margaret Tarrant, with whom she worked on around 20 books. The treatment of childhood by Tarrant and Webb is now regarded as sentimentalised, typical of its time. She had no children of her own, She died 2 May 1930 in London.
Her work is also considered ahead of its time with entries into fantasy parallel worlds, depictions of strong female leads, and includes intense characterisations of people considered on the margins of society. Good copies of Little Round House change hands for hundreds of pounds in the specialist book trade.
Partial bibliography
Mr Papingay's Flying ShopMr Papingay's ShipMr Papingay's CaravanMr Papingay and the Little Round HouseThe Little Round HouseThe Little One In BetweenEliz'beth, Phil and MeThe Littlest OneThe Littlest One AgainThe Littlest One: His BookThe Littlest One: Third BookJohn, Me and the Dickery DogThe Magic LamplighterThe House with the Twisting PassageKnock Three Times! A Pocketful of PosiesThe Littlest FairyThe Girls of ChequertreesAdventures at ChequertreesJonathan Mends the Mats- ''The 'Normous Sunday Story Book''
Fairies series
The Pond FairiesHeath FairiesSeashore FairiesWeather FairiesWild Fruit FairiesTwilight FairiesOrchard FairiesForest FairiesFlower FairiesInsect FairiesSeed FairiesHouse Fairies- ''Water Fairies''