Beth Webb

Beth Webb is a British author of books for children and teenagers. She has written fifteen books, including the Star Dancer tetralogy, a fantasy series published by Macmillan,[1] as well as the Fleabag Trilogy.[2][3] She is also the co-founder of Books Beyond Words, and has illustrated more than twenty titles for adults with learning disabilities.[4][5] She lives in Somerset, near Glastonbury Tor.[6]

Early life and education

Webb started writing as a teenager, with her first story published in a magazine when she was fourteen years old.[7] She studied sociology and psychology at university, and traveled around Europe for three years, at one point living in a houseboat in Amsterdam.[8] After returning to the UK, she worked in London as a journalist and radio broadcaster,[9] and later moved to Somerset, where she earned an MFA in creative writing from Bath Spa University.[10]

Career

Illustrator

Since founding Books Beyond Words with Sheila Hollins in 1989, Webb has illustrated more than 20 titles for the series,[5] which features wordless picture stories covering difficult life events.[11] As the artist for the book Getting On With Cancer (2002), Webb was closely involved in the development process, working with an editorial committee including advisers with learning disabilities, clinicians, and health services representatives, as well as trial readers.[11] In 2005, Learning Disability Practice commended her "simply drawn and carefully crafted illustrations" in the books When Dad Died and When Mum Died.[12]

Writer

Webb has taught creative writing to young people since 1990,[4] in schools and in workshops for ages eight up to 80 years old.[9] She dedicated her book Star Dancer to the "Kilvites",[13] a group of young writers who attended her creative writing course at the Kilve Court Residential Educational Centre.[14]

Over the years, she has written books for children across different age groups, including six- to eight year olds, older children, and teens.[10] Her four-book series starting with Star Dancer, published by Macmillan in 2006, was her first major commercial success.[10] For the Star Dancer series, she did extensive research into British folklore, archaeology, and history.[15]

She has also worked as a performance storyteller.[9]

Bibliography
  • Disbelieved (2018)
  • Stone Keeper (2013)
  • Wave Hunter (2008)
  • Fire Dreamer (2007)[10]
  • Junkyard Dragon (2007)
  • Star Dancer (2006)
  • The Dragons of Kilve (2004, 2nd Edition)
  • Boo Hoo the Ogre (2003)
  • Fleabag and the Ring's End (2000)
  • Wanted: One Dragon (1999)
  • Fleabag and the Fire Cat (1997)
  • The Witch of Wookey Hole (1997)[2]
  • Foxdown Wood (1997)
  • Fleabag and the Ring Fire (1995)[2]
  • The Magic in the Pool of Making (1992)[2]

References
  1. Agnew, Kate (26 June 2007). "Education: Learn: Critics choice: The book Star Dancer". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
  2. "Children's writer in school visit". Evening News. Edinburgh, Scotland. 29 November 2006. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via ProQuest.
  3. "About Beth Webb". Beth Webb – Author, Storyteller & Illustrator. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  4. "Interview with Beth Webb". The English Association. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  5. "Beth Webb". Books Beyond Words. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  6. "Beth Webb". PanMacmillan.com. Archived from the original on 12 October 2007. Retrieved 22 January 2008.
  7. Gamble, Nikki (2011). Writers secrets. Internet Archive. London : Wayland. ISBN 978-0-7502-6520-1.
  8. Thorpe, Laura (23 April 2007). "Author heading for the stars". Somerset County Gazette. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  9. Sanderson, Caroline (19 May 2006). "Written in the stars". The Bookseller. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via EBSCOHost.
  10. Weldon, Susie (19 July 2008). "Daydream believer: Somerset writer Beth Webb daydreams her novels in her garden, which has seating areas based on magical Druidic directions". Western Daily Press. Bristol, England. p. 14. Retrieved 25 November 2022 – via ProQuest.
  11. Tuffrey-Wijne, Irene; Bernal, Jane (June 2003). "'Getting on' with cancer". Learning Disability Practice. Vol. 6, no. 5. Retrieved 25 November 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
  12. Read, Susan. "When Dad Died, When Mum Died". Learning Disability Practice. Vol. 8, no. 6. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via Gale OneFile.
  13. Webb, Beth (2006). Star Dancer. London: Macmillan Children's Books. ISBN 978-0-330-44570-2.
  14. Kilve Court Outdoor Learning. Autumn/Winter 2016–2017. pp. 2–3.
  15. "CHILDREN'S NEWS: Briefs". Bookseller. 23 December 2005. Retrieved 24 November 2022 – via EBSCOHost.
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