FRANCES PLUMPTON, tireless worker for childrens' literature
Frances Plumpton works with Ray Richards at Richards Literary Agency in Auckland, New Zealand where she is responsible for their children’s and young adult writers and illustrators. Previously she had a long and distinguished career as a librarian specialising in services for children and young adults but still keeps her hand in as Saturday Supervisor at North Shore’s Takapuna Library.
She has been a children’s book reviewer and convened judging panels for both New Zealand Post and the LIANZA children’s book awards. Frances was a founding management committee member, and is now a trustee of, Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand.
She was the recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 1989 and also the 2006 Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award for services to children’s literature.
Frances has twice attended the Bologna Childrens Book Fair representing authors from the Richards Literary Agency stable and reported this year that there was heightened interest in New Zealand titles because of Bernard Beckett’s GENESIS which was rated by many as THE book of the Fair.
This year she also met up with the hugely successful American writer, Rick Riordan, creator of the Percy Jackson stories which Frances reports make especially good reading for boys. Here is his website which is worth a look.
She has been a children’s book reviewer and convened judging panels for both New Zealand Post and the LIANZA children’s book awards. Frances was a founding management committee member, and is now a trustee of, Storylines Children’s Literature Charitable Trust of New Zealand.
She was the recipient of a Winston Churchill Fellowship in 1989 and also the 2006 Storylines Betty Gilderdale Award for services to children’s literature.
Frances has twice attended the Bologna Childrens Book Fair representing authors from the Richards Literary Agency stable and reported this year that there was heightened interest in New Zealand titles because of Bernard Beckett’s GENESIS which was rated by many as THE book of the Fair.
This year she also met up with the hugely successful American writer, Rick Riordan, creator of the Percy Jackson stories which Frances reports make especially good reading for boys. Here is his website which is worth a look.
Frances has certainly been one of the mainstays of children's books in Auckland. She's also a great example of a woman whose career has continued to evolve and, after her many years in the libraries, has taken on the new challenge of her work at RLA when others might be thinking about putting their feet up for a while! She's an inspiration for all of us who love to work in the children's books world.
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