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About Joyce
Joyce Dunbar was born in Lincolnshire, one of four children of a steel-worker and a fishing net maker. She read for an English degree at Goldsmiths' College, London and was for many years a teacher in the drama department at a college in Stratford-on-Avon.
She has been, in her time, a nanny, a waitress, a market stall holder, a barmaid and soda syphon promoter, with varying degrees of success. |
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She has written over seventy books for children. These include picture books for a range of ages (BABY BIRD, THE SPRING RABBIT),
a series of short funny novels and a longer novel called MUNDO AND THE WEATHERCHILD which was runner up for THE GUARDIAN children's fiction award in 1986. Her books are translated into many languages, including Japanese, Zulu and Hebrew.
She also wrote the MOUSE AND MOLE STORIES which have been animated for television by Alison De Vere for GRASSHOPPER PRODUCTIONS with Alan Bennett and Richard Briers playing the parts.
Regularly performed in schools is THIS IS THE STAR, a retelling of the Nativity story, illustrated by Gary Blythe. Another best selling title is
TELL ME SOMETHING HAPPY BEFORE I GO TO SLEEP, illustrated by Debi Gliori. This has been an international success and the same partnership has produced THE VERY SMALL and TELL ME WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE BIG. In May 2002 both author and illustrator toured Texas to much acclaim, finishing up in New York.
Her most recent publications are SHOE BABY (Walker Books) illustrated by her daughter Polly - which is currently on a highly successful tour as a puppet show after winning first prize in the Brighton Festival in May 2006. Also MOONBIRD (Random House, illustrated by Jane Ray). Forthcoming publications include ODDLY (Walker Books) illustrated by Patrick Benson and THE MONSTER WHO ATE DARKNESS.
Joyce did 'A' level art but chose literature over Art school. Nonetheless, early in her career she ran a successful Art department in an Adult Education Centre in London. From 1972 to 1995 she was married to James Dunbar, who is an artist, and together they collaborated on several books. Their two children have careers in the visual arts. Polly is an illustrator/writer, Ben a photographer.
Joyce regularly visits schools as an author and teaches on creative writing courses on the Greek island of Skyros and elsewhere. In 1998 she cycled across Cuba for the National deaf Children's Society and in 1999 journeyed to the Himalayas with a guru for the founding of a new ashram.
In 2000 she was Writer in Residence on Norwich Market This resulted in a book called VOICES & VISIONS. A CELEBRATION OF NORWICH MARKET. She is currently a Writing Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund at the University of East Anglia and is working on a book for adults.
She loves gardens, animals, the visual arts, theatre, cinema, walking, cycling and gazing out of the window. In another life she would like to be a dancer or an explorer/ naturalist.
She lives in the centre of Norwich with her cat, Minnie Ha-Ha.
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In The Picture
Joyce is part of an important new initiative run by SCOPE called
IN THE PICTURE. This aims to promote the inclusion of disabled children in early years picture books and stories. With few exceptions, these children have been disregarded by the publishing industry to the point of being invisible.
As one deaf child wrote in a letter: I wish there were more books about deaf people. I would be glad because we won't feel left out. Then it sounds like we are equally important.
This applies to all disabled children.
This project aims to redress the balance.
Visit the website: www.childreninthepicture.org.uk
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