Hans Christian Andersen

When she was little Jean Mary Pearson's father (later unapproachable) would read Hans Andersen to her, which she loved. She was considered by her family not to be intelligent, but she taught herself to read...

Rosemary's mother was probably her most important teacher. She told her stories which, no matter how outlandish and fantastic, the very young Rosemary accepted as literal truth; she later imparted all kinds of varied information...

One of NJ 's favourite home occupations even as a small child was improvised acting, with her sister in spear-carrying roles. She also learned cricket and football, and her grandfather Collinson taught her whist. She...

AM has mentioned two texts in particular as early influences: Andersen 's The Little Mermaid (whose ending upset her so much that she made up an alternative happy ending) and Dickens 's A Child's History...

ES received her first education at home, from her sisters Ethel, Bertha, and Mabel (the eldest), who taught the younger ones Bible stories on Sundays. At the same time she imbibed from her brothers the...