Lynne Reid Banks was an author known for such books as “The L-Shaped Room” and the bestselling children’s novel “The Indian in the Cupboard.”
- Died: April 4, 2024 (Who else died on April 4?)
- Details of death: Died of cancer at the age of 94.
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Lynne Reid Banks’ legacy
Banks was best known by many for her 1980 children’s novel, “The Indian in the Cupboard,” in which a boy discovers a magical cupboard that will bring to life any toy he puts into it. The award-winning book was adapted into a movie directed by Frank Oz, and Banks wrote four sequels. But her career wasn’t solely focused on writing for children, despite the success of the series.
Banks’ first novel, 1961’s “The L-Shaped Room,” was decidedly for adults, centering on a young woman who becomes unexpectedly pregnant from a one-night stand and considers abortion before deciding to have the baby. It, too, was adapted into a film, starring Leslie Caron, and it was a formative read for many young women. Banks wrote a dozen other novels for adults, and even more for children and teens. Her books for young readers included the “Harry the Poisonous Centipede” series, “Angela and Diabola,” and “The Fairy Rebel.” Most recently, Banks published the 2022 children’s novel “The Red Red Dragon.”
Born in London, Banks was evacuated to Canada as a child during World War II. As an adult, she first worked in journalism before her writing career, and she was one of the first women to work as a reporter on British TV. Shortly after the publication of “The L-Shape Room,” Banks and her future husband emigrated to Israel, where she taught English on a kibbutz. They returned to England in the early 1970s.
Notable quote
“I don’t think you can be taught to write. You can do it or you can’t, and you do do it, or you don’t. But you can improve. And the only way I know to do that is to read good books and talk to articulate people who keep quoting Shakespeare.” —from a 2013 interview for Middle Grade Ninja
Tributes to Lynne Reid Banks
Full obituary: The Guardian
