Helen Cresswell  Helen Cresswell (11 July 1934 – 26 September 2005) was an English television scriptwriter and author of more than 100 children's books, best known for comedy and supernatural fiction. Her most popular book series, "Lizzie Dripping" and "The Bagthorpe Saga", were also the basis for television series. Cresswell's TV work included adaptation of her own books for television movies and series: "Lizzie Dripping" (two series, 1973–75), "Jumbo Spencer" (1976), "The Secret World of Polly Flint" (1987), and "Moondial" (1988). Works by others that she adapted for TV include "The Haunted School", "Five Children and It" (1991), "The Phoenix and the Carpet" (1997), "The Famous Five" (1995–96), and "The Demon Headmaster" (1996–98). Cresswell was born in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. Her mother arranged Greek-language instruction for her daughter at age 12, when she was hospitalized one year with spinal problems. She was educated at Nottingham High School for Girls, and at King's College London, where she graduated in English literature. Cresswell and her childhood sweetheart Brian Rowe (married 1962, dissolved 1995) had two children, Caroline Rowe (born 1963) and Candy Rowe (born 1971) and two grandchildren, Ellie Staves (born 1996) and Lucy Staves (born 1999). On 26 September 2005, Helen Cresswell died in her home in Eakring, Nottinghamshire, aged 71, from ovarian cancer. Cresswell had great "popular impact" because she "diversified into writing for television, in 1960, with a script for what was then called "Jack Playhouse", bringing simple storytelling to BBC children's TV." She tried writing for adults but succeeded with the child audience. Her first book was published in 1960, "Sonya-by-the-Shore", and the Jumbo Spencer series followed. Yet she considered herself a poet until "The Piemakers" (Faber, 1967) won both "success with young readers" and approval from critics. It was a commended runner-up for the Carnegie Medal from the Library Association, recognising the year's best children's book by a British subject. She was one of three or four runners-up for the Carnegie Medal on three later occasions: namely, for "The Night Watchmen" (1969), "Up the Pier" (1971), and "The Bongleweed" (1973).