Petronella Breinburg Explained

Petronella Breinburg
Birth Name:Petronella Alexandrina Breinburg
Occupation:Children's book author, playwright, educator
Nationality:Surinamese British
Education:University of Keele
Genres:-->
Subjects:-->
Notable Works:My Brother Sean (1973)
Spouses:-->
Partners:-->

Petronella Breinburg (1927 – 5 November 2019) was a Surinamese British author, playwright and professor and one of the first black British authors to write picture books about black children.[1] [2] My Brother Sean, illustrated by Errol Lloyd and published by The Bodley Head in 1973, was followed by a series, including Sean Goes to School, Sean's Red Bike and Doctor Sean.[3] [4] [5] She also wrote books focused on older children, including her first book Legend of Suriname, Us Boys of Westcroft and Stories from the Caribbean.[6] Her early books, published at a time where black authored books were rare, provided one of the first opportunities for black children in Britain to read stories they could identify with.[7]

Biography

Breinburg, of mixed European and African heritage, was born in Suriname in 1927.[8] [9] Her father, a policeman, died when she was 12 and the family – there were six children – went to live with her grandmother, near an old Dutch plantation. This grandmother used to terrify the children with tales about the old Dutchman who had owned the plantation.[10]

Influenced by a lineage of storytellers, Breinburg enjoyed writing from a young age, winning local competitions from the age of eight and writing her first play at 13.[11] She was educated at St. Rosa and St. Margaret's Convent in Suriname, before training as a teacher.[12]

After emigrating to Guyana with her husband, she gave birth to two children. In Guyana, she was a member of the Red Cross Society for 10 years, serving for some time as Lieutenant of the Girls Life Brigade. She came to the UK with her two children to join her husband in 1961.[13] Breinburg was a supply teacher in London, where her experience of racism and representation shaped her writing.

Breinburg obtained her doctorate in education with linguistics at University of Keele, with one year at Amsterdam University and a stint as a research fellow at the linguistic department of the University of Sheffield.[14] [15] She was then appointed to Goldsmiths' University of London, where she was a senior lecturer and head of the Caribbean Centre.[16] Breinburg published books for children, teenagers, and for adults.[17] She also wrote a number of plays and poetry.[18]

Breinburg died on 5 November 2019.[19] [20]

Publications

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Petronella Breinburg. 2020-08-29. Oxford Reference. en.
  2. News: Hoffman. Mary. 2015-10-13. 25 years of Amazing Grace. en-GB. The Guardian. 2020-08-29. 0261-3077.
  3. Web site: Results for 'au:Breinburg, Petronella,' [WorldCat.org]]. 2020-09-11. www.worldcat.org. en.
  4. Web site: Lloyd. Errol. 2019. My Time With Children's Literature in Breaking New Ground: Celebrating British Writers and Illustrators of Colour.. The Book Trust.
  5. Web site: Go deeper: Reflecting on Black presence in children's books. 2020-08-29. The British Library. 21 February 2020.
  6. Web site: Petronella Breinburg George Padmore Institute. 2020-08-29. www.georgepadmoreinstitute.org.
  7. Web site: We Remember... Jessica Huntley. Gus. John. Gus John. 15 October 2013. 2020-09-24. ligali.org.
  8. "Breinburg, Petronella", in Jack Zipes (ed.), The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature, Oxford University Press, 2006, .
  9. Web site: Petronella Breinburg. Digital Library for Dutch Literature. 4 October 2020. nl.
  10. News: Pavord. Anna. 9 September 1973. Anybody seen Petronella's Fiery Horseman?. The Observer Magazine. Last accessed at The George Padmore Institute. File 145.
  11. Web site: Breinburg. Petronella. 7 September 2019. Lennox Salmon is In conversation with Dr Petronella Breinburg (8:37). 29 August 2020. Vimeo.
  12. Breinburg, Petronella. 1968. Personal correspondence between Petronella Breinburg and John La Rose, owner of New Beacon Publishers. Last accessed at The George Padmore Institute. File 145.
  13. Breinburg, Petronella (7 September 2019). "Lennox Salmon is In conversation with Dr Petronella Breinburg (6:40)". Vimeo. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
  14. Web site: Petronella Breinburg. 2020-08-29. www.amazon.co.uk. en-gb.
  15. Breinburg. Petronella. Autumn 1984. Cultural Racism and Books. Dragons Teeth: Bulletin of the National Committee on Racism in Children's Books.. 19. 7. 0142-6494.
  16. Web site: CACOEU. 2020-08-29. Goldsmiths, University of London. en.
  17. Web site: Petronella Breinburg. 2020-08-29. www.goodreads.com.
  18. Web site: 2019-09-12. Thoughts Of A Creole Woman: A Reminiscence. 2020-08-29. Thoughts of a Creole Woman – Celebrating the life and works of petronella Breinburg. en-GB.
  19. Web site: Telegraph announcements. The Telegraph. 5 November 2019. 5 October 2020.
  20. Web site: Sad News.... Thoughts Of A Creole Woman. 28 January 2020. 5 October 2020.
  21. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Legends of Suriname;. 1971. New Beacon Books. 978-0-901241-06-1. London. en. 696709.
  22. Book: Breinburg. Petronella. My brother Sean.. Lloyd. Errol. 1978. Puffin. G.B.. en-gb. 614569609.
  23. Web site: My Brother Sean. 2020-08-29. www.goodreads.com.
  24. Book: Breinburg. Petronella. Shawn goes to school. Lloyd. Errol. 1974. HarperCollins Publishers. 978-0-690-00277-5. New York, NY. en. 23726962.
  25. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Us boys of Westcroft. 1978. Macmillan. 978-0-333-18814-9. Basingstoke. en. 633845042.
  26. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Doctor Sean.. 1974. Bodley Head. G.B.. en-gb. 614569572.
  27. Book: Breinburg. Petronella. Sean's red bike. Lloyd. Errol. 1994. Red Fox. 978-0-09-928901-2. London. en. 31241515.
  28. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. A girl, a frog and a petticoat. 1977. Macmillan. 978-0-333-22751-0. London. en. 16429705.
  29. Book: Breinburg, P. One Day, Another Day. 1996. Macmillan Education. 978-0-333-21544-9. London. en. 966024807.
  30. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Sally-Ann's umbrella. 1975. Bodley Head. 978-0-370-10752-3. London. en. 8188667.
  31. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Sally-Ann in the snow. 1984. Bodley Head. 978-0-370-01809-6. London. en. 24642685.
  32. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Sally-Ann's skateboard. 1979. Bodley Head. 978-0-370-30166-2. London. en. 6128382.
  33. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Tiger, Paleface and Me. .
  34. Book: Petronella, Breinburg. Brinsly's Dream. .
  35. Book: Formats and Editions of Stories from the Caribbean [WorldCat.org]]. 2020-09-11. www.worldcat.org. 812908864 . en.
  36. Book: Breinburg. Petronella. Jeremia and the trumpet man. Kronheimer. Anne. 2004. Macmillan. 978-0-333-92065-7. Oxford. en. 635171782.
  37. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Instead of Roses and Rings. .
  38. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Creole women: a generation of thought. 2006. Petrojass. 978-0-9549992-2-3. London. en. 506195880.
  39. Book: Breinburg, Petronella A.. A Long Road to Salamanca.
  40. Book: Breinburg, Petronella. Goodasyu: Crescendo. .
  41. Book: Breinburg, P. A.. Out of a Coloured Box: The Broken Shoes Tale. .

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