About Hilda van Stockum:
Hilda Gerarda van Stockum was a Dutch-born children's writer and artist. She was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Her father was an officer in the Dutch Royal Navy. She grew up in the Netherlands and Ireland, lived for many years in the United States,[when?] and lived in England from about 1973. Her books are characterised by their vivid and realistic depictions of family life, some of it (e.g. The Mitchells) being autobiographical.