The second of four children of barrister parents, Joan G. Robinson spent her early childhood in Hampstead Garden Suburb. She went to seven schools, but passed no exams. Having always wanted to be an illustrator, she began with fourteen books for small children, and later moved on to older children's fiction. She was married to artist and illustrator Richard G. Robinson, and became internationally renowned for her Teddy Robinson books, which she began illustrating and writing in 1953.
Teddy Robinson was based on her daughter Deborah's own teddy bear - she herself had never had a teddy bear as a child. When Marnie Was There was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in 1968. Joan's fiction was always about girls who felt unloved - and she used to say of When Mamie Was There, "You can write books, but there's only ever one book that's really you".
Teddy Robinson was based on her daughter Deborah's own teddy bear - she herself had never had a teddy bear as a child. When Marnie Was There was shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal in 1968. Joan's fiction was always about girls who felt unloved - and she used to say of When Mamie Was There, "You can write books, but there's only ever one book that's really you".
