Hester Burton

[9] Burton's first children's novel was The Great Gale, published 1960 and inspired by the devastation of the North Sea flood of 1953 on her home county of Suffolk.

"[11] Many of her books, such as No Beat of Drum and A Time of Trial, reflect the impact of social inequalities on her protagonists, their willingness to challenge them, and the value they placed on education as a promoter of change.

[12] Her biography of the Victorian feminist Barbara Bodichon shows her abiding interest in women's issues; her novels have strong, independent heroines, and many of Ambrus's cover illustrations emphasise female character.

[13] The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature summarises her novels as "featuring heroines with strong opinions; class tensions and social justice are recurring themes.

"[14] In a letter of February 2006, one of Burton's daughters wrote, "I could always tell when Mum had another book on her mind, she would start to cook the meal while still wearing her overcoat and hat.