[3] Anderson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1980 New Year Honours, for services to literature.

[4] Anderson was born Amy Mona Holland in New Brighton, Christchurch, New Zealand on the 11 March 1909.

She attended South Malvern Primary School and received her secondary education through private tutoring.

Mona Anderson wrote a series of magazine articles on life at Mount Algidus, which led to her delivering scripted talks on the Christchurch radio station 3YA for six years.

[1] Anderson's first book, A River Rules My Life, sold out of its first print run within three days of its 1963 publication.