Phyllis May Flowerdew (9 January 1913 – 10 May 1994[2]) was one of the most successful writers of children's educational books in the UK and British Commonwealth; it is estimated that she sold over seven million copies since her first publication in 1948.
Oliver and Boyd saw the need to put Schonell together with a skilled storyteller; the resulting partnership with Flowerdew proved successful, with the publication in 1948 of the first 'Wide Range Readers' and then from 1954 onwards, the 'Happy Venture Library Books'.
Oliver and Boyd, and their successor publishers, then commissioned Flowerdew to write for them until the 1970s, and sought her active involvement in a third edition of the Readers in the early 1980s.
Flowerdew also collaborated with Sam Stewart, an editor at Oliver and Boyd in the 1958 publication of 'Reading On' and with another very prolific children's writer Ronald Ridout on the 'Reading to Some Purpose' series, 1961 onwards.
Flowerdew's success can be attributed to the very strict grading of language, which enables young readers to steadily and cumulatively build confidence, her storytelling ability and an eye for interesting material.