Childhood & Professional Career

Anderson was a Scottish artist born in 1874, then spent her childhood days in Argentina. 

 In 1912, she married a painter, Alan Wright and they settled in Berkshire. Wright had a successful career in illustration prior to 1898 when he illustrated a story for Baron Corvo. The story and Corvo were highly criticized in the press, and because of his association with the story, Wright’s commissions dried up until he married Anderson. They collaborated on many books together—he would draw the animals and birds and she would draw everything else.  It has been said that it is difficult to distinguish his work from hers. But mostly, he dedicated himself to providing her with an environment  conducive to her work. 

In addition to her illustration, she was also an etcher, watercolor painter and designer of greeting cards.

Influences & Style 

Her work has been compared to her contemporaries, Charles Robinson, Jessie M. King and Mabel Lucie Attwell. Her illustrations, both in black and white and in color, are decorative and lightly drawn or painted and show neatly dressed children with pear-shaped faces.

Raison d’Être

Although her illustrations were popular, her success can be attributed to her need to work hard and earn a decent income. With over 100 books to her credit, she was the financial supporter of the family, her husband only contributing occasionally.

Children’s Books Illustrated 

• Underdown, E., Aucassin and Nicolette, Nelson, 1911.

 
• Underdown, E., The Gateway to Chaucer, Nelson, 1912.

 
• Mansion, H., Old Nursery Songs, Harrap, nd.

 
• Mansion, H., Old French Nursery Songs, Harrap, nd.

 
• Mansion, H., The Sleepy Song Book, Harrap, nd.

 
• Garrett, E. W., Rip, 1919.

 
• Strang, Mrs. H., My Big Picture Book, OUP, 1920.

 
• Talbot, E., The Cosy-Comfy Book, Collins, 1920.

 
• Eliot, Ethel C., The House Above the Trees, Thornton Butterworth, 1921.

 
• Barnes, Madeleine, Fireside Stories, Blackie, 1922.

 
• Herbertson, Agnes G., Sing Song Stories, OUP, 1922.

 
• Joan, Natalie, Cosy-Time Tales, Nelson, 1922.

 
• Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Collins, 1922.

• Purse, A.L., The Isle of Wirrawoo, An Australian Fairy Tale (with Alan Wright), Oxford University Press, 1923. 

 
• Andersen, Hans Christen, Fairy Tales, Collins, 1924.

 
• Garrett, E. W., Wanda and the Garden of the Red House, OUP, 1924. 

 
• Kingsley, Charles, The Water Babies, Jack, 1924.

 
• Morrison, Peggy, Cosy Chair Stories, Collins, 1924.

 
• Spyri, Johanna, Heidi, Harrap, 1924.

 
• Strang, Mrs. H., Little Rhymes for Little Folk, OUP, 1925. 

 
• Howard, Constance, Mr. Pickles and the Party, Warne, 1926.

 
• The Old Mother Goose Nursery Rhyme Book, Nelson, 1926.

 
• Southwold, S., Once Upon a Time Stories, Collins, 1927.

• Evening Hour Stories (with others), London/Edinburgh, Thomas Nelson, c. 1928. 

 
• Crossland, J. R. And Parrish, J. M., The Children’s Wonder Book (with others), Odhams, 1933.

 
• My Big New Book (with others), Blackie, 1938.

 
• Chisholm, Louey, editor, A Staircase of Stories (with others), nd.

 
• Strang, Mrs. Herbert, editor, The Golden Book for Girls (with others), nd.

 
• Strang, Mrs. Herbert, editor, My Big Picture Book (with others), nd.

 
• Strang, Mrs. Herbert, editor, The Violet Book for Children (with others), nd.

 
• Old English Nursery Songs, nd.

Children’s Books Written and Illustrated 

• The Funny Bunny ABC Book, Nelson, 1912.

 
• The Little Busy Bee Book, Thomas Nelson and Sons, c. 1915.

 
• The Busy Bunny Book (with Alan Wright), Nelson, 1916.

 
• The Naughty Neddy Book (with Alan Wright), Nelson, 1918.

 
• Two Bold Sportsmen (with Alan Wright), Nelson, 1918.

 
• The Patsy Book, Nelson, 1918.

 
• The Jackie Jackdaw Book, Nelson, 1920.

 
• The Jacky Horner ABC, Dean, 1920.

 
• The Anne Anderson Fairy Tale Book, Nelson, 1923.

 
• The Cuddly Kitty and the Busy Bunny (with Alan Wright), Nelson, 1926.

 
• The Podgy-Puppy (with Alan Wright), Nelson, 1927.

 
• A Series of Fairy Tales, Nelson, 1928.

 
• The Fairy Tale Omnibus, Collins, 1929.

 
• Merry Folk, Collins, 1930.

 
• Playtime ABC, Collins, 1930.

 
• The Anne Anderson Picture Book, Collins, 1943.

 
• The Cosy Corner Book, Collins, 1943.

 
• Little Folk ABC, Collins, nd.

 
• The Gilly Flower Garden Book, nd.

 
• The Rosie-Posie Book, nd.

 
• The Maisie-Daisie Book, Sully and Kleinteich, nd.<

 
• Brair Rose Book Of Old Old Fairy Tales. 

 
• Old, Old Fairy Tales, New York, Thomas Nelson & Sons, n.d.

 
• The Golden Story Book, London, Collins, n.d.

Contributed to

• Blackie’s Children’s Annual

 
• Cassell’s Children’s Annual

 
• Mrs. Strang’s Annuals

 
• Playbox Annual

 
• Wonder Annual

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