Aileen Paterson
Home address:
8 Carlyle Place, Edinburgh, EH7 5SR, ScotlandTelephone:
0131 661 2851Website:
www.nls.uk/writestuff/paterson.htmlBRAW network:
yesLL funded:
yesBiography:
I was born in Burntisland, on St Andrews Day 1934. I attended Burntisland Primary School, then Kirkcaldy High School (we moved to Kirkcaldy when I was 12). My father was a shipwright and a Communist, but we didn’t keep greyhounds or coals in the bath, instead I had violin and elocution lessons, and read books! I was always keen on reading and drawing and always rotten at maths. From 1951-1955 I studied at Edinburgh College of Art (Design, Pottery, Textiles, Murals). I ran a solo pottery studio in Dublin during 1950s and I was an art teacher for 18 years. I also made lifesize ragdolls, painted and became a craftworker. I began writing Maisie books in 1982.
I have married twice and have 6 children. I have lived in Bristol, Dublin, Glasgow, Stonehaven, Renfrewshire, but have lived in Edinburgh since the 1970s. I like cats (of course) and I am short on COMMON SENSE.
About writer's events and projects:
For schools, P1-P4 best. I tell stories but don't read from the books. I draw. I bring a Maisie puppet. I talk about my job, ideas etc. Questions welcome. For adults, I talk about the roots of my work and bring illustrations. Much of my work is about ordinary, and extraordinary, Scottish culture.
Language:
EnglishAge groups:
0-4, 5-8, 9-12, Teens, AdultsBooks written
Will Maisie and Daddy find the famous but elusive Snowcat? Their hunt takes them to the icy mountains o
Rain spoils Maisie's Brownie Camp holiday near Loch Ness, so she goes off to seek adventures in the forest. A gang or WILD CATS give her an unfriendly welcome ...
A Caribbean cruise with Daddie and Archie on the good ship Sweetpea lands the Morningside cats in danger when trouble rolls up in the shape of Captain Blackbunnet and his bloodthirsty crew. Will ...
Maisie wins a competition to be a postcat for the day. She has great fun delivering the mail to all her friends. Mrs McKitty receives two Valentine cards and has no idea where either card came ...
When Maisie, Granny, Mrs McKitty and her budgie, Billy, are invited on a trip aboard the Puffer, they have no idea what awaits them. Mrs McKitty has packed her posh "cruise" wardrobe while ...
Maisie the kitten receives a visitor from outer space - Meekko, fom the planet Pluto. After a tour of Edinburgh, Meeko learns how to play football. Watch out for Mrs McKitty in goal!
New York! Opera! Jewel Robbers! Maisie plays detective, while Mrs. McKitty's niece, Lydia, plays the piano. (Look out for the Chagall murals
Maisie, is the best kitten in the world. Maisie MacKenzie, who lives with her granny in Morningside (Edinburgh) while her Daddy explores the world, gets up to all sorts of adventures with her friends ...
Maisie has very little idea of the past beyond Granny's photographs of trams and tales of the days when nobody owned a fridge or a television. In this story she makes an amazing discovery during her ...
This is the "wedding of the year" and all the cats in Morningside are up to their ears and whiskers getting ready for it. Maisie and Archie are horrified to discover the wedding day clashes ...
A trip by train allows Maisie to meet her Glasgow relations and explore their city.
Like many Scottish kittens, Maisie has relatives in far away places such as Australia, Canada and America. In this story the Morningside cats fly off to California to visit the Hollywood branch of ...
In a bold attempt to rescue her ball from a tree, Maisie the kitten has a very nasty accident and bumps her head. She ends up in hospital where, despite having to swallow her medicine, she soon makes ...
Maisie, the kilted kitten from Morningside, Edinburgh is starting school. Everything does not go smoothly, but the end of term Christmas nativity play gives everyone a surprise.
Granny and Maisie enjoy a special weekend in the Capital, seeign the sights and staying at the RITZ.
Maisie the Scottish kitten is off on an expedition with her explorer Daddy! She flies to Rio, then she and her Daddy make their way up the Amazon river to see a beautiful flower-filled rainforest. ...
The strangest country Maisie has ever visited. The kittens there are polite, and enjoy having baths, unlike Maisie! Maisie makes many discoveries, and a new friend.
Maisie and Granny are on holiday in Paris. Unfortunately for Maisie so is Granny's neighbour, the ultra perfect Mrs McKitty and her niece Lydia MacSporran. The holiday seems doomed to disaster until ...
It's Halloween in Edinburgh. The kittens dress up and visit their neighbours - until a scary skeleton turns up!
Maisie and Granny welcome visitors from Canada. While showing them around Edinburgh, Maisie catches a pickpocket. This leads to a starring role at the Tattoo that night!
A picture book which contains lots of Christmas scenes of the Morningside cats shopping, making presents and sending cards.
Maisie, Granny, and pernickety Mrs McKitty don't know where their bus is heading, but the journey brings fun and games.
One of the first of the Maisie titles to be published in Gaelic, this book tells the story of Maisie in the rainforest.
One of the first of the Maisie titles to be published in Gaelic, this book tells the story of Maisie going to school.
From its secret underground streets to the top of Arthur's Seat, the city of Edinburgh has been the inspiration for many children's books and writers. This unique guide will help children and adults ...
This fairytale is set 'not so long ago' in Scotland. Among the characters there's a wicked witch from California looking for her roots, Heavy Metal pigs, complete with motorbikes, a clever heroine ...
Maisie visits the museum with Mrs McKitty and Archie. When they get bored, the museum seems like a good place to play hide and seek. Maisie waits so long for Archie to find her that she falls asleep. ...
14 Christmas stories to celebrate the excitement of Christmas written by: Malorie Blackman, Gillian Cross, Jenny Bent, Adele Geras, Tessa Krailing, Aileen Paterson, Ann Ruffell, Susan Gates, Rob ...
Books illustrated
Will Maisie and Daddy find the famous but elusive Snowcat? Their hunt takes them to the icy mountains o
Rain spoils Maisie's Brownie Camp holiday near Loch Ness, so she goes off to seek adventures in the forest. A gang or WILD CATS give her an unfriendly welcome ...
A Caribbean cruise with Daddie and Archie on the good ship Sweetpea lands the Morningside cats in danger when trouble rolls up in the shape of Captain Blackbunnet and his bloodthirsty crew. Will ...
Maisie wins a competition to be a postcat for the day. She has great fun delivering the mail to all her friends. Mrs McKitty receives two Valentine cards and has no idea where either card came ...
When Maisie, Granny, Mrs McKitty and her budgie, Billy, are invited on a trip aboard the Puffer, they have no idea what awaits them. Mrs McKitty has packed her posh "cruise" wardrobe while ...
Maisie the kitten receives a visitor from outer space - Meekko, fom the planet Pluto. After a tour of Edinburgh, Meeko learns how to play football. Watch out for Mrs McKitty in goal!
New York! Opera! Jewel Robbers! Maisie plays detective, while Mrs. McKitty's niece, Lydia, plays the piano. (Look out for the Chagall murals
Maisie, is the best kitten in the world. Maisie MacKenzie, who lives with her granny in Morningside (Edinburgh) while her Daddy explores the world, gets up to all sorts of adventures with her friends ...
Maisie has very little idea of the past beyond Granny's photographs of trams and tales of the days when nobody owned a fridge or a television. In this story she makes an amazing discovery during her ...
This is the "wedding of the year" and all the cats in Morningside are up to their ears and whiskers getting ready for it. Maisie and Archie are horrified to discover the wedding day clashes ...
A trip by train allows Maisie to meet her Glasgow relations and explore their city.
Like many Scottish kittens, Maisie has relatives in far away places such as Australia, Canada and America. In this story the Morningside cats fly off to California to visit the Hollywood branch of ...
In a bold attempt to rescue her ball from a tree, Maisie the kitten has a very nasty accident and bumps her head. She ends up in hospital where, despite having to swallow her medicine, she soon makes ...
Maisie, the kilted kitten from Morningside, Edinburgh is starting school. Everything does not go smoothly, but the end of term Christmas nativity play gives everyone a surprise.
Granny and Maisie enjoy a special weekend in the Capital, seeign the sights and staying at the RITZ.
Maisie the Scottish kitten is off on an expedition with her explorer Daddy! She flies to Rio, then she and her Daddy make their way up the Amazon river to see a beautiful flower-filled rainforest. ...
The strangest country Maisie has ever visited. The kittens there are polite, and enjoy having baths, unlike Maisie! Maisie makes many discoveries, and a new friend.
Maisie and Granny are on holiday in Paris. Unfortunately for Maisie so is Granny's neighbour, the ultra perfect Mrs McKitty and her niece Lydia MacSporran. The holiday seems doomed to disaster until ...
It's Halloween in Edinburgh. The kittens dress up and visit their neighbours - until a scary skeleton turns up!
Maisie and Granny welcome visitors from Canada. While showing them around Edinburgh, Maisie catches a pickpocket. This leads to a starring role at the Tattoo that night!
A picture book which contains lots of Christmas scenes of the Morningside cats shopping, making presents and sending cards.
Maisie, Granny, and pernickety Mrs McKitty don't know where their bus is heading, but the journey brings fun and games.
One of the first of the Maisie titles to be published in Gaelic, this book tells the story of Maisie in the rainforest.
One of the first of the Maisie titles to be published in Gaelic, this book tells the story of Maisie going to school.
This fairytale is set 'not so long ago' in Scotland. Among the characters there's a wicked witch from California looking for her roots, Heavy Metal pigs, complete with motorbikes, a clever heroine ...
Maisie visits the museum with Mrs McKitty and Archie. When they get bored, the museum seems like a good place to play hide and seek. Maisie waits so long for Archie to find her that she falls asleep. ...
