author
Isabel M. (Isabel Maud) Peacocke
1881–1973
A New Zealand writer who moved easily between classrooms, radio, and the page, she became especially loved for children's stories filled with local color and a warm sense of adventure. Her life and work reflect a long, varied career in teaching, broadcasting, and popular fiction.
1 Audiobook
Piccaninnies
by Isabel M. (Isabel Maud) Peacocke
About the author
Born in Devonport, Auckland, in 1881, she was known formally as Inez Isabel Maud Peacocke and also published under Isabel M. Peacocke and, after marriage, Isabel M. Cluett. Reliable biographical sources describe her as a New Zealand teacher, novelist, and broadcaster, and note that she was born on 31 January 1881 and died on 12 October 1973.
Before and alongside her writing career, she worked as a teacher. She went on to write both fiction for adults and books for children, and later became associated with broadcasting as well. Library and biographical records consistently point to children's literature as one of the areas for which she is best remembered.
Her books include titles such as Piccaninnies, Tatters: the Story of a Faithful Comrade, and When I Was Seven. Together, they suggest a writer interested in storytelling that was approachable, lively, and close to the everyday worlds of young readers.