Rosemary Sutcliff was a British author best known for writing children’s books, especially historical fiction and retellings of myths and legends. Born on December 14, 1920, in Surrey, Sutcliff spent her whole life struggling with Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (also known as Still’s disease). This chronic condition confined Sutcliff to a wheelchair for much of her life. Sutcliff’s family also moved frequently due to her father’s position as a Royal Navy officer.

Though Sutcliff’s schooling was frequently interrupted due to her condition and her family’s frequent moving, she did develop an acute interest in history and literature. In 1950, she published her first book, The Chronicles of Robin Hood, and in 1954 she published what is perhaps her most famous book, The Eagle of the Ninth, a historical fiction novel set in Roman Britain. Sutcliff soon gained widespread recognition for her contributions to children’s literature, especially for her ability to make myths and legends accessible to younger readers. Her retelling of Arthurian legend in her 1971 novel Tristan and Iseult earned the American Horn Book Award, while her 1985 novel The Mark of the Horse Lord was the first winner of the Phoenix Award. In 1975, Sutcliff’s achievements earned her an appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and in 1992, the year of her death, she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.