Author Lynne Reid Banks dies aged 94

Lynne Reid Banks, author of The L-Shaped Room and The Indian in the Cupboard, has died of cancer aged 94. She is said to have passed away “peacefully with her family around her” on 4th April.

Banks’ son, Gillon Stephenson, said: “A great light has gone out. Every day we would receive messages from children and adults around the globe telling us how much Lynne’s work means to them, and that meant the world to her. She lived a long and good life and she leaves a massive legacy of wonderful books. Though she may no longer walk among us, her words will continue to weave their magic, guiding us through the depths of imagination and the beauty of the human experience.”

Banks’ children’s book The Indian in the Cupboard (Doubleday) has sold over 10 million copies worldwide and is widely considered a children’s classic. Meanwhile her adult novel, The L-Shaped Room (Chatto & Windus), has been described as a “poignant exploration of human emotions” in a statement from her agency Watson Little. Nick Lake, fiction publisher at HaperCollins Children’s Books and Harper Fires, said: "Lynne Reid Banks is one of the greatest and most influential children’s authors, and we are so proud to be the publishers of many of her books, including The Indian in the Cupboard, which has long been one of the most beloved titles on our modern classics list – delighting and inspiring generations of children. We are so sorry to hear of her passing and all of our thoughts are with her family."

Born on 31st July 1929 in London, Banks evacuated to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada during the Second World War. She also spent time in Israel, where she taught on a kibbutz. Beyond her literary achievements, Banks worked as an actress and television journalist. In 1965, she married the sculptor Chaim Stephenson, with whom she shared three sons and in 2013, her contributions to children’s literature were honoured with the J M Barrie Award for outstanding contribution to children’s arts.

James Wills, Banks’ agent, said: "Lynne was a remarkable woman, a terrific writer and a born storyteller. She was a formidable creative force well into her nineties and she told me, indefatigable as ever, how much she was looking forward to the paperback publication of The Red Red Dragon (Walker Books) this summer, which comes out the day after what would have been her 95th birthday, as she was as determined as ever to get out and promote the book and meet her many readers. She never lost her unwavering passion for books and her rich legacy of work has touched millions of readers around the world; she’ll be sorely missed."

She is survived by her three sons, Adiel, Gillon and Omri, and a number of grandchildren.