the co-owner of a shop selling books and gifts. Her later years, however, were spent living in the Sydney harbourside suburb of Mosman. She died in her sleep on 14 December 2010, at the age of 93. Awards 1946 Inaugural Sydney Morning Herald-sponsored writers' competition: Best Novel award for The Harp in the South (published 1948) 1954 Catholic Book Club Choice selected: Serpent's Delight 1961 Inaugural Commonwealth Television Play Competition: British award for television play won for No Decision, with D'Arcy Niland 1962 Children's Book Council of Australia (CBCA): highly commended for The Hole in the Hill 1975 CBCA Children's Book of the Year Award Winners: highly commended for Callie's Castle 1977 Miles Franklin Award for Swords and Crowns and Rings 1977 National Book Council: highly commended for Swords and Crowns and Rings 1979 Children's Book of the Year Award Winners: highly commended for Come Danger, Come Darkness 1981 Children's Book of the Year Award Winners: won for Playing Beatie Bow 1981 Ethel Turner Prize for Young People's Literature (NSW Premier's Literary Awards): won for When the Wind Changed 1982 Parents' Choice Award for Literature: won for Playing Beatie Bow 1982 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award: for Playing Beatie Bow 1982 International Board on Books for Young People (Australia): Honour Diploma for Playing Beatie Bow 1982 Guardian Fiction Prize (UK): runner-up for Playing Beatie Bow 1986 Young Australians' Best Book Award for picture book When the Wind Changed (illustrated by Deborah Niland) 1987 Member of the Order of Australia (AM): for services to literature 1992 The Age Book of the Year#Non-fiction Award: won for A Fence around the Cuckoo 1992 Colin Roderick Award: won for A Fence around the Cuckoo, presented with the H.T. Priestley Meda(Townsville Foundation for Australian Literary Studies Award) 1993 Tilly Aston Award for Braille Book of the Year: won for A Fence around the Cuckoo 1993 Talking Book of the Year Award (Royal Blind Society) won for A Fence around the Cuckoo 1993 Talking Book of the Year Award (Royal Blind Society) won for Fishing in the Styx 1993 Lloyd O'Neil Magpie Award for services to the Australian book industry 1994 CBCA COOL Award): won for Playing Beatie Bow 1994 Honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of New South Wales 1994 Fellowship of Australian Writers, Christina Stead Award: won for Home Before Dark 1996 Bilby Award, Young Reader Award: won for When the Wind Changed (illustrated