Flying Granny - Lotte Moore

Granny Buzz adores her bees, and wishes she could fly high in the sky with them. But sometimes wishes can come true...

Lotte Moore is an 80-year-old writer on a mission. Her myriad children's stories have been enjoyed by primary school boys and girls around the country, particularly when they get a visit from Lotte, during which she inspires the children with her readings, and wartime stories of rationing and bombings. Lotte has written more than 16 books including her autobiography Snippets of a Lifetime. Despite writing stories since her childhood, Lotte only blossomed as a writer in her 70s. She was born into an incredibly literary family. Her father, John Pudney, wrote poetry (including the popular WW2 poem 'For Johnny'), novels and biographies. Her grandfather, Sir Alan Herbert, was a prolific writer, satirist and librettist. As a child, Lotte lived in Kent with her parents who enjoyed entertaining, political debate and literary discussion with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, Winston Churchill, H E Bates, W H Auden and Benjamin Britten. During the war, having been evacuated, and then at school, Lotte often found herself feeling lonely and turned to writing (stories, diary, poems and letters) to express her feelings of isolation. In her early teens Lotte's commitment turned to ballet, point shoes replaced the pen. She was selected by the Royal Ballet School to dance in the Opera Ballet. When rejected for growing 'too tall' Lotte turned to acting and intermittently to writing. She finally married aged 38 to her loyal husband Chris (who continues to support Lotte in many ways including typing out her hand-written stories). Lotte became immersed in her stepchildren and then her own two girls. Lotte lives in London, on the River Thames.