Colette Edwidge Hélène Lejeune (4 July 1898 – 9 September 1979), who wrote under the pseudonym Colette Vivier, was a French author of children’s literature. In 1972 and 1974, she was highly commended as an author of children's literature by the

Hans Christian Andersen Award The Hans Christian Andersen Awards are two literary awards given by the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), recognising one living author and one living illustrator for their "lasting contribution to children's literature". The ...

Biography

Vivier was born on 4 July 1898 in the

17th arrondissement of Paris The 17th arrondissement of Paris (''XVIIe arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, it is referred to as ''le dix-septième'' (; "the seventeenth"). The arrondissement, known as Batignol ...

, France in a bourgeoisie household. She married an academic named Jean Duval, and was also known by the name Colette Duval-Lejeune. Vivier frequently visited a primary school in the Parisian neighborhood of

Batignolles Batignolles () is a neighbourhood of Paris, part of its 17th arrondissement. The neighbourhood is bounded on the south by the Boulevard des Batignolles, on the east by the Avenue de Clichy, on the north by Rue Cardinet and on the west by the Rue ...

. Inspired by the young girls from working-class families that attended the school, she based her writing off of her observations of their families. She wrote a number of novels focused on childhood, many of which were written in the style of a diary. One of her books, ''La Maison des Petits Bonheurs'' (1939), was written from the perspective a young girl writing in her diary. In 1939, the book received the (Youth Prize). During World War II, Vivier and her husband were active in the

French Resistance The French Resistance (french: La Résistance) was a collection of organisations that fought the German occupation of France during World War II, Nazi occupation of France and the Collaborationism, collaborationist Vichy France, Vichy régim ...

. They were members of the resistance group

Friends of Alain-Fournier ''Friends'' is an American television sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994, to May 6, 2004, lasting ten seasons. With an ensemble cast starring Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Li ...

, along with other academics

Claude Aveline Claude Aveline, pen name of Evgen Avtsine (19 July 1901 – 4 November 1992), was a writer, publisher, editor, poet and member of the French Resistance. Aveline, who was born in Paris, France, has authored numerous books and writings througho ...

Jean Cassou Jean Cassou (9 July 1897 – 15 January 1986) was a French writer, art critic, poet, member of the French Resistance during World War II and the first Director of the Musée national d'Art moderne in Paris. Biography Jean Cassou was born at Bi ...

, Marcel Abraham,

Agnès Humbert Agnès Humbert (12 October 1894 – 19 September 1963) was an art historian, ethnographer and a member of the French Resistance during World War II. She has become well known through the publication of a translation of the diary of her experience ...

, and Simone Martin-Chauffier. The group ran covertly as a literary club, and partnered with the

Groupe du musée de l'Homme The ''Groupe du musée de l'Homme'' ( French for 'Group of the Museum of Man') was a movement in the French resistance to the German occupation during the Second World War. In July 1940, after the Appeal of 18 June from Charles de Gaulle, a res ...

to establish an underground newspaper called ''Résistance'' that was distributed in the occupied zones during the war. The newspaper stopped production after its fourth issue in 1941, when members of the resistance network began to be arrested. In 1972 and 1974, she was chosen as a highly commended author by the jury of the

. Vivier died on 9 September 1979 in the

5th arrondissement of Paris The 5th arrondissement of Paris (''Ve arrondissement'') is one of the 20 arrondissements of the capital city of France. In spoken French, this arrondissement is referred to as ''le cinquième''. The arrondissement, also known as Panthéon, is s ...

Selected works

* ''La Maison des Petits Bonheurs'' (The House of Small Felicities, 1939) * ''Entrez dans la danse'' (Join the Dance, 1943) * ''La maison des quatre vents'' (1946; English translation, ''The House of Four Winds'', 1969) * ''La grande roue'' (The Great Wheel, 1950) * ''Rémi et le fantôm'' (1952; English adaptation, ''Rémi'', 1962) * ''L'étoile polaire'' (The Polar Star, 1953) * ''La Porte ouverte'' (1955) * ''Le Petit Théâtre'' (1968)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vivier, Colette 1898 births 1979 deaths French children's writers French women children's writers French Resistance members Writers from Paris