Kaye Umansky is an English children's author & poet. She is best known for her Pongwiffy Series.
Born an only child to a poor family, Kaye stayed in and listened to the wireless whilst weaving furniture with her family. Her mother was a music teacher and encouraged her to play from a young age and her Dad was also a teacher who encouraged her reading.
After Kaye left school, she went to London to train as a teacher. Kaye enjoyed teaching music, drama and creative writing. She also did some acting and music in her spare time.
Kaye loved acting until one night when ahe developed stage fright and forgot her lines. She gave up acting shortly after this. During this time she carried on writing stories as a hobby.
Alongside her husband (Mo), Kaye formed a soul band and played in the evenings and at weekends, She says "never became rich and famous, but we had a lot of fun".
Kaye got her first children's book published in 1986. The book was a collection of songs for children and was called Phantasmagoria. Kaye still writes music books, along with plays, poems, novels and picture books.
Born an only child to a poor family, Kaye stayed in and listened to the wireless whilst weaving furniture with her family. Her mother was a music teacher and encouraged her to play from a young age and her Dad was also a teacher who encouraged her reading.
After Kaye left school, she went to London to train as a teacher. Kaye enjoyed teaching music, drama and creative writing. She also did some acting and music in her spare time.
Kaye loved acting until one night when ahe developed stage fright and forgot her lines. She gave up acting shortly after this. During this time she carried on writing stories as a hobby.
Alongside her husband (Mo), Kaye formed a soul band and played in the evenings and at weekends, She says "never became rich and famous, but we had a lot of fun".
Kaye got her first children's book published in 1986. The book was a collection of songs for children and was called Phantasmagoria. Kaye still writes music books, along with plays, poems, novels and picture books.
Genres: Children's Fiction
Series
Pongwiffy
Pongwiffy (1988)
Pongwiffy and the Goblins' Revenge (1992)
Pongwiffy and the Spell of the Year (1992)
Pongwiffy and the Holiday of Doom (1995)
Pongwiffy and the Pantomime (1997)
The Spellovision Song Contest (2003)
Back on Track (2009)
A Witch of Dirty Habits / Goblins' Revenge (2017)
More Pongwiffy Stories (2018)
The Pantomime / Spellovision Song Contest / Back on Track (2019)
Pongwiffy (1988)
Pongwiffy and the Goblins' Revenge (1992)
Pongwiffy and the Spell of the Year (1992)
Pongwiffy and the Holiday of Doom (1995)
Pongwiffy and the Pantomime (1997)
The Spellovision Song Contest (2003)
Back on Track (2009)
A Witch of Dirty Habits / Goblins' Revenge (2017)
More Pongwiffy Stories (2018)
The Pantomime / Spellovision Song Contest / Back on Track (2019)
King Keith
King Keith and the Nasty Case of Dragonitus (1990)
King Keith and the Jolly Lodger (1991)
King Keith and the Nasty Case of Dragonitus (1990)
King Keith and the Jolly Lodger (1991)
Sophie Rabbit
Sophie and Abigail (1995)
Sophie and the Wonderful Picture (1995)
Sophie and the Mother's Day Card (1995)
Sophie in Charge (1995)
A Sophie Treasury (1998)
Sophie and Abigail (1995)
Sophie and the Wonderful Picture (1995)
Sophie and the Mother's Day Card (1995)
Sophie in Charge (1995)
A Sophie Treasury (1998)
Quest for 100 Gold Coins
1. Donkey Ride to Disaster (1999)
2. Madness in the Mountains (1999)
3. Strange Days At Sea (2000)
4. No More Master Niceguy (2000)
1. Donkey Ride to Disaster (1999)
2. Madness in the Mountains (1999)
3. Strange Days At Sea (2000)
4. No More Master Niceguy (2000)
Soloman Snow
The Silver Spoon of Soloman Snow (2004)
aka Solomon Snow and the Silver Spoon
Solomon Snow and the Stolen Jewel (2005)
The Silver Spoon of Soloman Snow (2004)
aka Solomon Snow and the Silver Spoon
Solomon Snow and the Stolen Jewel (2005)
Clover Twig
Clover Twig and the Incredible Flying Cottage (2008)
Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage (2009)
Clover Twig and the Perilous Path (2010)
Clover Twig and the Incredible Flying Cottage (2008)
Clover Twig and the Magical Cottage (2009)
Clover Twig and the Perilous Path (2010)
Belinda and the Bears
The Porridge Project (2015)
The New Chair (2015)
Go Shopping (2016)
Go to School (2016)
The Porridge Project (2015)
The New Chair (2015)
Go Shopping (2016)
Go to School (2016)
Elsie Pickles
1. Witch for a Week (2017)
2. Witch at the Wheel (2018)
3. Witches (Un)Welcome (2019)
4. Witch in Winter (2019)
1. Witch for a Week (2017)
2. Witch at the Wheel (2018)
3. Witches (Un)Welcome (2019)
4. Witch in Winter (2019)
Novels
Big Iggy (1987)
Witches in Stitches (1988)
Broomnapped (1991)
Trash Hits (1991)
A Ruby, a Rug and a Prince Called Doug (1995)
Beyond the Beanstalk (1997)
Hammy House of Horror (1998)
Prince Dandypants and the Masked Avenger (2001)
I Am a Tree (2006)
I Live in a Mad House (2007)
Just Plain Weird (2018)
Witches in Stitches (1988)
Broomnapped (1991)
Trash Hits (1991)
A Ruby, a Rug and a Prince Called Doug (1995)
Beyond the Beanstalk (1997)
Hammy House of Horror (1998)
Prince Dandypants and the Masked Avenger (2001)
I Am a Tree (2006)
I Live in a Mad House (2007)
Just Plain Weird (2018)
Collections
Phantasmagoria (1988)
The Night I Was Chased by a Vampire (1995)
Out of This World (2000) (with David Almond, Helen Cresswell, Roald Dahl, Jenny Nimmo, Andrew Norris, Philip Ridley, J K Rowling, Robert Swindells and Kate Thompson)
Nonsense Rhymes Collection (poems) (2006)
Three Little Celebrations (2009)
Pongwiffy and the Important Announcement / Grubtown Tales: The Great Pasta Disaster (2010) (with Philip Ardagh)
The Night I Was Chased by a Vampire (1995)
Out of This World (2000) (with David Almond, Helen Cresswell, Roald Dahl, Jenny Nimmo, Andrew Norris, Philip Ridley, J K Rowling, Robert Swindells and Kate Thompson)
Nonsense Rhymes Collection (poems) (2006)
Three Little Celebrations (2009)
Pongwiffy and the Important Announcement / Grubtown Tales: The Great Pasta Disaster (2010) (with Philip Ardagh)
Plays
Bandybones (1986)
Little Sister (1986)
The Toymaker's Birthday (1986)
Litterbugs (1987)
The Fwog Pwince (1989)
Cinderella (1996)
Noah's Ark (1998)
The Emperor's New Clothes (1998)
Sleeping Beauty (2000)
Cruel Times (2003)
Humble Tom's Big Trip (2003)
The Snow Queen (2003)
Let's Go to London (2007)
Little Sister (1986)
The Toymaker's Birthday (1986)
Litterbugs (1987)
The Fwog Pwince (1989)
Cinderella (1996)
Noah's Ark (1998)
The Emperor's New Clothes (1998)
Sleeping Beauty (2000)
Cruel Times (2003)
Humble Tom's Big Trip (2003)
The Snow Queen (2003)
Let's Go to London (2007)
Picture Books
Tiger and Me (1990)
The Misfortunes of Captain Cadaverous (1992)
Pass the Jam, Jim (1992)
Dobbin (1994)
The Romantic Giant (1994)
The Jealous Giant (1997)
You Can Swim, Jim (1997)
Bingo Lingo (1999)
Need a Trim, Jim (1999)
Nonsense Counting Rhymes (1999)
Tickle My Nose (1999)
The Red Queen (2000)
The Rubbish Monster (2000)
Ben Gets Cross (2000)
The Missing Shoes (2000)
Pirates Ahoy! (2000)
Rope That Cow! (2000)
The Dressed Up Giant (2001)
Beyond Strange Street (2001)
Down the Rushing River (2001)
Nonsense Animal Rhymes (2001)
Soup with Obby (2001)
Wiggle My Toes (2002)
This Is Jane, Jim (2002)
The Big Mix Up (2003)
Buster's Big Surprise (2003)
Buster and the Golden Glove (2003)
Reports, Rabbits and the Beetle Teacher (2004)
Buster Takes a Hostage (2004)
A Chair for Baby Bear (2004)
Horses' Holiday (2005)
I Want a Pet! (2005)
Stomp, Chomp, Big Roars! (2006)
Nonsense Fairytale Rhymes (2006)
I Don't Like Gloria! (2007)
Yo Ho Ho! A-Pirating We'll Go (2008)
Alien Alby (2009)
Dodo Doo Doo (2010)
Naughty Naughty Monster (2014)
The Misfortunes of Captain Cadaverous (1992)
Pass the Jam, Jim (1992)
Dobbin (1994)
The Romantic Giant (1994)
The Jealous Giant (1997)
You Can Swim, Jim (1997)
Bingo Lingo (1999)
Need a Trim, Jim (1999)
Nonsense Counting Rhymes (1999)
Tickle My Nose (1999)
The Red Queen (2000)
The Rubbish Monster (2000)
Ben Gets Cross (2000)
The Missing Shoes (2000)
Pirates Ahoy! (2000)
Rope That Cow! (2000)
The Dressed Up Giant (2001)
Beyond Strange Street (2001)
Down the Rushing River (2001)
Nonsense Animal Rhymes (2001)
Soup with Obby (2001)
Wiggle My Toes (2002)
This Is Jane, Jim (2002)
The Big Mix Up (2003)
Buster's Big Surprise (2003)
Buster and the Golden Glove (2003)
Reports, Rabbits and the Beetle Teacher (2004)
Buster Takes a Hostage (2004)
A Chair for Baby Bear (2004)
Horses' Holiday (2005)
I Want a Pet! (2005)
Stomp, Chomp, Big Roars! (2006)
Nonsense Fairytale Rhymes (2006)
I Don't Like Gloria! (2007)
Yo Ho Ho! A-Pirating We'll Go (2008)
Alien Alby (2009)
Dodo Doo Doo (2010)
Naughty Naughty Monster (2014)
Chapter Books
Otto Matic (1990)
Tin Can Hero (1993)
The Empty Suit of Armour (1995)
The Bogey Men and the Trolls Next Door (1997)
The Spooks Step Out (1997)
Never Meddle with Magic Mirrors! (1998)
Three Days with Jim (2001)
Mick McMenace, Ghost Detective (2003)
The Stepsisters' Story (2007)
The Queen's Tale (2013)
The Wickedest Witch in the World (2013)
Robin Hood (2013)
The 13th Fairy (2014)
Prince Frog Face (2015)
Bigger and Better (2016)
The Knights of the Drop-Leaf Table (2017)
The Knights and the Best Quest (2018)
The Peculiar Thing with the Pea (2020)
Tin Can Hero (1993)
The Empty Suit of Armour (1995)
The Bogey Men and the Trolls Next Door (1997)
The Spooks Step Out (1997)
Never Meddle with Magic Mirrors! (1998)
Three Days with Jim (2001)
Mick McMenace, Ghost Detective (2003)
The Stepsisters' Story (2007)
The Queen's Tale (2013)
The Wickedest Witch in the World (2013)
Robin Hood (2013)
The 13th Fairy (2014)
Prince Frog Face (2015)
Bigger and Better (2016)
The Knights of the Drop-Leaf Table (2017)
The Knights and the Best Quest (2018)
The Peculiar Thing with the Pea (2020)
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