✍️ Author Biography
Barnum, Vance
🌍 British
📚 0 free books
⭐ Known for: Rainbow Magic: Return to Rainspell Island (2010)
Vance Barnum is a pseudonym used by multiple authors for the popular Rainbow Magic children's book series.
The Rainbow Magic series is a British children's fiction brand, currently owned by Mattel. It originated with Working Partners and is recognized for its books published by Orchard Books, ghostwritten under the collective name Daisy Meadows. The stories feature the adventures of young girls and their fairy friends. These books achieved significant popularity, ranking as the most-borrowed children's books in UK libraries in 2010 and 2011. The series has been distributed internationally by various publishers, including Scholastic Inc. and Silver Dolphin Books, with some variations in titles and series depending on the country and language. The books typically consist of six chapters and are structured in overarching stories that span across multiple books within a themed set, such as 'The Sporty Fairies' or 'The Jewel Fairies'.
The narrative structure of the Rainbow Magic books often involves seven books in earlier series and four books in later ones, each focusing on a specific theme. The main human characters include Kirsty Tate and Rachel Walker, along with their families, and later additions like Gracie Adebayo and Khadijah Khan. The magical realm is populated by characters such as Jack Frost, Queen Titania, and King Oberon. While the books are credited to Daisy Meadows, the actual writing is done by a team of authors, including Linda Chapman, Narinder Dhami, Sue Bentley, and others, with individual authors sometimes acknowledged through a dedication or "special thanks" note within each title.
Authorship and Pseudonymity
The Rainbow Magic book series is notable for its collective authorship under the pseudonym Daisy Meadows. This practice involves a team of writers who contribute to the extensive series. The specific authors credited with contributing to the series include Linda Chapman, Narinder Dhami, Rachel Elliot, Sue Bentley, Sue Mongredien, Kristen Earhart, Mandy Archer, Tracey West, Sarah Levison, Shannon Penney, Charlie Hart, Karen Ball, AnnMarie Anderson, and Marilyn Kaye. While the collective pseudonym is used for the books, individual titles sometimes include a dedication or a "special thanks" that may indicate the primary author responsible for that specific book. This approach allows for a consistent output of books within the popular series, catering to a wide audience of young readers.
Thematic Structure and Character Elements
The Rainbow Magic series is characterized by its thematic organization and recurring characters. Each set of books is built around a specific theme, exemplified by titles like 'The Sporty Fairies' and 'The Jewel Fairies'. The narrative structure typically unfolds over a series of books, with earlier installments comprising seven books and later ones containing four. Each book generally has six chapters. The core human characters are Kirsty Tate and Rachel Walker, whose adventures form the foundation of the series. They are joined by other characters like Gracie Adebayo and Khadijah Khan. The magical world they interact with is populated by figures such as Jack Frost, the king of the goblins, and the royal fairy couple, Queen Titania and King Oberon. Family members of the main human characters also appear, providing a relatable element to the fantastical stories.