Aileen Paterson (born November 30, 1934), Scottish writer

Aileen Paterson

November 30, 1934

Fife town of Burntisland

As a child, she moved to Kirkcaldy, before gaining a place at Edinburgh Art College, where she specialised in pottery. She still lives in Edinburgh and is a passionate supporter of that city. The title of her first book, Maisie Comes to Morningside (1984), was inspired by the American crime writer Chester Himes"book Cotton Comes to Harlem (1965). Maisie Mackenzie, the heroine of Paterson"s series of children"s books, wears a kilt and Fair Isle jumper and lives in Morningside, a suburb of Edinburgh. Maisie is a brave, adventurous kitten exploring a world that ultimately reinforces the good things in life such as friendship, food, fun, community and football. The wit and finely tuned social observation engages adults as much as children. Maisie"s world is almost entirely populated by cats, so that although there is a belligerent budgie and the occasional horse, there are no dogs or humans. However, Maisie"s adventures take place in real places (reflected in the books" illustrations) such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Paris, and New New York Maisie Bites the Big Apple features the Marc Chagall murals in the Metropolitan Opera House. Paterson"s latest book (2006) sees Maisie investigating strange goings-on in Edinburgh"s Botanic Gardens. In 2011 Lothian Buses made Maisie the face of the Number 5 bus, which goes through the character"s home district of Morningside. Several stories have been turned into an animated series called Meeow! starring Stanley Baxter.