SHUTER, Jane (Margaret) 1955-
(Margaret Hudson)

Personal

Born June 21, 1955, in Broken Hill, Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia); daughter of William Andrew Mortimer (a technical designer) and Ivy Louise Gross; married Paul Derek Shuter (a publisher), April 16, 1977; children: Joseph. Education: Lancaster University, B.A. (honors), 1976; teacher training, Madeley College of Education. Hobbies and other interests: Gardening herbs and vegetables, cooking, spinning and weaving wool.

Addresses

Home— 30 Portland Rd., Oxford OX2 7EY, England.

Career

Teacher at various schools in England, 1977-83; freelance editor and layout person, 1987—; writer, 1989—; educational advisor for Hamlyn.

Writings

The Ancient Egyptians, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1991.

(With Pat Taylor) Invaders and Settlers, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1992.

(With Judith Maguire) Tudor and Stuart Times, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1992.

Victorian Britain, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1992.

Tudor Times, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1995.

The Tudor Court, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1995.

Shakespeare and the Theatre, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1995.

The Poor in Tudor England, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1995.

Life in a Tudor Town, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1995.

Victorian Children, Hamlyn (London, England), 1995.

Tudor Children, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1996.

(As Margaret Hudson) Teacher ("Working Worldwide" series), Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1996.

(As Margaret Hudson) Shopkeeper ("Working Worldwide" series), Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1996.

Russia and the USSR, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1996.

Exploration Overseas ("Life in Tudor Times" series), Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1996.

Country Life ("Life in Tudor Times" series), Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1996.

Medieval Times ("Stories from History" series), Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1996.

Clothes and Costume, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

Victorian Family Life, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

Tudor Family Life, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

Tudors and Stuarts, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998.

Egypt ("Ancient World" series), Wayland (Hove, England), 1998, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 1999.

Ancient Egypt ("History beneath Your Feet" series), Wayland (Hove, England), 1999, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 2000.

The Ancient Egyptians ("History Starts Here" series), Wayland (Hove, England), 1999, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 2000.

Anne Frank, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 2000.

Ancient Egypt ("People Who Made History In" series), Wayland (Hove, England), 2000, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 2001.

Ancient Greece ("Exploring History" series), Heinemann (Oxford, England), 2001.

Ancient Egypt ("Exploring History" series), Heinemann (Oxford, England), 2001.

Britian since 1930 ("Exploring History" series), Heinemann (Oxford, England), 2001.

Ancient Chinese Art ("Art in History" series), Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2001.

The Egyptians ("Strange Histories" series), Raintree (Chicago, IL), 2003.

Mesopotamia ("Excavating the Past" series), Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Ancient China ("Excavating the Past" series), Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Also author, with Fiona Reynoldson, of thirty-six titles in the "Sunshine History Readers" series, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1991. Contributor to "Digging Deeper" series, Heinemann (Oxford, England).

"HISTORY EYEWITNESS," FIRST SERIES; EDITOR AND NOTE WRITER

Edmund Ludlow, Edmund Ludlow and the English Civil War, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1994.

Helen Maria Williams, Helen Williams and the French Revolution, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1994, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 1996.

Sarah Royce, Sarah Royce and the American West, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1994, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 1996.

Christabel Bielenberg, Christabel Bielenberg and Nazi Germany, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1994, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 1996.

"HISTORY EYEWITNESS," SECOND SERIES; EDITOR AND NOTE WRITER

A. O. Exquemlin, Exquemlin and the Pirates of the Caribbean, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1993, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 1995.

Charles Ball, Charles Ball and American Slavery, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1993, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 1995.

Francis Parkman, Francis Parkman and the Plains Indians, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1993, Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin, TX), 1995.

"HISTORY OPENS WINDOWS" SERIES

The Ancient Egyptians, Heinemann (Crystal Lake, IL), 1997.

The Ancient Greeks, Heinemann (Crystal Lake, IL), 1997.

The Ancient Chinese, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1998.

The Ancient Romans, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1998.

The Middle Ages, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 2000.

The Renaissance, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 2000.

The Sumerians, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2002.

The Aztecs, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2002.

The Incas, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2002.

The Maya, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2002.

Ancient West African Kingdoms, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

The Indus Valley, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

The Vikings, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

"LIVING THROUGH HISTORY" SERIES; WITH NIGEL KELLY AND ROSEMARY REES

Medieval Realms, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

The Making of the United Kingdom, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998.

Britain, 1750-1900, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998.

The Twentieth Century World, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998.

Black Peoples of the Americas, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998.

"LIVES AND TIMES" SERIES

(As Margaret Hudson) Pocahontas, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

(As Margaret Hudson) The Wright Brothers, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

Alexander Graham Bell, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2000.

Thomas Edison, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2000.

Henry Ford, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2001.

"ANCIENT EGYPT" SERIES

Builders and Craftsmen, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

Discoveries and Inventions, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

Farming and Food, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

Pharaohs and Priests, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

"ANCIENT GREECE" SERIES

Builders, Traders, and Craftsmen, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1998, published as Builders, Craftsmen, and Traders, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

Cities and Citizens, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

Farmers and Fighters, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

Discoveries, Inventions, and Ideas, Heinemann (Des Plaines, IL), 1999.

"A CENTURY OF CHANGE" SERIES

Transport, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1999.

Health and Medicine, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1999.

Space and Technology, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1999.

Communications, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1999.

"VISITING THE PAST" SERIES

Carisbrooke Castle, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1999, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2000.

The Acropolis, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1999, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2000.

Hadrian's Wall, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1999.

Auschwitz, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1999, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2000.

Mesa Verde, illustrated by Gerald Wood, photography by Tristan Boyer, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2000.

Shakespeare's Birthplace, illustrated by Paul Bale and Jane Durston, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 2002, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

"HOLOCAUST" SERIES

Prelude to the Holocaust, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 2002, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

Resistance to the Nazis, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 2002, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

Life and Death in the Camps, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 2002, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

The Camp System, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 2002, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

Life and Death in Hitler's Europe, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

Aftermath of the Holocaust, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

Survivors of the Holocaust, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2003.

"TRAVEL THROUGH TIME" SERIES

Cycle Power: Two-Wheeled Travel Past and Present, Raintree (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Flying High: Air Travel Past and Present, Raintree (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Making Waves: Water Travel Past and Present, Raintree (Chicago, IL), 2004.

On the Road: Road Travel Past and Present, Raintree (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Riding the Rails: Rail Travel Past and Present, Raintree (Chicago, IL), 2004.

War Machines: Military Vehicles Past and Present, Raintree (Chicago, IL), 2004.

"PICTURE THE PAST" SERIES

Shops, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

Work, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

School, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

Transport, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

Leisure, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

Toys, Heinemann (Oxford, England), 1997.

Life along the River Nile, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Life in a Roman Fort, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Life in a Roman Town, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Life in a Roman Villa, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Life in an Egyptian Town, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Life in an Egyptian Workers' Village, Heinemann (Chicago, IL), 2004.

Sidelights

Jane Shuter once told SATA, "As a teacher, I always enjoyed teaching history, and was saddened by the lack of history teaching at the primary level in many schools. Most of the teachers I worked with set their own curriculum, and rejected history as 'too difficult' or 'too boring,' doubtless as a result of unfortunate personal experience!

"The advent of the National Curriculum in [England] led to a period of upheaval and change in teaching. It dictated that children had to be taught a variety of subjects, including history and geography. This led, in turn, to a need for books on historical topics that were written for children under the age of eleven. Not only were these books needed, but they were needed fast, and I was lucky enough to be well placed to help provide some. I was, at the time, working as an editor from home, so I understood book production. I had a history degree. I had also worked as a primary school teacher. So I was in the right place at the right time with just the sort of qualifications that my publisher needed. I've been writing ever since."

Notable among Shuter's many historical books are her series on the Holocaust. Each fifty-six page book, geared for middle school students, gives a brief overview of one aspect of the Nazi system. A variety of topics are covered, including the system of death camps, day-to-day life in Nazi-controlled countries during World War II, and various resistance movements. The books offer "short but clear topic explanations and above-average photos," Paula J. LaRue noted in a School Library Journal review of Life and Death in Hitler's Europe and Survivors of the Holocaust. Another positive aspect of the books, commented upon by Booklist reviewer Hazel Rochman, is the combination of "a good historical overview with moving personal accounts," as she noted in a review of The Camp System and Resistance to the Nazis.

Shuter has also written several entries in the "Visiting the Past" series, which introduce various archeological sites to elementary and middle school students. At thirty-two pages and including many photographs, these are "broad but useful overviews," Edith Ching wrote in a School Library Journal review of The Acropolis. In her entries on Carisbrooke Castle, Mesa Verde, and the Greek Acropolis, Shuter discusses the design of each structure, its purpose, and aspects of daily life around the structure. School Library Journal reviewer Roxanne Burg declared Carisbrooke Castle and Mesa Verde to be "succinct and readable" and concluded that the books "provide good introductory information in a pleasing format."

Shuter continued: "I think it is vital for young children to be provided with reference books that are accurate, informative, and well designed. I also think that it is very important that these books are written so that young children can read them for themselves. We are lucky that the days of reference books for six and seven year olds that consist of dense text, an almost adult vocabulary, and the odd black and white photo or line drawing are now behind us."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, March 1, 2003, Hazel Rochman, review of The Camp System and Resistance to the Nazis, pp. 1154-1155.

School Library Journal, May, 1995, David A. Lindsey, review of Charles Ball and American Slavery, pp. 128-129; June, 1996, Eunice Weech, review of Sarah Royce and the American West, p. 148; July, 1996, Shirley Wilton, reviews of Helen Williams and the French Revolution and Christabel Bielenberg and Nazi Germany, p. 148; November, 1997, Cynthia M. Sturgis, review of The Ancient Egyptians, p. 112; March, 1999, Peg Glisson, review of Egypt, p. 227; July, 1999, Linda Greengrass, reviews of Farmers and Fighters and Discoveries, and Cathryn A. Camper, reviews of Cities and Citizens and Builders, Traders and Craftsmen, all p. 90; February, 2000, Cynthia M. Sturgis, review of The Middle Ages and The Renaissance, p. 139; March, 2000, Edith Ching, review of The Acropolis, p. 244, Roxanne Burg, review of Carisbrooke Castle and Mesa Verde, p. 262; July, 2000, Cynthia M. Sturgis, review of The Ancient Egyptians, p. 94; December 2001, Ilene Abramson, review of Ancient Chinese Art, p. 170; March, 2003, Genevieve Gallagher, review of Ancient West African Kingdoms, p. 224; April, 2003, Paula J. LaRue, review of Resistance to the Nazis and The Camp System, p. 192; November, 2003, Paula J. LaRue, review of Life and Death in Hitler's Europe and Survivors of the Holocaust, p. 166.*