Joyce Lankester Brisley

Joyce Lankester Brisley (1896-1978) was an English writer and illustrator of children's books.

She was born in Bexhill-on-Sea, England in 1896. She is best remembered for the creation of Milly-Molly-Mandy, a little girl who lives with her parents, grandparents, aunt and uncle in a thatched cottage in a small village. Most of the Milly-Molly-Mandy stories were originally printed in The Christian Science Monitor, starting in 1925. In 1928 a number of them were published as a book. In all she wrote and illustrated six collections of Milly-Molly-Mandy stories, together with a number of other books for young children including "Bunchy" and "Marigold in Godmother's House".

She also illustrated books by other authors, including the classic Ursula Moray Williams story, "Adventures of a Little Wooden Horse".

She was the sister of the well-known illustrator Nina K. Brisley, best known for the covers of the early hardback editions of the Chalet School series.