Alicia Morel

Alicia Morel Chaigneau (26 July 1921 – 1 March 2017) was a Chilean writer, novelist, storyteller, poet, and essayist best known for her work in the field of children's literature and theater for children and puppets. Biography Early years Alicia Morel was born on 26 July 1921, to a very well-educated family in which she was the eldest of six children. From a very young age she was extremely interested in literature. Her favorite authors were Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and Selma Lagerlöf, and their work formed the basis of her inspiration to write stories. She also felt a great fascination for the outdoors and nature, and she often observed and studied insects, trees, flowers, and the climate when she went out to play with her siblings and explore in the vicinity of their home. Her father is described as a generous, tender, and authoritarian man, who used to play the cello. The family went through numerous changes throughout Alicia's childhood. As the years went on, she learned to play the piano and began to write her first stories and poems. These were based in the Cajón del Maipo, a place she frequented for its natural beauty. At age 12 she discovered that her vocation was to write. She was encouraged in this by Jorge Zuloaga, a family friend who provided her with books by authors such as James Joyce, Katherine Mansfield, and González Vera.