AUTHOR Karen Wallace was born in Canada, where she spent her youth messing about on the river, climbing trees and building toboggan runs.

They are memories which are well served in the plethora of children's books for which she is responsible.

Married to fellow author Sam Llewellyn, they live near Kington: two writers producing two scientist sons.

Karen was invited to collaborate with freelance producer Mary Dickinson, who worked on the BBC's Arena for 18 years - 'two new kids on the block' as far as working on a project of this nature, Karen said.

"We've been told it is completely original, which is, I think, because we both came at it fresh."

The documentary pulls together a century of memories in a fresh, accessible and interesting way.

The success of Wendy, a novel about an Edwardian childhood, is what drew her to the production team's attention.

In her book she recreates the lavish world of Edwardian gentility and exposes the hypocrisy and cruelty behind the glittering faade.

Wendy is available in paperback for £5.99 from Simon and Schuster.

Happy Birthday Peter Pan will be aired on BBC1 on January 2 at 5.45pm.