Cirrus@Austlit

The author of numerous collections of poetry and short stories, Agnes Littlejohn wrote for an intended readership of both adults and children. Her 'stylishly illustrated' children's books were 'beautifully produced' with various illustrators contributing high-quality, decorative artworks to Littlejohn's fictional world of fantasy and fairies.

Actively writing and publishing from the early 1900s, Littlejohn also wrote one novel, Mirage of the Desert (1910), and contributed material to the Sydney Mail and Sydney Morning Herald; her short stories and poetry appeared regularly in these publications from before the First World War until the 1930s.

While the stature of her work has now been associated more with its 'historical' rather than 'literary value', at the time of writing Littlejohn was highly praised by press reviews which described the 'graceful, charming, spontaneous and fluent' nature of her work.

Littlejohn's niece, Peggy Littlejohn , was the author of a number of decorative children's books which contained 'fairy' content similar to the works by her aunt. Agnes was also the sister-in-law of the well known feminist and author, Linda Littlejohn .