Illustration by Alida Bothma

Hester Heese, née de Swaardt, was born on 26 October 1911 in Kuilsrivier .
She studied to become a teacher at the Onderwysers Kollege in Wellington and at the Denneoord Kollege in Stellenbosch.
Hester was married to Reverend Dr. K. W. (Kallie) Heese, later Professor of Psychology at the University of the Western Cape and author of Oom Kalie gee raad. They had 5 children.

Hester Heese began to write books when she was 55. She won several prizes for her writings.
After her husbands death in 1974, Hester moved into the historical Morkelhuis in Ryneveld street in Stellenbosch. Here she lived for ten years, before she moved to Prince Albert and later to Strand.

Moks van die Ver-wêreld, (Illus A. A. Langdown), 1966 Aljander, aljander, so deur die bos (Illus Ellalou Ritter), 1966 Loekie die rondlopertjie (Illus Ellalou Ritter), 1966 Opsêgoed vir kleingoed (Illus Claus Fischer) , 1966 Boertjie word ryk, (Illus Ellalou Ritter), 1967/1980 2. edition, (Illus Ann Walton) Kinders van die konka-hut, 1967 Miekel die koerantjoggie, 1967 Die klein pasella, 1968 Hierdie lente (Illus Ellalou Ritter), 1969 Ek en jy, Grootbroer (Illus Ellalou Ritter), 1970 En daar is lig: verhale uit die Bybel (Illus Brian Wildsmith), Kinderpers, 1971 Die blou duif (Illus Katrin Schürmann), 1972 Polka-masurka (Illus Karin Strömsö), 1972 Wat is daai - hè Pappa? (Illus Katrin Schürmann), Kinderpers, 1972/1987 2. edition Die huis op pale (Illus Katrin Schürmann), Kinderpers, 1973 Oustryk (Illus Katrin Schürmann) Kinderpers, 1973 Die wildsbok van Ver-eiland, (Illus Katrin Schürmann), 1974 Die peperboom (Illus Cora Coetzee), 1975 Piet Vrolik en Ben Verstrooi (Illus Nikki Jones), 1975 Bokmakierie sing (Illus Bernard Paul), 1975 Josef is 'n jong vrugteboom, Kinderpers, 1976 Sonder Jou (Onthoubundel vir vollwassenes), 1976 So 'n soort aand (Illus Katrin Schürmann)Kinderpers, 1976

Frans se vyf dae in desember, (Illus Alida Bothma), 1977 Hokaai (Illus Marjorie Wallace), Kinderpers, 1978 Wannelas, (Illus Pippa Gower), 1978 Dwars-in-die-Weg, 1979 Sêra Madêra (Illus Ann Walton), 1979 Sy wat die soen op haar voorkop dra (Illus Ann Walton), 1980 Die geluid van wakker, 1981 Kompatjieri is my Liedjie (Illus Ann Walton), 1981 Die rooi tapyt is jou pad (collected stories), 1981 Kobus het 'n blom (Illus Adriaan van Zyl), Qualitas, 1982 Op die vensterbank in April (Illus Paddy Bouma), 1983 Waarom is die rëenboog krom? (Illus Ann Walton), Qualitas, 1983 Ek gooi my luike oop (Memoirs), 1986 Moses, Qualitas, 1987 Rut, Hagar en Maria (Illus Bill Davies), Qualitas, 1987 Ons twee, ek en jy (Illus Alida Bothma), Dias, 1988 Wag hier vir my (Illus Ann Walton), Fenix, 1988 Skaakmat vir 'n vlugteling (Illus Leonard Myburgh), Daan Retief, 1990 Daar diep in die see (Illus Alida Bothma), 1991 Stories in collections: Ons noem haar sommer (Illus Peter Buchanan) in: Stoiehuis, wordpaleis, 1979 Die Heks van Hexrivier , Die Christus-draer in: Goue fluit, my storie is uit, Tafelberg, 1988

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