HILDA GERARDA VAN STOCKUM (February 9, 1908 - November 1, 2006) was a Dutch-born childrenâs writer and artist. Born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, she grew up in the Netherlands and Ireland. She lived in the United States for many years and moved to England around 1973. Von Stockumâs books are characterised by their vivid and realistic depictions of family life, some being autobiographical, such as The Mitchells. Her best-known book is The Winged Watchman, a true story based on letters Hilda received from relatives in the Netherlands that has been praised for conveying an accurate sense of life under Nazi occupation. An emphasis on realism is also conveyed in her paintings and drawings, which consist mainly of still-lives, landscapes and portraits. She achieved a degree of fame in this regard in Ireland, and was elected to the Honorary Council of the Royal Hibernian Academy in 1983. Hilda van Stockum died in 2006 aged 98.