Dorothy Aldis facts for kids

Dorothy Aldis (born March 13, 1896 – died July 4, 1966) was a wonderful American author and poet. She wrote many books and poems especially for children.

Her Life Story

Dorothy Keeley was born in Chicago, Illinois, on March 13, 1896. Her father, James Keeley, was the managing editor of a big newspaper called the Chicago Tribune. Her mother, Gertrude Keeley, also wrote for the newspaper.

Dorothy was the youngest of four girls. She went to private schools, including the famous Miss Porter's School. Her family spent their summers on a farm in Illinois. When Dorothy was 17, she went to Smith College for two years. After that, she came back to Chicago.

Starting Her Career

Just like her mother, Dorothy started working for the Chicago Tribune. She wrote different articles about decorating, pets, and personal stories. On June 15, 1922, she married Graham Aldis. They lived in Chicago and had four children: Mary, Owen, and twins Peggy and Ruth.

Dorothy Aldis started her writing career by publishing poetry books for children. In 1929, she began writing fiction stories for kids too. It was sometimes hard for her to find quiet time to write at home with her growing family. So, she often took her typewriter to a local park to work!

Her Amazing Work

During the 1930s, Dorothy wrote seven novels and three poetry books. Some of her most famous poems, like "Snow," "Little," and "Hiding," were published during these early years. Here is a small part of her poem "Hiding":

I'm hiding, I'm hiding
And no one knows where;
For all they can see is my
Toes and my hair

And I just heard my father
Say to my mother -
"But, darling, he must be
Somewhere or other;

Have you looked in the inkwell?..."

Dorothy also wrote short stories and poems for popular magazines. These included Ladies' Home Journal, Harper's Magazine, and The New Yorker. She published 29 books in total. One of her books was a biography about another famous children's author, Beatrix Potter, called Nothing is Impossible.

Many people recognized Dorothy Aldis as a very important writer for children. After she passed away in 1966, a magazine called Elementary English called her "The Poet Laureate of Young Children." This means she was seen as a top poet for young kids. She also received an award called the Children's Reading Roundtable Award of Chicago.

What She Wrote

Here are some of the books Dorothy Aldis wrote:

• Jane's Father (1929)
• Time at Her Heels (1937)
• Dark Summer (1947)
• Everything and Anything (illustrated by Helen D. Jameson)
• Here, There and Everywhere
• Dumb Stupid David (illustrated by Jane Miller)
• Hiding (illustrated by Heather Collins)
• Cindy (1959)
• Best in Children's Books: Volume 31 (This book featured her poems like "Windy Wash Day." It had illustrations by Maurice Sendak.) (1960)
• Nothing is Impossible: The Story of Beatrix Potter (illustrated by Richard Cuffari)
• Quick as a Wink (1960) (This book was illustrated by her own daughter, Peggy Westphal!)