Dorothy Gilman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dorothy Gilman
Born	Dorothy Edith Gilman (1923-06-25)June 25, 1923 New Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	February 2, 2012(2012-02-02) (aged 88) Rye Brook, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Novelist
Nationality	American
Notable works	The Mrs. Pollifax series

Dorothy Edith Gilman (born June 25, 1923 – died February 2, 2012) was an American writer. She is most famous for her exciting Mrs. Pollifax book series.

When Dorothy Gilman started writing, most spy stories featured young men like James Bond. But her main character, Emily Pollifax, was different. Emily became a spy for the CIA in her 60s! She was probably the only spy in books who also belonged to a local garden club.

In 2010, Dorothy Gilman received a special honor. The Mystery Writers of America gave her their annual Grand Master Award. This award celebrates writers who have made a big impact on mystery writing. She passed away in 2012 at the age of 88.

Dorothy Gilman's Books and Stories

Early Books for Young Readers

Before she became famous for Mrs. Pollifax, Dorothy Gilman wrote books for young people. She used her married name, Dorothy Gilman Butters. These books started coming out in the late 1940s.

Here are some of her books for young adults:

• Enchanted Caravan (1949)
• Carnival Gypsy (1950)
• Ragamuffin Alley (1951)
• The Calico Year (1953)
• Four Party Line (1954)
• Girl in Buckskin (1956)
• Heartbreak Street (1958)
• Witch's Silver (1959)
• Masquerade (1961)
• Heart's Design (1963)
• Ten Leagues to Boston Town (1963)
• The Bells of Freedom (1963)

She also wrote a children's book called Papa Dolphin's Table (1955). Besides books, Dorothy Gilman wrote for many popular magazines. These included Good Housekeeping, Jack and Jill, Redbook, and Ladies' Home Journal.

The Mrs. Pollifax Spy Series

Dorothy Gilman began writing the Mrs. Pollifax series under her maiden name. The first book was The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax. This series is about Emily Pollifax, an interesting and somewhat unusual grandmother. She is a widow who loves gardening.

Emily feels her life needs more excitement. So, she bravely offers to work for the CIA as a spy. At first, she gets recruited by accident. She's excited but also a bit unsure about her new job. However, Emily quickly learns to handle tricky situations. Her common sense and courage help her through many dangerous adventures.

The Mrs. Pollifax series is full of fast-paced stories. Emily travels to many different countries. She faces danger and solves mysteries in places like Mexico, Turkey, China, and Morocco. The last book in the series, Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled, came out in 2000.

Here are all the books in the Mrs. Pollifax series:

• The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (1966)
• The Amazing Mrs. Pollifax (1970)
• The Elusive Mrs. Pollifax (1971)
• A Palm for Mrs. Pollifax (1973)
• Mrs. Pollifax on Safari (1977)
• Mrs. Pollifax on the China Station (1983)
• Mrs. Pollifax and the Hong Kong Buddha (1985)
• Mrs. Pollifax and the Golden Triangle (1988)
• Mrs. Pollifax and the Whirling Dervish (1990)
• Mrs. Pollifax and the Second Thief (1993)
• Mrs. Pollifax Pursued (1995)
• Mrs. Pollifax and the Lion Killer (1996)
• Mrs. Pollifax, Innocent Tourist (1997)
• Mrs. Pollifax Unveiled (2000)

Other Exciting Books

Dorothy Gilman also wrote other books under her maiden name. These books cover different genres, from mysteries to personal stories.

Some of her other books include:

• Uncertain Voyage (1967)
• Clairvoyant Countess (1975)
• A Nun in the Closet (1975) – This book won the Catholic Book Award.
• A New Kind of Country (1978) – This is a memoir, a true story about her life in a village in Nova Scotia.
• The Tightrope Walker (1979)
• The Maze in the Heart of the Castle (1983) – This book was written for young adults.
• Incident at Badamya (1989)
• Caravan (1992)
• Thale's Folly (1999)
• Kaleidoscope: A Countess Karitska Novel (2002)

Mrs. Pollifax on Screen

The popular Mrs. Pollifax books were also made into movies!

• The first book, The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax, became a movie in 1970. It was called Mrs. Pollifax-Spy and starred Rosalind Russell.
• Later, in 1999, a TV movie based on the same book was made. This version starred Angela Lansbury.