Grace Duffie Boylan facts for kids

Drawing from If Tam O'Shanter'd had a wheel, and other poems and sketches (1898).

Grace Duffie Boylan (born February 9, 1861, died March 24, 1935) was an American writer. She was known for writing many books, especially for children. Her stories often explored different cultures and people from around the world.

Grace Duffie Boylan's Children's Books

Grace Duffie Boylan wrote many popular books for young readers. Some of her well-known titles include Young Folks, Our Little Eskimo Kiddies: Kids of Many Colors, and Our Little Cuban Kiddies. She also wrote a book called Yama Yama Land. Her children's books often featured characters from diverse backgrounds and places.

Thy Son Liveth: A Story of Hope

In 1918, a special book by Grace Duffie Boylan was published without her name on it at first. It was called Thy Son Liveth: Messages From A Soldier To His Mother. This book tells the story of a mother who believed she received messages from her son after he died in World War I. He passed away on a battlefield in France.

The book describes how she felt her son was communicating with her. She believed he used methods like morse code and automatic writing. Automatic writing is when someone writes without consciously thinking about the words, as if a spirit is guiding their hand. This book became very important to many people who were dealing with loss during that time. Later editions of the book were published with Grace Duffie Boylan's name.

Book to Movie: A Rumor of Angels

Grace Duffie Boylan's book, Thy Son Liveth, later inspired a movie. The film was called A Rumor of Angels and came out in 2001. Director Peter O'Fallon used her story as a starting point. The movie starred Vanessa Redgrave. It was about a young boy who was learning to cope with the death of his mother. He became friends with an older woman, and their friendship helped him through his grief.

Grace Duffie Boylan's Family

Grace Duffie Boylan was also a mother. Her son was Malcolm Stuart Boylan. He became a successful American screenwriter, writing stories for movies. He was also the founder of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary. This group helps the United States Coast Guard with important tasks.