Jeanette Eaton facts for kids

Jeanette Eaton (born November 30, 1886 – died February 19, 1968) was an American writer. She wrote many books for children, especially biographies and history stories. She was recognized several times for her work, with four of her books being Newbery Honor books. Jeanette Eaton also strongly supported women's rights. She believed women should have the right to vote and be treated equally.

About Jeanette Eaton

Jeanette Eaton was born in Columbus, Ohio. She went to college and earned two degrees. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vassar College in 1908. Later, she earned a Master of Arts degree from Ohio State University in 1910.

Early Support for Women's Rights

Even in college, Jeanette Eaton was a strong supporter of women's rights. She gave her first public speech about women's right to vote soon after finishing college. In 1915, she helped write a book called Commercial Work and Training for Girls. This book looked at the tough working conditions for women at that time.

She also wrote articles for magazines. In one article, she said that new inventions like electricity and washing machines were very helpful for women. She believed these inventions were as important as voting rights or education for women's freedom. She also wrote for Story Parade, a children's magazine, as an editor. Her strong beliefs about women's independence were clear in her writing. She felt that some magazines tried to limit women's dreams and freedom.

Her Writing Style

By the late 1920s, Jeanette Eaton became a well-known writer. She wrote many biographies for young adults. Sometimes, her writing was described as very dramatic. However, her book about Mahatma Gandhi, called Gandhi, Fighter Without a Sword (published in 1950), had a calmer and more simple style. This book was recognized as a Newbery Honor book in 1951.

In 1959, she received the Ohioana Award. This award was for her 1958 biography of Mark Twain, titled America's Own Mark Twain.

Jeanette Eaton passed away in Central Valley, New York. Her writings and other important papers are kept at the University of Minnesota Library. They are part of the Children's Literature Research Collections there.

Selected Books by Jeanette Eaton

Here are some of the books Jeanette Eaton wrote:

• Commercial Work and Training for Girls (1915, co-written with Bertha Morton Stevens)
• The Story of Light (1927)
• The Story of Transportation (1928)
• A Daughter of the Seine: The Life of Madame Roland (1929) (NH 1930)
• Jeanne d'Arc, the Warrior Saint (1931)
• The Flame, Saint Catherine of Sienna (1931)
• Young Lafayette (1932)
• Herdboy of Hungary (1932) (co-written with Alexander Finta)
• Behind the Show Window (1935)
• Betsy's Napoleon (1936)
• Leader By Destiny: George Washington, Man and Patriot (1938) (NH 1939)
• Narcissa Whitman: Pioneer of Oregon (1941)
• Heroines of the Sky (1942) (co-written with Jean Adams and Margaret Kimball)
• Lone Journey (1944)
• Lone Journey: The Life of Roger Williams (1944) (NH 1945)
• David Livingstone, Foe of Darkness (1947)
• That Lively Man, Ben Franklin (1948)
• Buckley O'Neill of Arizona (1949)
• Leaders in Other Lands (1950)
• Washington, the Nation's First Hero (1951)
• Gandhi, Fighter Without a Sword (1950) (NH 1951)
• Lee, the Gallant General (1953)
• The Story of Eleanor Roosevelt (1954)
• Trumpeter's Tale: The Story of Young Louis Armstrong (1955)
• The Golden Stamp Book of George Washington (1956)
• America's Own Mark Twain (1958)

NH means that the book was a Newbery Honor book. These are books that were runners-up for the annual Newbery Medal, a very important award for children's literature.