Mabel Robinson facts for kids
Mabel Louise Robinson (born July 19, 1874 – died February 21, 1962) was an American author. She wrote many books for children. Mabel Robinson especially loved writing for young adults. Her main goal was to create stories for young women. She wanted to show how smart, strong, and caring her characters were.
Robinson achieved this goal by writing about real-life problems. Her books offered excitement and fun. They also showed honesty and reality. She created characters that young girls could easily understand. Robinson was recognized for her work. She was a runner-up for the famous Newbery Medal twice.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mabel Louise Robinson was born in Waltham, Massachusetts. She also grew up there. Her parents were James Frank and Mary Anna Dean Robinson. After high school, she went to Radcliffe College. She studied there from 1904 to 1906.
While teaching at different colleges, Robinson continued her studies. She earned her master's degree in 1907. Later, she completed her Ph.D. in 1915. Both degrees were from Columbia University in New York City.
Career as a Writer and Teacher
After finishing high school, Mabel Robinson started as an elementary school teacher. She later taught at many colleges and universities. From 1904 to 1906, she taught Zoology at Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.
Robinson is best known for her teaching at Columbia University. She taught advanced fiction writing there for 26 years. This was from 1919 to 1945. Her workshop helped over 200 books get published. She also taught at Constantinople College in Istanbul, Turkey. Robinson even did research for the Carnegie Foundation.
Mabel Robinson wrote many children's books. She often featured dogs in her stories. She also wrote short stories for magazines. These included Delineator, Portal, St. Nicholas Magazine, and The Youth's Companion. Two of her books received Newbery Honor awards. She believed writing exciting books for young people was very important.
Robinson's biggest passion was writing for young female readers. She also felt it was important to teach others how to write. She was very proud of her students' achievements. Robinson used her love for coastal Maine and dogs in her stories. She created young female characters. These characters often explored the world. Then they returned home with new appreciation. Books about dogs include Dr. Tam O’Shanter (1921) and the "Robin" series. This series included Robin and Tito (1931), Robin and Angus (1931), and Robin and Heather (1932).
Personal Life
Mabel Robinson taught creative writing at Columbia University. She taught alongside her lifelong partner, Helen Rose Hull. Mabel Robinson passed away on February 21, 1962.
Her Impact on Others
Mabel Robinson was a well-known author. She was also a Newbery runner-up. She taught many successful writers. Her work and teaching had a big impact. Many of her books are used in elementary schools. Teachers use her stories to make subjects more interesting. For example, King Arthur and his Knights is recommended for classes studying medieval times.
Robinson also wrote popular "how-to" books on writing. Christian author Perry Thomas called Writing for Young People by Mabel Louise Robinson "the best book on writing I've ever used." Her teaching career helped many students become successful authors. She taught Walter Farley, who wrote the famous The Black Stallion series.
Robinson also made an impact in Maine. Many of her books are set there. This made her well known in the area. When people search for books about Maine, her novels like Bright Island and Strong Winds often appear.
Selected Works
- Dr. Tom O’Shanter, Dutton (New York, NY), 1921
- Little Lucia, Dutton (New York, NY), 1922
- Juvenile Story Writing, Dutton (New York, NY), 1922
- Little Lucia and Her Puppy, Dutton (New York, NY), 1923
- Little Lucia’s Island Camp, Dutton (New York, NY), 1924
- Little Lucia’s School, illustrated by Sophia T. Balcom, Dutton (New York, NY), 1926
- (With Helen Rose Hull) Creative Writing: The Story Form, American Book Co. (New York, NY), 1932
- Bright Island, illustrated by Lynd Ward, Random House (New York, NY), 1937. — a Newbery Medal runner-up
- Runner of the Mountain Tops: The Life of Louis Agassiz, illustrated by Ward, Random House (New York, NY), 1939. — a Newbery runner-up
- Bitter Forfeit, Bobbs-Merrill (Indianapolis, IN), 1947
- Writing for Young People, Nelson (New York, NY), 1950
- Skipper Riley, the Terrier Sea Dog, illustrated by Shortall, Random House (New York, NY), 1955
- Riley Goes to Obedience School, illustrated by Shortall, Random House (New York, NY), 1956
