Mary Mapes Dodge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mary Mapes Dodge
"A Woman of the Century"
Born	Mary Elizabeth Mapes (1831-01-26)January 26, 1831 New York City, US
Died	August 21, 1905(1905-08-21) (aged 74) Tannersville, New York, US
Occupation	Children's writer, editor
Notable works	Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates
Spouse	William Dodge ​ ​ (m. 1851; died 1858)​
Children	James Mapes Dodge, Harrington M. Dodge
Parent	James Jay Mapes
Signature

Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge (born January 26, 1831, died August 21, 1905) was an American writer and editor for children. She is most famous for her book Hans Brinker. For nearly 30 years, she was a very important person in children's literature.

Dodge worked with St. Nicholas Magazine for over 30 years. This magazine became one of the most popular for children in the late 1800s. It sold almost 70,000 copies! She was very good at finding and asking the best writers to contribute.

She convinced many famous authors to write for her children's magazine. These included Mark Twain, Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Rudyard Kipling. One day, Kipling told her a story about the Indian jungle. Dodge asked him to write it for St. Nicholas. He had never written for kids before, but he tried. The result was The Jungle Book!

After her husband passed away, Dodge started writing to earn money. She needed to pay for her sons' education. She began writing short stories for children. Her first book, Irvington Stories (1864), was very successful.

Next, she published Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates in 1865. This book became a huge hit. It was translated into many languages, including Dutch, French, German, Russian, and Italian. The French Academy even gave her a special prize of 1,500 francs for it.

Mary Mapes Dodge also helped edit other magazines. She worked on Hearth and Home for several years. In 1873, she became the editor of St. Nicholas Magazine. Her other books included Rhymes and Jingles (1874) and Donald and Dorothy (1883). She also wrote for magazines like Harper's Magazine and Atlantic Monthly.

Early Life and Family

The Sisters, engraved by Timothy Cole. Mary Mapes, age four, is holding a doll.

Mary Elizabeth Mapes was born on January 26, 1831, in New York City. Her father was Professor James Jay Mapes. He was famous for promoting scientific farming in the United States. Her mother was Sophia Furman.

Mary and her sisters did not go to school. They learned at home with tutors and governesses. They studied English, French, drawing, music, and Latin. Mary showed talent for drawing, modeling, and writing from a young age.

In 1851, she married William Dodge, a lawyer. They had two sons, James and Harrington. After her husband's death in 1858, Mary returned to her family's large country home near Newark, New Jersey. She focused on raising her children.

To earn money for their education, she started writing. She used a small cottage on her father's estate as her study. She worked hard there, but always made time for her boys. One afternoon each week was just for them.

Becoming an Editor

In 1859, Mary Mapes Dodge began working with her father. They published two magazines, the Working Farmer and the United States Journal. In 1869, she published a book of home games called A Few Friends.

In 1870, she became an associate editor for Hearth and Home. This was a weekly family newspaper. She was in charge of the household and children's sections. Soon, her reputation as an editor grew as much as her fame as an author. Her work helped the magazine become very popular.

Because of her success, she was asked to edit a new children's magazine. This was St. Nicholas Magazine. She accepted the offer. She was given complete freedom, even choosing the name for the magazine. She picked "St. Nicholas."

The first issue of St. Nicholas came out in November. It quickly became more popular than all other children's magazines. Within a few months, another magazine, Our Young Folks, even merged with St. Nicholas.

Her First Books

Mary Mapes Dodge's desk

Mary Mapes Dodge's first published article was "Shoddy Aristocracy in America." It was based on her own observations and was sent to a magazine in London. She was surprised when it was reprinted in many newspapers in the United States.

Her first short story, "My Mysterious Enemy," was quickly accepted by Harper's Magazine. She also wrote "The Insanity of Cain," a humorous essay that became very popular.

In 1864, Dodge published her first book for children, The Irvington Stories. It was a small book with illustrations. It became so popular that her publisher asked for a second book of short stories.

However, Dodge had started working on a longer story. She was inspired by histories of the Netherlands. She decided to set a children's tale there. She made up the story as a "good-night story" for her sons. She wanted to include interesting facts about the country's history.

She worked on the book from morning till night. She read many books about the Netherlands and talked to travelers. She even asked two Dutch friends to read her chapters to make sure they were accurate. The publisher was at first disappointed because he wanted more short stories. But he published it anyway.

This book was Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates (1865). It became an instant bestseller and was translated into many languages. The French Academy even gave it an award.

Later Works

In 1874, Dodge published Rhymes and Jingles, a book of poems for children. It was almost as successful as Hans Brinker.

Three years later, in 1877, she published Theophilus and Others. This book contained essays and short stories for adults. It included "The Insanity of Cain" and a funny story called "Miss Maloney on the Chinese Question." This story was written in just one evening to fill space in a magazine. It became very popular and was even performed by famous actress Charlotte Cushman.

In 1879, she published a collection of poems for adults called Along the Way. She humbly called them "verses" instead of "poems." Critics praised her sincerity, imagination, and love of nature in her writing. In 1883, a new edition was published as Poems and Verses.

In 1894, she released two more books: The Land of Pluck and When Life is Young. The Land of Pluck included stories about Holland. When Life is Young featured her famous poem "The Minuet." Both books were well-received by critics and young readers. During her time as an editor, Dodge also published two books specifically for very young children: Baby Days and Baby World.

Her writings showed her deep feelings, clear thinking, and simple way of expressing herself.

Personal Life

"Yarrow" cottage

Mary Mapes Dodge lived in a large apartment building in New York City. It overlooked Central Park. In 1888, she bought a cottage in Tannersville, New York, in the Catskill Mountains. She named it "Yarrow."

She loved adding to her cottage each year. She added rooms, verandas, and bay windows. Eventually, it became a beautiful home with many gables. She returned there every summer.

One of her sons died in 1881. Her other son, James Mapes Dodge, became a successful inventor and manufacturer in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His wife, Josephine Kern, was a sculptor. She created The Good Fairy Statue in 1916.

Mary Mapes Dodge was ill for several months. She hoped her summer stay at "Yarrow" would help her recover. However, she grew weaker and passed away on August 21, 1905.

Writing Style and Ideas

Mary Mapes Dodge understood childhood very well. She believed that "The child's world is a different world, a preparatory world, a world that is coming on." She felt that writers must understand the "humanity of childhood." She also thought that "The natural thing is the thing that grasps a child in literature as well as in life."

Her writing had a natural charm and humor that was never mean. She was honest in her thoughts and loved to recognize the talents of others. She was always quick to feel and believe, and her positive outlook never faded.

Selected Works

Prose

Verse

See also

In Spanish: Mary Mapes Dodge para niños