Mary Stolz facts for kids

Mary Stolz (born Mary Slattery, March 24, 1920 – December 15, 2006) was an American writer. She wrote many popular books for children and young adults. Her stories often explored the feelings and challenges of growing up.

Mary Stolz received important awards for her writing. She earned Newbery Honors in 1962 and 1966. In 1982, she was recognized for all her amazing books with the George G. Stone Recognition of Merit. Besides books, she also wrote for magazines like Cosmopolitan and Seventeen.

About Mary Stolz

Her Early Life

Mary Slattery was born on March 24, 1920. Her birthplace was Boston, Massachusetts. She grew up in Manhattan, New York. Mary went to the Birch Wathen School. There, she helped edit her school's magazine, Birch Leaves. She also studied at Columbia University and the Katherine Gibbs School.

Family and Starting to Write

When Mary was 18, she got married. She had one son named Bill. Later, she faced some health issues that kept her at home. To pass the time, she started writing stories. This is how she wrote her first novel, To Tell Your Love (1950). She wrote it all on yellow legal pads! Mary divorced in 1956. Later, in 1965, she married Dr. Thomas C. Jaleski.

Her Writing Career

Mary Stolz's first novel, To Tell Your Love, caught the eye of a famous children's book editor, Ursula Nordstrom. Mary greatly admired Ursula Nordstrom. She called her "a great editor" who read manuscripts "lovingly, but firmly." Mary trusted her judgment completely.

Mary Stolz worked with the Harper publishing company for most of her career. This company is now known as HarperCollins. While she wrote many books for young readers, she also wrote one book for adults. It was called Truth and Consequence.

Her Later Years

Mary Stolz passed away on December 15, 2006. She died in Longboat Key, Florida.

Mary Stolz's Books

Mary Stolz wrote many different kinds of books. She wrote picture books for younger kids and novels for older children and teens. Here are some of her well-known works:

Children's Fiction Books

• The Leftover Elf (1952)
• Emmett's Pig (1959)
• A Dog on Barkham Street (1960)
• Belling the Tiger (1961)
• The Great Rebellion (1961)
• Frédou (1962)
• Pigeon Flight (1962)
• The Bully of Barkham Street (1963)
• Siri the Conquistador (1963)
• The Mystery of the Woods (1964)
• The Noonday Friends (1965)
• Maximilian's World (1966)
• A Wonderful, Terrible Time (1967)
• Say Something (1968)
• The Story of a Singular Hen and Her Peculiar Children (1969)
• The Dragons of the Queen (1969)
• Juan (1970)
• Lands End (1974)
• Ferris Wheel (1977)
• Cider Days (1978)
• Cat Walk (1983)
• The Explorer of Barkham Street (1985)
• Quentin Corn (1985)
• Night of Ghosts and Hermits: Nocturnal Life on the Seashore (1985)
• Ivy Larkin (1986)
• The Cuckoo Clock (1987)
• The Scarecrows and Their Child (1987)
• Storm in the Night (1988)
• Bartholomew Fair (1990)
• Stealing Home (1992)
• Coco Grimes (1994)
• A Ballad of the Civil War (1997)
• Cezanne Pinto: A memoir (1997)
• Casebook of a Private (Cat’s) Eye (1999)

Young Adult Fiction Books

• To Tell Your Love (1950)
• The Sea Gulls Woke Me (1951)
• The Organdy Cupcakes (1951) - also known as Student Nurse
• In a Mirror (1953)
• Ready or Not (1953)
• Pray Love, Remember (1954)
• Rosemary (1955)
• The Beautiful Friend and Other Stories (1956)
• Hospital Zone (1956)
• The Day and the Way We Met (1956)
• Because of Madeline (1957)
• Good-By My Shadow (1957)
• And Love Replied (1958)
• Second Nature (1958)
• Some Merry-Go-Round Music (1959)
• Wait for Me, Michael (1961)
• Who Wants Music on Monday? (1963)
• A Love, or a Season (1964) - first published as Two by Two
• And Love Replied (1966)
• A Wonderful, Terrible Time (1967)
• By the Highway Home (1971)
• Leap Before You Look (1972)
• The Edge of Next Year (1974)
• Cat in the Mirror (1975)
• Go and Catch a Flying Fish (1979)
• What Time of Night Is It? (1981)
• Pangur Ban (1988)

Adult Fiction Book

• Truth and Consequence (1953)

Awards and Honors

Mary Stolz received many awards for her writing. These awards show how much her books were loved and respected.

• 1953 Child Study Children's Book Award for In a Mirror
• 1962 American Library Association (ALA) Newbery Honor for Belling the Tiger
• Boys' Club Junior Book Award for The Bully of Barkham Street
• 1966 Newbery Honor for The Noonday Friends
• National Book Award finalist for The Edge of Next Year
• Boston Globe-Horn Book Award honor book for The Edge of Next Year
• 1982 George G. Stone Center Recognition Of Merit for her entire collection of work
• 1993 Kerlan Award