Patricia Miles Martin facts for kids

Patricia Miles Martin (born November 14, 1899 – died January 2, 1986) was an American author who wrote many books for children. She wrote about American history, true stories, and biographies (life stories of real people).

She used different names for her books, including her own name, Miska Miles, Patricia A. Miles, and Jerry Lane. As Miska Miles, she received a special award called a Newbery Honor in 1972 for her book Annie and the Old One.

About Patricia Miles Martin

Patricia Miles Martin was born in Cherokee, Kansas. After finishing high school, she went to the University of Wyoming. She then worked as an elementary school teacher for four years in Denver, Colorado and Arminto, Wyoming. Later, she and her husband, Edward R. Martin, moved to California.

How She Started Writing Books

In 1957, Patricia Miles Martin wanted to take a class to learn how to fix furniture. But the class was full! So, she decided to join a creative writing class instead, since there were open spots. In that class, she wrote her very first book, Sylvester and the Voice in the Forest, which was published in 1958.

Over her career, Martin wrote more than 100 stories! In 2013, a part of her book Otter in the Cove was even used in a reading test for students in New York State.

What She Wrote About

Martin wrote many different kinds of stories. She created characters from various backgrounds and wrote picture books for young readers. She also wrote twelve biographies for a special series called "See & Read/Begin to Read Biography Series."

Some of her ideas came from her own childhood. She grew up on a farm in Kansas and also spent time on a Navajo reservation. This inspired her to write stories with Navajo characters, like Annie and the Old One, Gracie and the Biggest Pumpkin, and Navajo Pets.

She often wrote about the everyday problems and feelings that children experience with their families and in society. For example, The Washington Post newspaper described Annie and the Old One as a story about "a girl's love for her grandmother and her struggle to understand the impending death of the old woman." The newspaper noted that Martin handled this difficult topic with "gentle restraint," meaning she wrote about it in a sensitive and calm way.

Patricia Miles Martin passed away in 1986. Her writings and papers are kept in libraries at the University of Southern Mississippi, the University of Minnesota, and the University of Wyoming's American Heritage Center.

Awards and Special Mentions

Patricia Miles Martin's books received several honors and awards:

• Pointed Brush was recognized by the New York Herald Tribune Children’s Spring Book Festival in 1959.
• Wharf Rat received an award from the New York Academy of Science in 1973.
• Annie and the Old One was a very special book.
  • It was an ALA Newbery Medal Honor book in 1972.
  • It won a Christopher Medal in 1972.
  • It received a special mention from the Brooklyn Museum-Brooklyn Public Library Art Book for Children in 1973.
  • It was nominated for a Mark Twain Award between 1972 and 1973.
  • This book was even made into a short film in 1976!
• Fourteen of Martin's books were chosen as special selections by the Junior Literary Guild.

Published Books

• Sylvester Jones and the Voice in the Forest (1958)
• Happy Piper and the Goat (1960)
• The Little Brown Hen (1960)
• The Pointed Brush (1960)
• Suzu and the Bride Doll (1960)
• Benjie Goes into Business (1961)
• Kickapoo (1961)
• The Raccoon and Mrs. McGinnis (1961)
• Dusty and the Fiddlers (1962)
• The Rice Bowl Pet (1962)
• Show and Tell (1962)
• The Birthday Present (1963)
• Little Two and the Peach Tree (1963)
• See a White Horse (1963)
• Abraham Lincoln (1964)
• Calvin and the Cub Scouts (1964)
• The Greedy One (1964)
• No, No, Rosina (1964)
• Pocahontas (1964)
• Pony in the Schoolhouse (1964)
• The Bony Pony (1965)
• The Broomtail Bronc (1965)
• Jump From Jump (1965)
• Mississippi Possum (1965)
• Daniel Boone (1965)
• Andrew Jackson (1966)
• Rolling the Cheese (1966)
• Jefferson Davis (1966)
• Fox and the Fire (1966)
• Mrs. Crumble & Fire Engine No. 7 (1966)
• Sing, Sailor, Sing (1966)
• Teacher's Pet (1966)
• Dolley Madison (1967)
• Dolls from the Cheyenne (1967)
• Friend of Miguel (1967)
• John Marshall (1967)
• The Pieces of Home (1967)
• Rabbit Garden (1967)
• Trina (1967) -- originally released as Trina's Boxcar
• Grandma's Gun (1968)
• Kumi and the Pearl (1968)
• A Long Ago Christmas (1968)
• One Special Dog (1968)
• Uncle Fonzo's Ford (1968)
• Apricot ABC (1969)
• The Dog and the Boat Boy (1969)
• Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1969)
• Nobody's Cat (1969)
• That Cat! 1-2-3 (1969)
• Zachary Taylor (1969)
• Eddie's Bear (1970)
• Eskimos: People of Alaska (1970)
• Gertrude's Pocket (1970)
• Hoagie's Rifle-Gun (1970)
• James Madison (1970)
• Indians: The First Americans (1970)
• Chicanos: Mexicans in the United States (1971)
• Thomas Alva Edison (1971)
• Navajo Pet (1971)
• Annie and the Old One (1971)
• Be Brave, Charlie (1972)
• Two Plays about Foolish People (1972)
• Wharf Rat (1972)
• Gracie and the Biggest Pumpkin (1973)
• Somebody's Dog (1973)
• How Can You Hide an Elephant? (1974)
• In the Zoo (1974) (as Jerry Lane)
• Otter in the Cove (1974)
• Run! (1974) (as Jerry Lane)
• Tree House Town (1974)
• Chicken Forgets (1976)
• Swim, Little Duck (1976)
• Aaron's Door (1977)
• Small Rabbit (1977)
• Beaver Moon (1978)
• Mouse Six and the Happy Birthday (1978)
• Jenny's Cat (1979)