Sarah Lindsay Schmidt facts for kids

Sarah Lindsay Schmidt (born August 24, 1877 – died January 31, 1965) was an American author who wrote books for children. Her book New Land was a special book that received a Newbery Honor in 1934. This award is given to books that are considered very good for children.

About Sarah Lindsay Schmidt

Sarah Lindsay was born in Chicago, Illinois, in 1877. Her grandfather, Thomas Milner, was the first Methodist minister in Chicago.

Her Education and Early Career

Sarah went to the University of Chicago. After she finished college, she started writing stories for children. She also continued her studies at Northwestern University and Columbia University.

While teaching at a high school in Sterling, Illinois, she met another teacher named G.A. Schmidt. They got married in 1910. For a few years, Sarah and G.A. Schmidt lived on a farm. But in 1914, Sarah went back to teaching at the Whitewater Normal School in Wisconsin.

Moving to Colorado and Becoming an Author

In 1919, the Schmidts moved to Fort Collins, Colorado. Sarah started teaching English at Colorado State University. She taught there until 1935. At that point, she decided to stop teaching so she could spend all her time writing books.

Her book New Land was published in 1933. The next year, in 1934, it was chosen as one of eight books to receive a Newbery Honor. This was a big achievement for her.

Sarah Schmidt wrote many other books too. Some of her later books include Ranching on Eagle Eye (1936), Shadow over Winding Ranch (1940), and The Hurricane Mystery (1943). The book review magazine Kirkus Reviews often praised her novels. They noted how accurate her books were about topics like farming, ranching, and mining.

Sarah Lindsay Schmidt had a serious fall in 1961. She never fully recovered her health after that. She passed away in a rest home in Fort Collins on January 31, 1965.