Sarah Noble Ives facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sarah Noble Ives
Born	March 1864
Died	November 1944
Occupation	writer, illustrator, historian
Nationality	United States
Alma mater	Académie Julian, Académie Delécluse

Sarah Noble Ives (born March 1864, died November 1944) was an American author, illustrator, and historian. She was famous for her children's books, like Dog Heroes of Many Lands and Songs of the Shining Way. Her drawings and stories also appeared in big newspapers and magazines. These included the New York Herald Tribune and Boston Globe. Sometimes, she used the name Noble Ives for her work. Later in her life, she wrote an important history book about Altadena, California.

Early Life and Education

Sarah Noble Ives was born in March 1864 in Grosse Ile, Michigan. This town is close to Detroit. Her parents were S. William and Sarah Mana Hyde Ives.

Sarah went to Port Huron High School, where she first started learning about art. She also attended a special school for public speaking and writing. This school was run by Mrs. Edna Chafee Noble. Mrs. Noble was a suffragette, a woman who fought for women's right to vote. She was a big inspiration for Sarah.

Sarah continued her art studies in New York at the School for Artists and Artisans. Then, she traveled to Paris, France, to study at famous art schools. These were the Académie Julian and Académie Delécluse. When she came back to the United States, she started working as a freelance artist. This means she worked for herself and took on different projects. She often used the name "Noble Ives" for her art. Many female artists at that time used different names. This helped them get their work noticed.

Creative Career

Watercolor illustration of Cinderella at the ball.

Sarah Noble Ives was known for her detailed drawings. Her characters were always unique and interesting. Some of her art even included fancy designs from the Art Nouveau style. She was skilled at drawing with pen and ink in black and white. She also painted beautiful pictures using watercolors and oil paints.

Illustrating for Kids

Sarah wrote and drew her own book called Songs of the Shining Way. It was published in 1899. This book had poems with black ink drawings. Sarah dedicated the book to her mentor, Edna Chaffee Noble.

Many of Sarah's illustrations featured animals. Several of her own books also had animals as main characters. For example, The Key to Betsy's Heart, published in 1916, is about a girl and her dog.

Sarah also made colorful drawings for other books. One was The Wonderful Story of Teddy the Bear. This book was published by the McLoughlin Brothers. This company often hired women artists. She also illustrated classic fairy tales and rhymes for them. Her drawings for Mother Goose's Nursery Rhymes were very popular.

Painting Landscapes

Besides her work as an illustrator, Sarah also painted landscapes. She did these oil paintings just for fun. She once said that working with oils was what she truly loved. She called her commercial illustrations "bread and butter work." This meant it was how she earned a living. She also tried out early color photography.

Illustration from Songs of the Shining Way, 1899

Later Life and Legacy

Sarah Ives lived and worked in New York for some time. In 1921, she moved back to Port Huron, Michigan. Then, in 1925, she retired to Altadena, California. She moved there with her three sisters: Florence, Cayde, and Julia. None of the four sisters ever married.

The local historical society in Altadena asked Sarah to write a history of the town. She published this book in 1938. A person who lived in Altadena remembered her as "a very lovely little old lady." They said she "walked up and down the streets of Altadena ringing doorbells." She wasn't selling books. Instead, she was gathering information to write her history book.

Sarah Ives passed away in November 1944. Her old home in Altadena is now part of local historical tours. You can sometimes find her original artwork at auctions. Her pieces are also in private collections and shown in museum exhibits.

Books Written and Illustrated by Sarah Noble Ives

• Songs of the Shining Way, 1899
• The Story of Teddy the Bear, 1907
• The Key to Betsy's Heart, 1916
• Dog Heroes of Many Lands, 1922

Books Illustrated by Sarah Noble Ives

• Carey of St. Ursula's by Jane Brewster Reid, 1911
• Mother Stories by Maud Lindsay