Miriam E. Mason


Miriam Evangeline Mason was an American writer best known for her books for children.

Biography

Mason was born on January 23, 1900, in Goshen, Indiana. Her parents, Benjamin Franklin Mason and Laura Gessaman Mason, were farmers with a family of seven. Mason was Lutheran.
When she was a student, she lived in Martinsville, Indiana. She attended Martinsville High School, Indiana University, the University of Missouri, and Ball State University. She married M.M. Swain in 1924. They divorced. She had one daughter, Kathleen.
Mason taught for several years and also worked in advertising and publishing.
Her books were published under her maiden name of Miriam E. Mason. Six of her books received starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews: Matilda and Her Family; The Middle Sister; A Lion for Patsy; Caroline and Her Kettle Named Maud; A Small Farm for Andy; and Becky and Her Brave Cat, Bluegrass. In addition to her books for children, she wrote hundreds of articles, short stories, and plays.
She made appearances to speak to children and adults throughout her career as an author.
She died on February 20, 1973, in Batesville, Indiana, at her home. She had lived in Batesville since the early 1940s.
Her papers are held at Indiana State University.

Selected works

Children's books

The Little Story House. Illustrated by Elfreda Burns. Beckley-Cardy, 1935.
  • . Illustrated by Kate Seredy. Junior Literary Guild and Ginn, 1937.
  • Illustrated by Mabel Woodbury. Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1939.
  • . Photographs by J.C. Allen and son. Beckley-Cardy, 1939.. Illustrated by Maud and Miska Petersham. Macmillan, 1941.. Illustrated by Meg Wohlberg. Macmillan, 1942.'. Illustrated by Berta Hader and Elmer Hader. Macmillan, 1943.
  • '. Illustrated by George and Doris Hauman. Macmillan, 1944.Happy Jack. Illustrated by George and Doris Hauman. Macmillan, 1945.. Illustrated by Grace Paull. Macmillan, 1947.A Lion for Patsy. Illustrated by Vera Neville. McKay, 1947.Hoppity. Illustrated by Kurt Wiese. Macmillan, 1947.
  • . Illustrated by Clarence William Anderson. Macmillan, 1948.'. Illustrated by Kate Seredy. Ginn, 1949.
  • '. With Sister Marguerite McArdle. Illustrated by Charlotte Ware. Ginn, 1949.'. Illustrated by George and Doris Hauman. Macmillan, 1949.
  • '. Illustrated by Marie C. Nichols. Houghton Mifflin, 1950.'. Illustrated by George and Doris Hauman. Macmillan, 1950.
  • '. Illustrated by Charles V. John. Bobbs-Merrill, 1950.. Illustrated by Kathleen Voute. Macmillan, 1951. Later edition illustrated by Joseph Escourido.
  • . Illustrated by Sandra James. Bobbs-Merrill, 1952.'. Illustrated by Barbara Cooney. Houghton Mifflin, 1952.. Illustrated by Barbara Cooney. Houghton Mifflin, 1952.
  • '. Illustrated by Zhenya Gay. Macmillan, 1953.'. Illustrated by Zhenya Gay. Macmillan, 1954.
  • '. Illustrated by Maud and Miska Petersham. Macmillan, 1955.Benjamin Lucky. Illustrated by Vee Guthrie. Macmillan, 1956.Freddy. Illustrated by Vee Guthrie. Macmillan, 1957.. Illustrated by Charles Geer. Macmillan, 1957.. Illustrated by Vee Guthrie. Macmillan, 1958.John Smith: Man of Adventure. Illustrated by Charles Freeman. Houghton Mifflin, 1958.Mr. Meadowlark. Illustrated by Marie C. Nichols. Hastings House, 1959.'. Illustrated by Johannes Troyer. Macmillan, 1959.. Illustrated by Robert MacLean. Macmillan, 1960.. Illustrated by Dorothy Bayley Morse. Macmillan, 1961.
  • . Illustrated by Cyndy Szekeres. Macmillan, 1962.
  • '. Illustrated by John Gretzer. Houghton Mifflin, 1964.
  • . Illustrated by Adrina Zanazanian. Macmillan, 1967.
  • . Illustrated by Paul Frame. Macmillan, 1967.. Illustrated by Paul Frame. Macmillan, 1968.

Childhood of Famous Americans series

'. Illustrated by Paul Laune. Bobbs-Merrill, 1953.
  • '. Illustrated by Harve Stein. Houghton Mifflin, 1961.
  • . Illustrated by Leslie Goldstein. Bobbs-Merrill, 1961.John Audubon, Young Naturalist. Also published with the title Young Audubon, Boy Naturalist. Illustrated by Cathy Morrison. Bobbs-Merrill, . Patria Press, . . Illustrated by Vance Locke. Bobbs-Merrill, 1958.
  • . Illustrated by Henry S. Gillette. Bobbs-Merrill, 1962.. Illustrated by Sandra James. Bobbs-Merrill, 1962.. Illustrated by Lawrence Dresser. Bobbs-Merrill, 1962.

Magic Bridge Readers

  • . Prentice-Hall, 1963.. Prentice-Hall, 1963.'. Prentice-Hall, 1963.
  • '. Prentice-Hall, 1964.

Other works

The Third Little Stocking. 1931. . Eldridge Entertainment House, 1932.
  • "Jonathan's Lucky Money." Illustrated by George and Doris Hauman. In . Rosemary E. Livsey. Crowell-Collier, 1962.