Hunt, Mabel Leigh, 1892-1971

Mabel Leigh Hunt was born November 1, 1892 in Coatsville, Indiana. She attended DePauw University and Western Reserve University Library School and later worked as a children's librarian. In 1934, she published her first book for children, Lucinda: A Little Girl of 1860. The story drew on her mother's Quaker upbringing in nineteenth century Indiana and was praised by critics for its "evocation" of the Indiana countryside. She drew on her Quaker background for several other books and she tried to "create imaginatively from small and simple ideas." Her books were aimed at "middle aged" readers and many of her works focused on family relationships; some explored social issues. Her book Ladycake Farm (1952) was one of the first stories written for children that dealt "realistically" and "sympathetically" with an Afro-American family. She also wrote biographies and these were lauded by critics for their "meticulous" research, "interesting detail" and "feeling" for the subject's life and era. Two of her biographies were Newbery Honor books: Better Known as Johnny Appleseed in 1951; and "Have You See Tom Thumb?'" Mabel Leigh Hunt died on September 3, 1971. Biographical Sources: Something About the Author, vol. 1, pp. 120-121; Something About the Author, vol. 26, p. 127; Twentieth Century Children's Writers, 3rd ed., pp. 482-483.

From the description of Mabel Leigh Hunt Papers 1941-1966. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 471786294

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