Help us find and connect this week's Connection Finder profiles: Children's Authors [closed]

Question

In honor of her recent death, we're featuring Beverly Cleary in the Connection Finder this week.

We're pulling together a light-speed version hunt for other children's authors to feature this week, including Dr. Seuss.

We need your help finding who else to feature this week!

All profiles we feature need a good biography and a connection to the big tree. We also want each one to have an image, and the image needs to have proper source attribution explaining why it's in the public domain or why we have the right to display it.

We can't feature everyone mentioned (we only have room for eight per week), but if we don't feature a profile you work on, we may use it sometime in the future. And, of course, all contributions help improve our shared tree.

We'll make a final decision on which ones to feature Monday morning (US CDST), so we've got a fast approaching deadline.

Please reply here with what you're working on so that we don't duplicate our efforts. Thank you!

Comments

See answer by Scott

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The profile being featured is currently a duplicate - we might want to try to finish the merge before we do the feature (if possible).

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Here's the original:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Bunn-348

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I took care of it, Scott. Thanks!

Answer 1

Hope you are including the author of The Little White Horse

I didn't work on her profile, but it looks pretty nice to me!  I'll try to get her some great-grandparents and a connection to the tree.

Comments

As mentioned by Shirlea, Elizabeth de Beauchamp Goudge does have a nice profile, but is not - at this time - Connected. Maybe we can do it in time.

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Just got her connected to a maternal relative who was already connected to the tree.  But it would be better if there are more connections, so i will keep going...

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YAY!! Good for you!

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Another problem with Elizabeth Goudge's profile is permission re the photo.  That is beyond me.  I asked the PM, but she doesn't know.

On her father's side, Elizabeth has some ancestors who are in Oxford alumni lists, and one with a portrait in the National Gallery, but i don't think i'm going to have time to make the profiles today.  So maybe she can be in some future list!

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Another problem with Elizabeth Goudge's profile is permission re the photo.  That is beyond me.  I asked the PM, but she doesn't know.

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The image appears to be one from the National Portrait Gallery, and can be covered under CC (depending on the interpretation of "non-commercial").  I think, however, we can use a disclaimer similar to the one Wikipedia uses (Media data and Non-free use rationale), basically stating the image is used to identify the person in the biography. 

Her article on Wikipedia uses a non-free image, with the disclaimer:

This photograph is copyrighted and is NOT under a free license. However, it is believed that the use of this work in the article "Elizabeth Goudge":

• to provide visual identification of one or more specific individual(s), or an identifiable gathering of them,
• where the individual(s) concerned are deceased, or where access would for practical purposes be impossible,
• and for whom there is no known representation under a 'free' license,
• on the English-language Wikipedia, hosted on servers in the United States by the non-profit Wikimedia Foundation,

qualifies as fair use under United States copyright law. 

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I have used a similar disclaimer on some images where there just is no free-use image to be found.  (Admittedly, in my case, the lawyer's advice came from a non-copyright lawyer.)

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I have created an image for Elizabeth Goudge - based on one with no visible copyright markings - that is now not a direct resemblance of an existing photograph.  I can upload it with a disclaimer if it is wished.

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The PM is active and online today - would you mind asking her, Melanie?

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I could also simply add a CC-license disclaimer to the image there at the moment.  A limited CC license would apply, because the image is NOT being used primarily for any commercial purpose.

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I like that idea, and also it seems to be worth a G2G discussion of its own.  

The PM also sent me this info:

https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp51657/elizabeth-de-beauchamp-goudge  

License and Download Image: https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/use-this-image/?mkey=mw52001

Just good stuff to know about images in general

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Yeah .. that page is the one I found.   We already have the image, so downloading it would be a bit late!

I have sent a message to the PM, offering my two options.

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I do believe we are ok with the image that's there, as it now has proper attribution and the CC disclaimer.

Answer 2

I'm just a large child at heart - I got this one!

A few that come to mind:

• Louisa May Alcott, author of Flower Fables, The Brownie and the Princess, Little Women, and Jo's Boys.
• Alan Alexander Milne, author of Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.
• Lucy Maud Montgomery, author of the Anne of Green Gables series.
• Helen Lyndon Goff (known as P. L. Travers), author of the Mary Poppins series.

Comments

I don't know how I forget this one...

• Oscar Wilde, author of The Happy Prince and Other Tales which includes The Selfish Giant.

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Roald Dahl

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A A Milne has already been an EPOW.  I looked him up - because I was going to suggest him! :)

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I heartily second the nomination of Roald Dahl!

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+1 for Roald Dahl

Answer 3

Laura Ingalls Wilder Ingalls-1

She has a good bio, photograph, and is connected to the big tree.  Her paternal line is included back to the mid-1700s.  Her maternal line in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Scotland, could use some TLC.

Answer 4

Working on whittlin' my list - down to 12 at the moment... *grin*

Wilbert Awdry (Thomas the Tank Engine)
Arthur Ransome (Swallows and Amazons)
Both of these have images, narrative bio, sources, and are connected.
 

Edit: Removed all those names which didn't 'make the cut': needed work on bibliographies/images and checking for copyright

Comments

The most obvious from my point of view (a Continental with mediocre culture) is Enyd Blyton, and I would have nominated her if she hadn't been on your list. (She's the one I actually read). Of course, Little Lord Fauntleroy, Beatrix Potter and Lewis Carroll (but he's a "serious" author, isn't he?)

Frances Hodgson Burnett had been considered for a feature a few months ago, another theme was selected eventually but she was connected for the occasion and there was some research done into her family connections, on the American side. It would be nice to see her featured.

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Frances Hodgson Burnett (Little Lord Fauntleroy)

I adored the Secret Garden -- but did not even begin to appreciate Fauntleroy until I was in my 20s.

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Enid Blyton's books have sold 600 million copies in 90 languages.

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These are great, Ros. I'd especially like to see Arthur Ransome. I read the entire Swallows and Amazon's series as an adult, and can't wait until my granddaughters are old enough to enjoy them.

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I did Arthur Ransome back in 2017

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ransome-173

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When you say you 'did' him - do you mean you submitted him for EPOW?  Doesn't have that category on his profile.

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I did not know I had to do that. Do I?

I have submitted his name in this thread below.

No I meant I created the profile and connected him to the tree.

Answer 5

For a French-language author, perhaps the most famous is Russian-born Sophie Rostopchine, Comtesse de Ségur.

And... I'm so relieved I won't have to do Descartes's biography this week-end after all!

Comments

I just finished the biographies of the two dutch philosophers.....

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Brave woman! Well, on the plus side, they'll be ready for when a Philosophers feature happens. I should do something for Descartes's bio anyway...

Answer 6

A few dutch ones:

Thea Beckman very famous.Best known for Crusade in Jeans. A movie has been made of this book. Wikipages in about 8 languages. Is connected  profile needs some juicing up and an image.(edit: added image)

Paul Biegel also very well known. His books are translated in 8 different languages. Has 5 wikipages. Has a profile and is connected but  the profile needs more work and a photo(edit: added image)

Comments

@abby: thanks for notifying me of the change of plans.

Answer 7

Astrid Lingren, [[Ericsson-126|Astrid Anna Emilia  (Ericsson) Lindgren (1907-2002)]] Creator of Pippi Longstocking.

Comments

Love Pippi Longstocking!

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Corrected link for convenience: Astrid Lindgren.

She is connected, and has all 16 of her gggparents entered.

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Thank you, Per.

Answer 8

Tasha Tudor

Ludwig Bemelmans

Maurice Sendak

Randolph Caldecott

Margaret Wise Brown, writer of one of my favorites "Goodnight Moon."

Answer 9

How about Antoine de Saint Exupery?
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Saint-Exup%C3%A9ry-1

I loved Le Petit Prince.

Comments

I have not read "The Little Prince" my introduction to him was "Wind, Sand and Stars", this is not a children's book.  I think I nominated him under aviators but he did not get into the final list.

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Le Petit Prince is a delightful book, one of my favourites. It has something for all ages.

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Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was featured once, the first ever featured profile of the France project, probably more than 3 years ago. He could be featured again as "supporting cast" and his profile is still in good shape!

Answer 10

Cecilia May "May" Gibbs  -- English-born Australian.  Has pic, has bio, is Connected.

Ethel Turner (born Ethel Mary Burwell) -- English-born Australian.  Has pic, has bio, is Connected.

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I would have nominated Mary Grant Bruce, but it seems she does not have a profile.

Comments

Robert Lewis Balfour "Robert Louis" Stevenson -- has pic, has bio, is Connected.

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Not sure if he'd be classed as a children's author or not, but I was reading Scott around the age of 7 or 8.

Sir Walter Scott -- has pic, has bio, is Connected.

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I'll create a profile for Mary Grant Bruce - I'll post up the Wiki-ID when I'm done - but not sure what time I'll have to work on it. At least it will get her on to WikiTree. Thanks for suggesting her Melanie.

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Ethel Turner needs a bio. Currently it's just a bunch of sources and the entire article about her wedding.

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Dorothy Wall -- New Zealand-Australian -- has pic, am working on the has a bio (I may not be finished with it, but there is one now), is Connected.  If you haven't heard of her before now, and you have children/grandchildren, try them on Blinky Bill.

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EDIT:  Updated info.

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Here's Mary Grant Bruce - Minnie Grant Bruce - WikiTree Profile - and connected.

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I can't believe nobody has yet mentioned Anna Sewell (Black Beauty) -- English -- has bio, has pic, is Connected.

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(I also can't believe Mary O'Hara doesn't have a profile (that I could find).)

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Here's Mary Grant Bruce - Minnie Grant Bruce - WikiTree Profile - and connected.

commented by Gillian Thoma

I've added an image, Notables sticker, and author category. 

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Answer 11

Elyne Mitchell

As I loved horses  as a child and  as an Australian, the Silver Brumby  (similar to American Mustangs, descendants of domestic horse that have gone feral)   series was for me, so see Sibyl Elyne Keith (Chauvel) Mitchell OAM (1913-2002) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Through her books I fell in love with the high country of the Australian Alps, I live within distant sight of the these Alps. 

Answer 12

Colin Thiele - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Thiele-252 - images, bio, connected

C.S. Lewis - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lewis-13750 - images, bio, connected

A.A. Milne - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Milne-697 - images, bio, connected

Comments

I still remember the 1976 movie Storm Boy based on the book by Colin Thiele!!

That was a great movie!!

Answer 13

Richard Adams (1920-2016) (Watership Down): is already connected and has good biography.

Comments

One of my favorites.

Answer 14

Lois Duncan Steinmetz Arquette writing as Lois Duncan. She wrote many Young Adult novels.

Comments

Lois is not Connected, so a lot of work would be needed to have her ready in just a few days.  (Right now all she has is her mother.)

Her bio also needs some TLC, and she doesn't have a profile pic.

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Her father turned out to be on WikiTree and connected, so she'll show as connected in another day. I'm adding some ancestors on her mother's side in the meantime.

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All eight of her great-grandparents are now on WikiTree. (And the relationship finder says she's my seventh cousin twice removed, although it's through a link I'm dubious about and on the line where I suspect an NPE.)

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I've added an image, but her bio could do with some TLC.

Answer 15

Early American girl's poet Adeline Dutton ''Train'' Whitney.

Answer 16

Arthur Ransome - who wrote the Swallows and Amazons childrens series

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ransome-173

His profile has been connected since 2017

Answer 17

Maud Hart Lovelace (the Betsy-Tacy series) does not have a photo but is connected.

I was going to suggest Tonke Dragt as a non-English-language author, but she's still living; worth checking on if we do another children's lit authors feature in a few years, though.

Comments

One of my favorite writers!! And  there's a movie made from one of her best known books: Brief voor de Koning / Letter for the King. we skipped her form the dutch author list  for the same reason.....being still alive.

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Many years ago I read an English translation of De torens van februari and muddled through De zevensprong in the original Dutch; they were worth the effort.

Answer 18

Countee Cullen, author of The Lost Zoo

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Porter-13127

Answer 19

I'll pitch one that I really had to hunt down. When I was a kid, one of the first books I read was part of the Dick and Jane series. At first, I thought it was Scott Foresman, but that was just the publisher. Turns out it was a woman by the name of Zerna Sharp ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sharp-2843 ). Of course we would have a profile for her. Her series has been updated and re-released and I'm sure has been read by millions. She's not connected, but if we wanted to use her, I might give it a shot.

Another series that was extremely popular and also one I read a lot of was Nancy Drew. The author, Carolyn Keene, was a series of ghost writers hired by Edward Stratemeyer ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Stratemeyer-2 ). He's connected, with a bio, and not only wrote Nancy Drew, but the Hardy Boys, The Bobbsey Twins, and the Rover Boys.

Last, I used to read the series called "The Three Investigators". It was a series (surprisingly enough) about 3 juvenile investigators who had an occasional relationship with Alfred Hitchcock. It was a bit of fun, they had a cool secret hideout, and some kid-stuff secret weapons. The series was written by Robert Jay Arthur, Jr. While he was born in the Philippines, he was a US citizen as his father was stationed there while in the military. Sadly, I couldn't find a profile for him, but here's his Wikipedia article. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Arthur_Jr.

Comments

My wife suggested Shel Silverstein. ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Silverstein-47 ).

Or possibly Stan ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Berenstain-1 ) and Jan ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Grant-8875 ) Berenstain of the Berenstain Bears fame.

Maybe Richard Scarry ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Scarry-13 ) - but his profile is barebones...

Or the authors of Curious George, Margret ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Waldstein-26 ) and H.A. Rey ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Reyersbach-1 ).

There's always Robert Louis Stevenson ( https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Stevenson-999 ).

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P. L. Travers is another (author of Mary Poppins) - https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Goff-807

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I saw Robert Louis Stevenson and P.L. Travers were already mentioned.

How about Janette Sebring Lowrey, author of the Poky Little Puppy. Except she doesn't have a profile yet... :( - here's her wiki: ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janette_Sebring_Lowrey )

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Looking at favorite children's books, I remember reading "The Monster at the End of This Book" by Jon Stone. Turns out that Jon is considered to be one of the best children's television writers ever, has 18 Emmy Awards, and wrote only a handful of children's books. But sadly, no profile. Here's his Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Stone

Answer 20

Some weeks, y'all make it nearly impossible to narrow the list down to 9 with all the great options you share! Thanks so much. Keep in mind if someone isn't featured this week, I keep the list (and the link to this post) to refer to in the future, so they may be an option later.