Dodzh Meri

Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge was an American writer and publisher of children’s books.

She was born into the family of the noted inventor and chemist James Jay Mapes, and from childhood was surrounded by some of the most prominent figures in science. She married early to the well-known lawyer William Dodge, gave birth early to two sons, and was widowed early. It was after the loss of her husband that she began writing books for children. She wrote several volumes of poetry and prose for children’s literature that had a significant influence on American children’s literature. Dodge’s most popular work, Hans Brinker, or the Silver Skates (1865), has been translated into many languages, including Russian. The story unfolds against the background of geographical and domestic descriptions of the Netherlands. Also noteworthy are Irvington Stories (1864) and Donald and Dorothy (1883).

Beginning in 1873, she published the popular children’s magazine St. Nicholas, which often featured such classics of children’s literature as Mark Twain, Bret Harte, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Rudyard Kipling. Mary’s contributions to St. Nicholas were later issued separately as Baby Days (1876) and Baby World (1884).

Mary Dodge’s work was continued by her sons, who took on all the burdens of the publishing business after their mother’s death.