Ada M. (Ada Maria) Skinner

Born in 1878, Ada M. Skinner was an Anglo-American children's writer who also worked as a teacher and magazine editor. She is best remembered as a compiler and editor of books for young readers rather than as a novelist in a single series or genre.

Her name appears on a wide range of children's collections, including story anthologies, verse books, holiday books, and school-friendly dramatic pieces. Many of these were created with collaborators such as Eleanor L. Skinner and were designed to introduce children to folktales, poems, seasonal celebrations, and short performances.

That mix of classroom usefulness and literary charm gives her work its lasting appeal. Even now, her books offer a snapshot of how adults once introduced children to reading for pleasure: through memorable tales, familiar traditions, and carefully chosen pieces meant to be read aloud and shared.