author
Clara Doty Bates
1838–1895
A popular 19th-century American writer for children and families, she blended poetry, storytelling, and a warm sense of play. Her books and magazine pieces helped make her a familiar name to young readers of her time.
1 Audiobook
On the Tree Top
by Clara Doty Bates
About the author
Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, on December 22, 1838, Clara Doty Bates became known as an American poet and writer of juvenile literature. She published poetry and stories for young readers and also contributed to magazines including St. Nicholas, The Youth's Companion, and Wide Awake.
She lived in Chicago after her marriage to newspaperman and publisher Morgan Bates, and many of her books were illustrated by her sister. Her writing often joined gentle moral lessons with imagination and rhythm, which helped her work connect with children and families in the late 1800s.
Bates also took part in literary and cultural life beyond her books; she is noted for organizing and managing the library in the Children's Building at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. She died in Chicago on October 14, 1895, leaving behind a body of work that reflects the charm and educational spirit of nineteenth-century children's literature.