comtesse de Sophie Ségur

Born Sophie Rostopchine in Saint Petersburg in 1799, she was the daughter of Count Fyodor Rostopchin, a Russian statesman. After marrying Eugène Henri Raymond, Count of Ségur, she settled in France and eventually began publishing fiction later in life.

Writing as the Comtesse de Ségur, she became famous for children's books that mixed humor, family life, strict lessons, and a sharp eye for childhood behavior. Her best-known works include Les Malheurs de Sophie, Les Petites Filles modèles, and Les Vacances, stories that remain classics for French readers.

She died in Paris in 1874, but her reputation lasted well beyond her lifetime. What makes her work endure is its lively voice: affectionate, funny, and honest about how unruly children can be.