Edith Ballinger Price

Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1897, Edith Ballinger Price grew up in an artistic family and was encouraged early by her grandfather, the painter William Trost Richards. She studied art in Boston and New York, then built a career as both a writer and illustrator, creating dozens of stories, books, and pictures for young readers.

Her work often mixed adventure, humor, and fantasy, and she became especially well known for children's books such as Blue Magic and The Happy Venture. Price also contributed to St. Nicholas magazine and is remembered as one of the founders of the Girl Scouts' Brownie program, where her imagination helped shape its early spirit and symbols.

She spent much of her life in Newport, Rhode Island, later moving to Virginia Beach, where she died in 1997 at the age of 100. Her career stands out for its warmth, creativity, and the easy way she brought stories and pictures together for generations of children.