Hazel Hutchins Wilson

After studying at Bates College and Simmons College, she built a career in libraries and education before turning seriously to writing for young readers. She worked as a school and university librarian, taught, and reviewed books, drawing on a deep familiarity with what children enjoyed reading.

She wrote more than 15 books for children and young people. Her popular Herbert series was based on her son, and her stories often mixed humor, family life, and a spirit of exploration.

Born in Portland, Maine, in 1898, she remained connected to books throughout her life and died in 1992. Her papers and collections are preserved in literary and university archives, a sign of the lasting place her work holds in children's literature.