Josephine Scribner Gates

Born in Mount Vernon, Ohio, on September 12, 1859, Josephine Scribner Gates later moved with her family to Toledo, where she spent most of her life. She married Charles H. Gates in 1881 and became known as a successful writer of children's books at a time when family reading and beautifully illustrated gift books were especially popular.

She is remembered above all for her "Live Dolls" stories, in which dolls spring to life and behave very much like the children around them. The charm of these books comes from that blend of make-believe and everyday manners: they are playful and whimsical, but also interested in how children think, feel, and learn.

By the mid-1910s, Gates had produced at least two dozen books, and her work remained collectible long after her death in Toledo, Ohio, on August 22, 1930. Though not as widely known today as some of her contemporaries, she still has a place in the history of American children's literature for the warmth and imagination of her stories.