Magdeleine Du Genestoux

Born in Lyon on November 12, 1873, Magdeleine du Genestoux was a French author and editor best known for writing books for children. She also published under her married name, Madeleine Arrigon, and built a career in literature for young readers at a time when children’s publishing was growing quickly in France.

She is closely associated with Hachette, where she directed the children’s section, and the Bibliothèque nationale de France lists dozens of works under her name. Her stories, published mainly from 1918 to 1942, often center on spirited children, family life, animals, and comic mishaps, giving them an easy charm that made her a familiar name for generations of young readers.

French reference sources often describe her as a successor to the tradition of the Comtesse de Ségur, another beloved writer for children. She died in Paris on May 23, 1942, leaving behind a large body of work that still attracts readers interested in classic French children's fiction.