author
Rebecca Deming Moore
b. 1877
A Canadian-born writer of children's literature, she is best remembered for When They Were Girls, a 1923 collection that introduces young readers to the early lives of notable American women. Her work reflects an interest in biography, character, and the experiences that shape people long before they become famous.
1 Audiobook
When They Were Girls
by Rebecca Deming Moore
About the author
Born on July 31, 1877, Rebecca Deming Moore was a Canadian-born author whose work was aimed at younger readers. Reference records identify her as a writer of children's literature, and she is associated with the early 20th-century world of educational and juvenile publishing.
Her best-known book is When They Were Girls (1923), a collection of biographical sketches about prominent American women in their youth. The book was edited by Helen Mildred Owen and illustrated by Mabel Betsy Hill, and it presents well-known figures through the experiences of their girlhood, making history feel more personal and approachable for children.
Moore died on October 18, 1935. Read today, her writing offers a glimpse into how biography was shaped for young audiences in the 1920s, with an emphasis on inspiration, moral character, and the idea that remarkable lives begin in ordinary childhood moments.