Ruth Sawyer Harvey

Born in Boston in 1880 and raised largely in New York City, Ruth Sawyer became one of the best-known American storytellers and children's authors of the twentieth century. She studied at Columbia University and helped establish one of the early storytelling programs at the New York Public Library, drawing on a deep interest in folklore and spoken tradition.

She wrote fiction and nonfiction for both children and adults, but she is especially remembered for Roller Skates, which won the 1937 Newbery Medal. Her work was shaped by years of collecting and retelling stories, including material connected with Irish and other folk traditions, and readers often praise the lively, humane feeling in her books.

Later in life, she was honored for her lasting contribution to children's literature, including the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award in 1965, now known as the Children's Literature Legacy Award. Her books still stand out for their storytelling energy and their faith in the imagination of young readers.