Sophie May

Born Rebecca Sophia Clarke in Norridgewock, Maine, in 1833, she became one of the best-known American children's authors of her time under the pen name Sophie May. She was educated at home and at a local female academy, and she also spent time teaching school in Indiana before returning to Maine.

Clarke drew inspiration from the children in her own family, especially her nieces and nephews, and wrote stories that felt fresh and true to young readers. Between 1860 and 1903, she published dozens of books, with the Little Prudy, Dotty Dimple, and Flaxie Frizzle series among her most popular works.

Her writing stood out for its humor, sympathy, and natural-sounding child characters. Rather than making her stories heavily moralizing, she focused on the small dramas, mischief, and feelings of everyday childhood, helping shape a more modern style of children's fiction in the United States.