Susan Coolidge

Born Sarah Chauncey Woolsey in Cleveland, Ohio, on January 29, 1835, she wrote under the pen name Susan Coolidge. She came from a prominent New England family and later lived in New Haven, Connecticut. During the Civil War, she worked as a nurse, an experience often noted in accounts of her life.

She became one of the best-known American children's authors of her era. Her most famous book, What Katy Did (1872), introduced a lively heroine whose mischief and growth made the story enduringly popular. Britannica notes that her energetic, playful girl characters stood out from the more conventional heroines often found in children's fiction of the time.

In addition to novels, she also wrote poetry and other works for young readers. She died on April 9, 1905, but her books—especially the What Katy Did series—have remained a familiar part of classic children's literature.