Mabel
Louise Robinson (July 19, 1874 – February 21, 1962) was an
American writer of children's books and was a runner-up for the
annual Newbery Medal twice. She was a member of the
Heterodoxy Club.Mabel Louise Robinson was born and raised in Waltham, Massachusetts. She was the daughter of James Frank and Mary Anna Dean Robinson.[1] Robinson graduated high school and attended Radcliffe College from 1904 to 1906. While teaching at various colleges, Robinson worked on completing her Master's Degree (1907) and Ph.D (1915) at Columbia University in New York City.
After graduating high school, Robinson became an elementary school teacher.[2] Robinson taught at a number of colleges and universities throughout her career. At Wellesley College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, she taught Zoology from 1904 to 1906. For twenty-six years (1919 to 1945) she taught advanced fiction writing workshops at Columbia University in New York City.[3] Although she taught a variety of subjects, she is probably best known for her classes at Columbia University. While she was at Columbia, she taught a workshop that resulted in the publication of over two hundred books.[4] Robinson also taught at Constantinople College in Istanbul, Turkey. She conducted research for the Carnegie Foundation in New York City. Robinson was the author of children's books, frequently featuring dogs. Robinson contributed short stories to periodicals including Delineator, Portal, ''St. Nicholas Magazine'', and ''The Youth's Companion''. Two of her books were designated Newbery Honor books by the American Library Association.[5] She felt that writing interesting books for young people was far more important than even obtaining her doctorate teacher.
