Dorothy Aldis (March 13, 1896 – July 4, 1966) was an American writer of children's literature and poet.

Life

Dorothy Keeley was born in

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

on March 13, 1896, to

James Keeley James Keeley (October 14, 1867 – June 7, 1934) was an Irish journalist, newspaper editor and publisher during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, who served as managing editor of the ''Chicago Tribune'' from 1898 to 1914. Keeley ...

, managing editor of the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...

'', and Gertrude Keeley. The youngest of four girls, Aldis was educated privately, and attended the prestigious

Miss Porter's School Miss Porter's School (MPS) is a private college preparatory school for girls founded in 1843 in Farmington, Connecticut. The school draws students from many of the 50 U.S. states, as well as from abroad. International students comprised 14% i ...

. When she was 17, Aldis attended

Smith College Smith College is a Private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts Women's colleges in the United States, women's college in Northampton, Massachusetts, United States. It was chartered in 1871 by Sophia Smit ...

for two years before returning to Chicago. Like her mother, who reported for the ''Sunday Tribune'', Aldis began working for the paper, writing columns on decorating, pets, and personals. On June 15, 1922, she married Graham Aldis. The couple lived in Chicago and had four children: Mary, Owen, and twins Peggy and Ruth. Her first publications were books of poetry for children. In 1929, she began writing children's fiction. Unable to find time to write at home with her growing family, Aldis often took her typewriter to a local park to work. In this way, she wrote seven novels and three books of poetry during the 1930s. Several of her best-known poems were published in these early years, such as "Snow", "Little" and "Hiding".

I'm hiding, I'm hiding And no one knows where; For all they can see is my Toes and my hair And I just heard my father Say to my mother - "But, darling, he must be Somewhere or other; Have you looked in the inkwell?..."

She also wrote short stories and poetry for ''

Ladies Home Journal ''Ladies' Home Journal'' was an American magazine that ran until 2016 and was last published by the Meredith Corporation. It was first published on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century ...

'', ''

Harper's ''Harper's Magazine'' is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts. Launched in New York City in June 1850, it is the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the United States. ''Harper's Magazine'' has ...

'' and ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. It was founded on February 21, 1925, by Harold Ross and his wife Jane Grant, a reporter for ''The New York T ...

'', among others. Aldis published 29 books, including a Beatrix Potter biography titled ''Nothing is Impossible''. According to Joyce Kinkead in ''American Writers for Children'', Aldis "was recognized as a major contributor to children's literature". After her death in 1966, ''Elementary English'' called her "The Poet Laureate of Young Children." She was a recipient of the Children's Reading Roundtable Award of Chicago.

Selected works

*''Jane's Father'' (1929) *''Time at Her Heels'' (1937) *''Dark Summer'' (1947) *''Everything and Anything'' (illustrated by Helen D. Jameson) *''Here, There and Everywhere'' *''Dumb Stupid David'' (illustrated by

Jane Miller Jane Miller (born 1949) is an American poet. Life Jane Miller was born in New York and lives in Tucson, Arizona. She served as a professor for many years in the Creative Writing Program at the University of Arizona—including a stint as its Dir ...

) *''Hiding'' (illustrated by Heather Collins) *''Cindy'' (1959) *''Best in Children's Books: Volume 31'' (various authors and illustrators: featuring, Windy Wash Day and Other Poems by Dorothy Aldis with illustrations by

Maurice Sendak Maurice Bernard Sendak (; June 10, 1928 – May 8, 2012) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. Born to Polish-Jewish parents, his childhood was impacted by the death of many of his family members during the Holocaust. Send ...

) (1960) *''Nothing is Impossible: The Story of

Beatrix Potter Helen Beatrix Heelis (; 28 July 186622 December 1943), usually known as Beatrix Potter ( ), was an English writer, illustrator, natural scientist, and conservationist. She is best known for her children's books featuring animals, such as '' ...

'' (illustrated by

Richard Cuffari Richard Cuffari (March 2, 1925 – 1978)
de Grummond Collection, McCain Library and Arc ...

) *''Grande Webos en la Boca: A comprehensive story of good writing'' *''Quick as a Wink'' (1960) (illustrated by Peggy Westphal, her daughter in her debut as a professional illustrator) *''Everybody Says''

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aldis, Dorothy 1896 births 1966 deaths American children's writers Writers from Chicago Smith College alumni American newspaper reporters and correspondents Miss Porter's School alumni Poets from Illinois American women poets American women journalists 20th-century American poets American women children's writers 20th-century American women writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers