# Mary Mapes Dodge

> American children's writer (1831-1905)

**Wikidata**: [Q2518093](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q2518093)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Mapes_Dodge)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/mary-mapes-dodge

## Summary
Mary Mapes Dodge (1831–1905) was an American children's writer, novelist, poet, and editor. She is best known as the author of the 1865 novel *Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates*, a landmark work of children's literature that earned her the Montyon Prize from the French Academy.

## Biography
- Born: 1831
- Died: 1905
- Nationality: United States
- Known for: Authoring *Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates* (1865) and contributions to children's literature as a writer, novelist, poet, and editor
- Field(s): Children's writing, novels, poetry, editing

## Contributions
Mary Mapes Dodge authored *Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates*, a novel published in 1865 that became a defining work in American children's literature. Beyond this signature novel, she operated across multiple literary roles — producing literature for young audiences as a children's writer, crafting longer-form fiction as a novelist, writing verse as a poet, and shaping publications as an editor. She was recognized with the Montyon Prize, a group of four yearly awards given by the French Academy, underscoring the international esteem her work achieved.

## FAQs
**What is Mary Mapes Dodge most famous for?**
She is most famous for writing *Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates*, an 1865 novel that remains a cornerstone of American children's literature.

**What awards did Mary Mapes Dodge receive?**
She received the Montyon Prize, a set of four annual awards administered by the French Academy.

**What professions did Mary Mapes Dodge hold?**
She worked as a children's writer, novelist, poet, and editor throughout her literary career.

## Why They Matter
Mary Mapes Dodge helped shape the trajectory of American children's literature during the 19th century. Her novel *Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates* not only introduced generations of young readers to Dutch culture and setting but also became a fixture in the children's literary canon. Her dual capacity as both a creator and an editor gave her influence over the standards and direction of literature produced for young audiences in the United States. Recognition from the French Academy via the Montyon Prize demonstrates that her impact extended beyond American borders.

## Notable For
- Author of *Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates* (1865)
- Recipient of the Montyon Prize from the French Academy
- Active as a children's writer, novelist, poet, and editor
- American literary figure with international recognition

## Body

### Identity and Aliases
Mary Mapes Dodge, also known by the names Mary Elizabeth Mapes Dodge, Mary Dodge, Gail Hamilton, Mary Elizabeth Mapes, Mary Elizabeth Dodge, and M. E. Dodge, was a human and a citizen of the United States. She was born in 1831 and died in 1905. Her Wikidata description identifies her as an American children's writer.

### Literary Career
Dodge operated across multiple professional roles in the literary field:

- **Writer**: As a person who uses written words to communicate ideas and produce literary works, Dodge built a career centered on authorship.
- **Children's writer**: She specialized in writing literature targeted primarily at children, a field in which she is most prominently recognized.
- **Novelist**: She wrote novels, with her most notable being *Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates*.
- **Poet**: She also wrote poetry, adding verse to her body of literary work.
- **Editor**: She worked as an editor, a person who edits texts or publications, contributing to the production and curation of written works beyond her own.

### Major Work: Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates
Dodge's signature achievement is *Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates*, a novel published in 1865. The work stands as a notable entry in the American literary tradition of children's fiction and continues to be the work most closely associated with her name. It is cataloged as a distinct entity with 17 sitelinks across various language editions, reflecting its enduring presence in global literary discourse.

### Recognition
Dodge received the Montyon Prize, a group of four yearly awards administered by the French Academy. The Montyon Prize is associated with France (country: ) and has a cataloged presence with 9 sitelinks. This recognition from a prestigious French institution highlights the cross-national reach and critical esteem her writing achieved during her lifetime.

### Connected Entities
Dodge's life and work connect to several broader entities:

- **United States**: Her country of citizenship, founded July 4, 1776, with independence recognized May 12, 1784, under the Treaty of Paris (1783).
- **Hans Brinker, or The Silver Skates**: Her 1865 novel, a defining work of children's literature.
- **French Academy / Montyon Prize**: The awarding body and prize that recognized her literary contributions.

## References

1. Virtual International Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. A Woman of the Century
4. Source
5. Geni.com
6. Dodge, Mary Elizabeth Mapes (26 January 1831?–21 August 1905), editor and author
7. American Women Writers
8. Library of the World's Best Literature
9. International Standard Name Identifier
10. CiNii Research
11. Douban
12. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
13. Find a Grave
14. International Music Score Library Project
15. Babelio
16. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
17. Integrated Authority File
18. [Source](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Woman_of_the_Century/Mary_Mapes_Dodge)
19. [Source](https://www.bartleby.com/library/bios/index3.html)
20. [Source](https://www.dbnl.org/tekst/coil001lexi01_01/lvdj00267.php#d043)
21. CONOR.SI
22. CERL Thesaurus