Mary Augusta Dickerson also known as Mary Dickerson Donahey, was an author of children's books

Children's literature

Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...

 and cookbook

Cookbook

A cookbook is a kitchen reference that typically contains a collection of recipes. Modern versions may also include colorful illustrations and advice on purchasing quality ingredients or making substitutions...

s.

Early life

Dickerson was born in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 to Alfred James Dickerson and Nancy Augusta (Huggins) Dickerson. She graduated from the St. Mary's school in New York City as valedictorian

Valedictorian

Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...

. The school later merged with St. Garriel's School in Peekskill, New York

Peekskill, New York

Peekskill is a city in Westchester County, New York. It is situated on a bay along the east side of the Hudson River, across from Jones Point.This community was known to be an early American industrial center, primarily for its iron plow and stove products...

.

Adult life

Dickerson began writing children's stories, articles and poem verses for newspapers and magazines in 1896. She was then associated with the New York Journal in 1898 as a reporter for a short time. Donahey later then took on a full-time career as a special writer for the The Plain Dealer that same year. Her career there extended into 1905.

Dickerson married William Donahey

William Donahey

William Donahey was a U.S. cartoonist and creator of The Teenie Weenies, a comic strip about two-inch tall people living under a rose bush....

 on August 16, 1905, becoming Mary Dickerson Donahey. She was also known as Mrs. William Donahey. They met while they both worked at the Plain Dealer. She introduced him to some traditional children's stories while they were working there, which helped to inspire him to become a comic strip writer and illustrator. He had missed out on these normal childhood stories because he was an introverted child and spent much of his childhood alone.

Clubs and societies

Dickerson was associated with or a member of the following:

• Society of Midland Authors
• Cleveland Writers Club
• Writers Guild
• Episcopalian

• Club Matrix
• lecturer
  Lecturer
  Lecturer is an academic rank. In the United Kingdom, lecturer is a position at a university or similar institution, often held by academics in their early career stages, who lead research groups and supervise research students, as well as teach...
  
  

Other

Dickerson, along with her husband William Donahey, owned the Pickle Barrel House

Pickle Barrel House

The Pickle Barrel House is a two-story cabin built of two barrels. The house design is based on cartoon characters that were two inches tall and lived under a rose bush in a pickle barrel. It is currently located in Grand Marais, Michigan on Michigan's Upper Peninsula on the southern shore of Lake...

 in Grand Marais, Michigan

Grand Marais, Michigan

Grand Marais is an unincorporated community in Burt Township, Alger County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located on Lake Superior at and is the eastern gateway to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore via H-58....

. This was their summer home where they found it inspirational to write their children's books and comic strips. It is now a tourist attraction.

Works

Mary Augusta Dickerson, writing under her married name Mary Dickerson Donahey, wrote the following books:

• The Wonderful Wishes of Jacky and Jean (1905)
• The Castle of Grumpy Grouch a Fairy Story (1908)
• Mysterious Mansions (1909)
• Down Spider Web Lane: A Fairy Tale (1909)
• Through the Little Green Door (1910)
• The Adventures of a Happy Doll (1914)
• The Magical House of Zur (1914)
• The Prince Without a Country (1916)
• Lady Teddy Comes to Town (1919)
• The Talking Bird and Wonderful Wishes of Jacky and Jean (1920)
• The Teenie Weenie Man's Mother Goose (1921)
• The Calorie Cook Book Menus for Reducing, for Upbuilding, for Maintenance (1923)
• The Calorie Cook Book (1923)
• Peter and Prue (1924)
• Best Tales for Children (1924)
• Cupboard Love: My Book of Recipes (1929)
• The Tavern of Folly (1930)
• The Cooking Pots of Grand Marais (1930)
• The Spanish McQuades, the Lost Treasure of Zavala (1931)
• Mary Lu (1937)
• Apple Pie Inn (1942)
• The Castle of Grumpy Grouch (1948)
• Mystery in the Pines (1950)

Example of work

The Prince Without a Country, New York: Barse & Hopkins, 1916, page 71
The Adventures of a Happy Dolly, New York: Barse & Hopkins, 1914, page 11