Goddesses of Yesterday: Margaret Wise Brown

Whether you’re an avid reader or more of an occasional browser, the odds are pretty good that you’re familiar with the work of Margaret Wise Brown. She is, after all, the author who more or less set the gold standard for bedtime reading with her 1947 book “Goodnight Moon.”

Born May 23, 1910, Brown studied art and worked as a teacher before embarking on the path that would make her famous. She was 27 when she published “When the Wind Blew” in 1937, the first of more than 100 children’s books she would write before her untimely death 15 years later. Many of Brown’s works are established classics of the genre, including “Runaway Bunny,” “The Color Kittens,” “Mister Dog” and “The Little Island.” She was an early champion of the Little Golden Books series, a collection of top-quality, cheaply produced books that helped bring children’s literature into households that previously could not afford such niceties. 

Throughout her career, Brown established a straightforward voice that never spoke down to children and contained enough gentle wit to keep parents entertained. Eschewing the fairy tales and adventure stories that previously defined children’s literature, Brown focused on quiet moments and gentle observations. Even though her books are largely populated with talking animals, her characters display a humanity that grabbed the interest of beginning readers around the world. An unexpected embolism cut her life short at the age of 42, but her legacy is guaranteed. As long as children are asking for a story before bed, Margaret Wise Brown will live on in her words: “Goodnight room. Goodnight moon. Goodnight cow jumping over the moon…”

Product Highlight

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