Carol Ryrie Brink (1895–1981)

Caroline Ryrie, called Carol, was born in Idaho and orphaned at a young age. She was raised by her maternal grandmother and two aunts who were all gifted storytellers. Her grandmother's tales of growing up in the Wisconsin woods became the basis of several of Carol's books and short stories, including the Newbery Award winner Caddie Woodlawn (1935). Carol attended the University of Idaho and then the University of California, Berkeley, from which she graduated in 1918. Shortly afterwards she married Raymond Brink, with whom she lived in Europe for a time before settling in St. Paul, Minnesota. While raising their two children, Mrs. Brink began writing articles and short stories that were accepted by local and then national publications. She started writing fiction and nonfiction books for adults and children and eventually published nearly 30 novels during her career. Her first novel, Anything Can Happen on the River, was published in 1934. She was also the author of three plays, including one based on Caddie Woodlawn. She received a number of literary awards in her lifetime, including the Friends of American Writers Award 1955, the National League of American Pen Women’s Prize in 1966, and the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota in 1978.