Margaret (Carver) Leighton was born December 20, 1896, at Oberlin, OH. Her school years were spent in Cambridge, MA, and, during her father's teaching sabbaticals, in France and Switzerland. After graduation from Radcliffe College in 1918, she worked for a publishing house until 1921 when she left to marry Herbert Leighton. Following her husband's untimely death in 1935, she moved to California where she began writing books for young readers. She earned several honors throughout her career including a Commonwealth Club of California Silver Medal for
She was a member of the Westfield, New Jersey, Board of Education from 1930-1934, a member of the Santa Monica, California, Public Library Board of Trustees, the Authors League of America, and P.E.N., serving as president at the Los Angeles center from 1957-1959.
Margaret Carver Leighton died on June 19, 1987, in Santa Monica, California.
