by Anne on October 13, 2010
Mary Kingsley, adventurer
Oct. 13, 1862-June 3, 1990

Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa by Don Brown (Sagebrush, 2000)
Kingsley traveled through the pages of the books in her father’s library as a child. Caregiver of her parents until the age of 30, upon their death, Kingsley traveled to Africa. When this British explorer returned to England, she wrote about her observations.
Living on Earth Today offers an online profile of Mary Kingsley.
Mary McLeod Bethune, educator
July 10, 1875-May 18, 1955

Mary McLeod Bethune by Eloise Greenfield, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney (HarperTrophy, 1994)
Dedicated to education for all, Bethune sought opportunities for African-American children in South Carolina after the Civil War.
The Lakewood Public Library hosts a biography of McLeod Bethune on their site.
Mary Anning, paleontologist
May 21, 1799-Mar. 9, 1847

Rare Treasure: Mary Anning and Her Remarkable Discoveries by Don Brown (Houghton Mifflin, 2003)
Anning discovered the bones of an ichthyosaur as a child and from then on fossils dominated her life.
For more information, read about Anning on the UC Berkeley Museum of Paleontology site.
by Anne on October 13, 2009
Mary Kingsley, adventurer
Oct. 13, 1862-June 3, 1990

Uncommon Traveler: Mary Kingsley in Africa by Don Brown (Sagebrush, 2000)
Kingsley traveled through the pages of the books in her father’s library as a child. Caregiver of her parents until the age of 30, upon their death, Kingsley traveled to Africa. When this British explorer returned to England, she wrote about her observations.
Living on Earth Today has an online profile of Mary Kingsley.
by Anne on August 30, 2009
Mary Shelley, author
Aug. 30, 1797-Feb. 1, 1851

Through the Tempests Dark and Wild: A Story of Mary Shelley, Creator of Frankenstein by Sharon Darrow, illustrated by Angela Barrett (Candlewick, 2003)
Focused on the teen years “where some believe that Mary’s famous novel took root” this fictionalized picture book biography is a moving account of Shelley, who published her renowned Gothic at the age of nineteen.
A Wikipedia biography of Mary Shelley with additional links is available.
Read an interview with author Sharon Darrow (includes questions related to Through the Tempests) at Cynthia Leitich Smith’s blog.