Margery Williams (1881–1944)

British-born Margery Winifred Williams moved with her parents to the USA in 1890. She became a professional writer at age 19. In 1904, on a visit to her English publisher, she met and married Francisco Bianco, an Italian living in London. The couple went to live in Turin, Italy, for many years. Margery eventually returned with her own family to the USA in 1921. She's best remembered today for The Velveteen Rabbit; or, How Toys Become Real. It became an instant classic and has been adapted many times as theater, radio, television, and animated films. In her final years, she interspersed writing novels for young adults with her children's books, and her daughter Pamela illustrated some of the works. Margery Willams won a Newbery Honor in 1937 for Winterbound.