Ann Nolan Clark

Born in Las Vegas, New Mexico, in 1896, Ann Nolan Clark graduated from New Mexico Normal School (now New Mexico Highlands University) in Las Vegas (New Mexico) at age 21, and married Thomas Patrick Clark on August 6, 1919. She gave birth to an only son, Thomas Patrick, Jr., who later died as a pilot in World War II.

She began her career teaching English at the Highlands University, however, in the early 1920s, she transferred to a job teaching Native American children how to read at Tesuque Pueblo, which lasted for 25 years. Clark found that the underfunded Tesuque School couldn’t afford any substantial instructional material. In the process of teaching the children about literature, she incorporated their voices and stories to write In My Mother's House, and other books for the 1st to 4th grade one-room schoolhouse. 

Between 1940 and 1951, the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs published 15 of her books, all relating to her experiences with the Native Americans. Her book In My Mother's House, illustrated by Zia Pueblo artist Velino Shije Herrera (1902-1973) Ma Pe Wi (Oriole), was named a Caldecott Honor book in 1942.

Source: Wikipedia