Ocracoke in the Fifties

Half a century after the publication of The Lonely Doll will bring a twinge of nostalgia to those who loved her children’s books and introduce her to a new generation of readers.

Dare Wright (1914-2001) was born in Canada on December 3, 1914. Her parents’ marriage dissolved before Dare turned three, and Dare’s father left with her older brother, Blaine. The children were not to reunite until they were in their twenties. Dare grew up in Cleveland, Ohio, and showed an early creative aptitude. Encouraged by her mother, the artist Edith Stevenson Wright, Dare learned to sketch, paint, write, and sew. It took the catalyst of photography for Dare to later combine these talents into her Lonely Doll book series. Moving to New York in her twenties, Dare modeled for major magazines and had small parts in theatrical productions. A stunning beauty, Dare seemed a natural for show business, but she was never comfortable performing in a public venue. Competition, whether with other actresses for roles, or with her mother as a painter, was too distressing. Instead, Dare found her niche as a photographer, first in the fashion field, and then as a children’s book author. In 1941, Dare and her brother Blaine met for the first time since they had been separated as children. Blaine was handsome, witty, and everything Dare could have wished for in a sibling. Blaine introduced Dare to his RAF friend, Philip Sandeman. The two became engaged, but the wedding never transpired. The 1957 success of Dare’s first book, The Lonely Doll, brought her recognition as both an author and photographer. Illustrated with Dare’s haunting black-and-white photographs, the seemingly simple text touched both children and their parents. Almost fifty years later, Dare’s nineteen published books continue to delight a new generation of readers.