Anna Maria Roos (1862–1938)

As a popular children's songwriter, author, illustrator, and elementary school textbook writer, Anna Maria Roos left her mark on an entire generation of Swedes. She was born in Stockholm to a prominent family. Her parents were Sophie Maria and Adolf Wilhelm Roos, the Postmaster General and a member of Parliament. Anna Maria was the only girl in a family with four boys and had an unhappy childhood, later revealed in her letters. She was a voracious reader, and after her early education at home, attended the Åhlin school. In 1879, she entered the Royal Advanced Female Teachers' Seminary (Kungliga Högre Lärarinneseminariet), which was the only training considered suitable for young women of her class. However, she never worked as a teacher. Her passion was for writing and she made a living at it. She also was a significant force in the literary scene of her day: from 1898 to 1902, she served as editor of Ord och Bild, the cultural magazine. She was an elected member and served as president of The Nine Society (Samfundet De Nio), founded to promote Swedish literature, peace, and women's issues. Roos also was a playwright, writing both story plays and short historical scenes for children. She spent the last 10 years of her life traveling abroad.