Born August 29, 1872, Edith Howes was a New Zealand teacher and eventually a Headmistress. Being around children so much led to her write multiple stories and she became a prolific author. Her fairy tale collections included whimsical original stories of fairy folk. Howes also collected Maori legends in Maoriland Fairy Tales. In 1935, she received the King George VI Coronation Medal for her extensive work in literature. She passed away in 1941 with over 10 books to her name.