Mary Downing Hahn

Mary Downing Hahn
Born (1937-12-09) December 9, 1937
Washington, D.C. (or College Park, Maryland, sources vary), U.S.
OccupationNovelist
Period1979- Present
GenreYoung adult fiction including ghost, horror, mystery stories
Notable worksStepping on the Cracks, Wait Till Helen Comes

Mary Downing Hahn (born December 9, 1937) is an American writer of young adult novels and a former school librarian. Popular for her ghost and mystery novels, Hahn is known for novels such as Stepping On The Cracks and Wait Till Helen Comes.[1] Since publishing her first book in 1979, Hahn has written over 30 novels.[2][3] Her latest novel, What We Saw, was published in September 2022.[4]

Early Life

Mary Downing Hahn grew up in College Park, Maryland. As a child, she played with other neighborhood kids, engaging in games like “Kick the Can” and “Mother, May I,” as well as cowboy and outlaw games[5]. In elementary school, Hahn was known as the class artist. She preferred to read and draw rather than write reports. From a young age, Hahn had begun writing and telling stories using pictures and drawings. As she reached junior high, Hahn wanted to tell more complex stories, and for this, she needed to write.[6] At the age of 13, Hahn found an interest in writing and illustrating children’s books. She began her first children’s book, Small Town Life, and while the book was never published, it marked the beginning of her career.[7]

Hahn attended college at the University of Maryland at College Park, where she earned her Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate degrees.[8] While in college, Hahn had begun writing poetry and short stories. It wasn't until 1979, at the age of 41[9] when Hahn published her first book, The Sara Summer.[10]

Personal life

Mary Downing Hahn is the daughter of Kenneth Ernest Downing (an automobile mechanic) and Anna Elisabeth Sherwood (a teacher).[11] Mary Downing married William E. Hahn on October 7, 1961, and together they had two daughters, Katherine Sherwood, and Margaret Elizabeth.[12] After 16 years of marriage, they divorced and on April 23, 1982, Mary Downing Hahn married Norman Pearce Jacob (a librarian).[13]

A few years after the release of her first book, at the age of 44, Hahn suffered from a major stroke.[14]

Careers

While Hahn is known as a novelist, she has had many different jobs throughout her career. From 1960 to 1961, she worked as an art teacher at a junior high school in Greenbelt, MD. In 1963, she worked as a clerk in a Hutzler's Department Store in Baltimore, MD. From 1963 to 1965, she worked as a homemaker and writer. From 1965 to 1970, she worked as an English instructor at the University of Maryland. Along with working at the university, from 1973 to 1975, Hahn also worked as a freelance artist for Cover to Cover. From 1975 to 1991, Hahn worked for Prince George's County Memorial Library System in Laurel, MD.[15]

Books

Awards

State awards

Wait Till Helen Comes (1986)

  • Pacific Northwest Young Reader's Choice Award (Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington)
  • Rebecca Caudhill Young Readers' Book Award (Illinois)
  • Young Hoosier Award (Indiana)
  • Iowa Children's Choice Award
  • Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Minnesota)
  • Golden Sower Award (Nebraska)
  • Volunteer State Book Award (Tennessee)
  • Texas Bluebonnet Award
  • Utah Children's Book Award
  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (Vermont)
  • Virginia Readers' Choice Award

The Doll in the Garden (1989)

  • Georgia Children's Book Award
  • Mark Twain Award (Missouri)
  • Virginia Readers' Choice Award

The Dead Man In Indian Creek (1990)

  • Colorado Children's Book Award
  • Maud Hart Lovelace Award (Minnesota)
  • South Carolina Children's Book Award
  • Utah Children's Book Award
  • Virginia Readers' Choice Award

Stepping on the Cracks (1991)

  • Golden Sower Award (Nebraska)
  • South Carolina Children's Book Award

Time for Andrew (1994)

  • California Young Reader's Medal
  • Georgia Children's Book Award
  • Rebecca Caudhill Young Readers' Book Award (Illinois)
  • William Allen White Children's Book Award (Kansas)
  • Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award
  • Mark Twain Award (Missouri)
  • Texas Bluebonnet Award
  • Utah Children's Book Award
  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (Vermont)
  • Virginia Readers' Choice Award

The Gentleman Outlaw and Me—Eli (1996)

  • Iowa Children's Choice Award

The Old Willis Place (2004)

  • William Allen White Children's Book Award (Kansas)
  • Golden Sower Award (Nebraska)
  • South Carolina Children's Book Award
  • Volunteer State Book Award (Tennessee)
  • Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award (Vermont)

Witch Catcher (2006)

  • West Virginia Children's Book Award

Deep and Dark and Dangerous (2007)

  • Golden Sower Award (Nebraska)

Closed for the Season (2009)

  • Golden Sower Award (Nebraska)

References

  1. ^ Leeper, Angela (September 9, 2008). "Talking with Mary Downing Hahn". American Library Association (ALA.org). Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  2. ^ "Our Member Pages: Mary Downing Hahn". The Children's Book Guild of Washington DC (childrensbookguild.org). Archived from the original on 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2008-03-19.
  3. ^ "Mary Downing Hahn Talks with Roger". The Horn Book, Inc. (hbook.com). Retrieved 2014-05-13.
  4. ^ What We Saw title listing at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
  5. ^ "Mary Downing Hahn". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  6. ^ "Mary Downing Hahn". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  7. ^ "Mary Downing Hahn". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  8. ^ "Hahn, Mary Downing 1937- | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  9. ^ "Mary Downing Hahn". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  10. ^ "Mary Downing Hahn". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  11. ^ "Hahn, Mary Downing 1937- | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  12. ^ "Hahn, Mary Downing 1937- | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  13. ^ Profile, Encyclopedia.com. Accessed February 20, 2024.
  14. ^ Profile, bartleby.com. Accessed February 20, 2024.
  15. ^ "Hahn, Mary Downing 1937- | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  16. ^ "Search the Edgars Database!". Edgar® Award Info & Database. Mystery Writers of America (edgarawards.com). Retrieved 2014-05-13.
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