Charlotte Mary Yonge(1823 - 1901) was an English novelist born into a religious family. Her first book was published in 1838, the revenues of which went toward the founding of a girls school. Yongewas a prolific author who wrote religious books, text books, novels, memoirs, and short stories. Her writings were influenced by her secluded upbringing and her intense love for her family. She is best known for her masterwork, The Heir of Redclyffe (1853).