Ouida was the pen name of the English novelist Louise de la Ramee, and comes from her mispronunciation of her first name as a young child. She wrote over forty novels, children’s books, and collections of short stories and essays. She was also an animal rights activist and an animal rescuer, and at times owned as many as thirty dogs. Her most famous work is probably Under Two Flags, dealing with the British and French in Algeria, which became a play and three movies. A Dog of Flanders was also filmed. Though successful, she was poor at managing her money, and died in poverty in Viareggio, Italy.

In The Child of Urbino, the child is Raphael, who assists an older companion in a competition to create a beautiful piece of pottery. The Nurnberg Stove tells the tale of a child who hides in the valued stove of the title when his father sells it, staying in it till he winds up in the palace of a king. The stories are infused with romanticism and old world pathos.