Evaleen Stein was an American poet, children's author, and artist whose books combine historical imagination with a deep affection for nature. Her stories often introduce young readers to the lives of children in earlier centuries. Works such as Gabriel and the Hour Book and A Little Shepherd of Provence bring distant settings close through individual hopes, friendships, and acts of kindness.

Stein lived in Lafayette, Indiana, and developed both literary and artistic interests from an early age. She studied art at the Art Institute of Chicago and became skilled in decorative illumination. Her poems appeared in newspapers and magazines before being gathered into collections, including One Way to the Woods and Among the Trees Again.

Her children's books include Troubadour Tales, The Christmas Porringer, and contributions to the Our Little Cousin of Long Ago series. She also translated poetry and produced decorative artwork that received public recognition. The interests of writer and artist meet naturally in her attention to color, landscape, and carefully described objects. Her books invite readers to appreciate beauty while discovering something of the daily life of other times.