Ethel Calvert Phillips (1880–1951) was an American author of children's books, active primarily in the 1920s and 1930s. She was best known for gentle, domestic stories aimed at young readers, often centered on family life, everyday childhood adventures, and the moral or character-building themes typical of the era's juvenile fiction. Her most recognized work is the Little Girl series, which included Calico (1931), a Newbery Honor Book in 1932, following the life of a young girl in a warm, homespun setting. Other works attributed to her include The Little Frenchwoman and Reformation of Jane, along with various tales published for the juvenile market of her time, frequently issued by publishers such as Houghton Mifflin. Phillips wrote in the tradition of early twentieth-century American children's literature — wholesome, episodic narratives with a strong emphasis on family values, kindness, and small-scale childhood dramas rather than adventure or fantasy. She is a relatively minor but recognized figure in the history of American children's publishing, remembered chiefly through her Newbery Honor recognition. Detailed biographical records are sparse in the standard reference sources, as is common for mid-list children's authors of the period.
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