Marcia Joan Brown (July 13, 1918 – April 28, 2015) was an American writer and illustrator of more than 30 children's books.[1] She won three annual Caldecott Medals from the American Library Association, six Caldecott Medal honors as an illustrator, recognizing the year's best U.S. picture book illustration,[2] and the ALA's Children's Literature Legacy Award in 1992 for her career contribution to children's literature.[3] This total of nine books with awards and honors is more than any other Caldecott-nominated illustrator.[4] Many of her titles have been published in translation, including Afrikaans, German, Japanese, Spanish, and Xhosa-Bantu editions. Brown is known as one of the most honored illustrators in children's literature.
Marcia Brown | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Marcia Joan Brown July 13, 1918 Rochester, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 18, 2015 (aged 96) Laguna Hills, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, Illustrator |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Notable awards |
|
Life
editBrown was born on July 13, 1918, in Rochester, New York. She enrolled in the New York State College for Teachers, predecessor to the University at Albany. She taught at Cornwall High School in New York City. She left teaching to work in the New York Public Library's Central Children's Room.[5] Her first book was The Little Carousel, a 32-page picture book that she both wrote and illustrated, published by Scribner's in 1946.[6]
Brown lived with her companion Janet Loranger, who was also her editor.[7] Brown died on April 28, 2015, in Laguna Hills, California.[8]
Awards
editFor her contribution as a children's illustrator, Brown was U.S. nominee in both 1966 and 1976 for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition available to creators of children's books.[9][10] She received the 1977 Regina Medal from the Catholic Libraries Association for "continued, distinguished contribution to children's literature without regard to the nature of the contribution"[11] and the 1992 Children's Literature Legacy Award from the American Library Association for "substantial and lasting contributions to children's literature"; it was then conferred every three years.[3]
She received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the SUNY Albany Alumni Association (1969), the Distinguished Service to Children's Literature Award from the University of Southern Mississippi (1972), and the Regina Medal from the Catholic Library Association for service to children's literature (1977).[12]
From 1955 to 1983, Brown won three Caldecott Medals, the annual American Library Association award to the illustrator of the year's "most distinguished American picture book for children" (only David Wiesner has also won three). Her books have been named Honor Books six times from 1947 to 1954.[2]
Selected works
editCaldecott Medal winners
- Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper, 1954
- Once a Mouse, 1961
- Shadow, 1982
Caldecott Honor finalist[13]
- Stone Soup: An Old Tale, 1947
- Henry Fisherman, 1949
- Dick Whittington and his Cat, 1950
- Skipper John's Cook,1951
- Puss in Boots, 1952
- The Steadfast Tin Soldier, 1953
References
edit- ^ "Children's author, 3-time winner of caldecott Medal," Chicago Sun-Times, May 9, 2015, p. 33.
- ^ a b
"Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938–Present". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). American Library Association (ALA).
"The Randolph Caldecott Medal". ALSC. ALA. Retrieved 2013-06-10. - ^ a b
"Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, Past winners". ALSC. ALA.
"About the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award". ALSC. ALA. Retrieved 2013-06-10. - ^ https://alsc-awards-shelf.org/ [bare URL]
- ^ "Marcia J. Brown '40 Biography". ME Grenander Department of Special Collections & Archives. University at Albany. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ Fox, Margalit (7 May 2015). "Marcia Brown, 96, Dies; Book Illustrator Won Three Caldecott Medals". The New York Times. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ "Marcia Brown, award-winning illustrator of "Once a Mouse" and other books, dead at 96". News 1130. 8 May 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ Maughan, Shannon. "Obituary: Marcia Brown". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
- ^ "Hans Christian Andersen Awards". International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Retrieved 2013-07-22.
- ^ "US Nominees for the Hans Christian Andersen Award". AndersenAward-winners-and-nominees.pdf Archived 2015-10-31 at the Wayback Machine, page 2. United States Board on Books for Young People. 2008. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
- ^ "Regina Medal". Catholic Library Association. Retrieved 2013-07-22.
- ^ "Marcia Brown - Biography".
- ^ KELLOGG, CAROLYN (2015-05-07). "Caldecott-winning illustrator Marcia Brown, 96, has died". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2022-01-09.
External links
edit- Marcia Brown Papers, Special Collections at the University of Southern Mississippi (de Grummond Children's Literature Collection)
