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James Marshall Papers

 Collection
Identifier: CLRC-55

Scope and Contents

The collection contains production materials, primarily artwork, for children's books created or illustrated by author and illustrator James Marshall, both published and unpublished. A large portion of the collection is composed of his sketchbooks, while additional material includes original illustrations, process art and studies, color separations, proofs, and related materials.

Dates

  • 1971 - 1993

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Open for use in the Elmer L. Andersen Library reading room.

Conditions Governing Use

This collection may be protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under the fair use provision of the copyright law.

Biographical / Historical

James Marshall was born October 10, 1942, in San Antonio, Texas. He attended the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, and graduated from Southern Connecticut State College in 1967. In 1970 he began working as a freelance author and illustrator, and the following year illustrated his first book for children, Plink, Plink, Plink by Byrd Baylor.

In 1972 Marshall published the first of his George and Marthabooks, the story of two hippos humorously conveying their experiences and friendship.

The Stupidsseries, written by Harry Allard and illustrated by Marshall, satirize the American nuclear family of the 1950s, while their Miss Nelson series tells of the clever schoolteacher and her alter-ego who teach the misbehaving students at the Horace Smedley School Marshall also retold and illustrated a number of classic fairy tales; his retelling of Goldilocks and the Three Bearswas awarded a Caldecott Honor citation in 1989. Marshall also wrote a number of books under the pseudonym Edward Marshall, including some of his Fox series

Marshall died on October 13, 1992, in New York.

Biographical Sources: Something About the Author, vols. 6, 51, 75 Children's Literature Review, vol. 21

Extent

7.75 Cubic Feet (9 boxes [5 record cartons, 1 hollinger box, 3 flat boxes])

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection contains production material, including original illustrations and color separations, for children's books created by author and illustrator James Marshall.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged into two series:

1) Sketchbooks 2) Published and unpublished works

Sketchbooks are arranged and numbered as they were described by the estate, with description listing idenfied titles or characters within them, although additional material may be found within them, as well.

Published and unpublished works are arranged alphabetically by title.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Gift of James Marshall, with additional material donated by his estate.

Related Materials

Collections of James Marshall's papers are also held by the University of Southern Mississippi and the University of Connecticut.

Title
James Marshall Papers, 1971-1993
Status
Completed
Author
Jim Eyer and John Barneson
Date
2004
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Revision Statements

  • October 2018: Collection reprocessed and collection guide updated by Caitlin Marineau.

Collecting Area Details

Contact The Children's Literature Research Collections Collecting Area

Contact:
Suite 113, Elmer L. Andersen Library