Katherine Paterson Papers
Scope and Content
The collection contains production materials for titles published between 1974 and 2017, including two for adults on children's literature. The collection also includes a substantial amount of correspondence and a typescript for a speech given at King College. The collection includes manuscripts, typescripts, page proofs, notes, and research materials. Some of this material is in Japanese. There is also a typescript for a story that appeared in the magazine Presbyterian Survey and a copy of the magazine's Light of Love 1989 Advent Calendar. The correspondence is placed with titles it refers to, with the miscellaneous correspondence and its accompanying material placed under the Personal series.
Dates
- 1973 - 2017
Creator
- Paterson, Katherine (Person)
Restrictions on Access
Items in this collection do not circulate and may be used in-house only. Materials will be retrieved from and returned to storage areas by staff members.
Restrictions on Use
Please contact staff regarding copyright status of these materials. Researchers may quote from the collection under fair use provisions of the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code).
Biographical Sketch
Katherine Paterson was born October 31, 1932 in Qing Jiang, China, and came to the United States in 1940. She attended King College in Bristol, Tennessee, graduating in 1954, and received a M.A. from Presbyterian School of Christian Education in 1957. She did postgraduate study at the Kobe School of Japanese Language from 1957 to 1960 and the Union Theological Seminary in New York City, M.R.E. in 1962.
Katherine Paterson worked as a teacher and missionary prior to writing children's books. She published her first book for children and young adults, The Sign of the Chrysanthemum, in 1973. Like many of her later works, it is historical fiction set in East Asia and draws on Paterson's knowledge of the civilizations, languages, and history of the area and her deep appreciation of Asian cultures. In 1977, she published Bridge to Terabithia, the story of two children's close friendship and an imaginary world that is shattered when they are faced with tragedy. The book won Katherine Paterson the first of her two Newbery Awards. She received the second Newbery Award for Jacob Have I Loved, the story of twins, Louise and Caroline, and the intense sibling rivalry Louise feels towards her twin and how she learns to overcome it.
Many of Katherine Paterson's books deal with the search for identity and finding one's own role in a family. In all her books for children and young adults she draws on the three things she considers have shaped her life and work: her childhood in Asia, living in the American South, and her strong religious beliefs, grounded in her Presbyterian faith and its strong Calvinist foundation. Katherine Paterson won the Kerlan Award in 1983. She has also received many other awards for her writing.
Biographical Source: Something About the Author, Vol. 92, p. 175-182
Extent
12 Linear Feet (12 boxes)
Language of Materials
English
Japanese
Abstract
Katherine Paterson's papers focus on her work as an author and translator of children's and young adult literature. The collection includes production material as well as a substantial amount of correspondence and a typescript of a speech given by Katherine Paterson on her work. The collection contains manuscripts, typescripts, page proofs, notes, correspondence, clippings, reviews and research materials. Some of the production material is in Japanese.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged alphabetically by title.
Source of acquisition
Gift of Katherine Paterson
- Arthur, King -- Legends Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Brothers and sisters -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Bullying -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children -- Books and reading Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's literature -- Authorship Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's plays, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's stories, American Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- China -- History -- Taiping Rebellion, 1850-1864 -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Christian life -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Christmas stories Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Country music -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Cows -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Death -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dogs -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Ducks -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Dysfunctional families -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Factories -- Fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Fairies -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Fairy tales Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Families -- Vermont -- Fiction. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Farm life -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Fathers and sons -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Folklore -- Japan Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Foster home care -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Fugitive slaves -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Great-grandmothers -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Grief -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Identity (Psychology) -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Imagination -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Japan -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Japan -- History -- Gempei Wars, 1180-1185 -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Jesus Christ (Depicted) -- Biography -- Juvenile literature
- Kindness -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Kings and rulers -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Knights and knighthood -- Folklore Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Labor unions -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Mothers and daughters -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Musicians -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Muslims -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Plants in the Bible -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Princesses -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Puppets -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Refugee camps -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Refugees -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Self-reliance -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Sisters -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Slavery -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Sparrows -- Folklore -- Juvenile literature Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Stepfathers -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Strikes and lockouts -- Textile industry -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Twins -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Vietnamese Americans -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Work -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- World War, 1939-1945 -- Massachusetts -- Juvenile fiction Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Katherine Paterson Papers, 1973-2017
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Christina Cowan, April 1995; Lois Steer, November, 2004
- Date
- November 2004
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Revision Statements
- December 23, 2015: EAD updated by Teresa Tjepkes, collection reprocessed by Payal Doshi.
- September 16, 2016: EAD updated Katelyn Ostby
- April 2019: New material added and collection guide updated.
- June 2020: Description updated by Caitlin Marineau.
Collecting Area Details
Contact The Children's Literature Research Collections Collecting Area
