Jones Distinguished Lecture announced
An author, historian and critic in the world of children’s literature will be the Jones Distinguished Lecturer this fall.
Leonard Marcus, an authority on children’s books and the authors and artists who create them, will give a free presentation Wednesday, November 18 at 7 p.m. in the Memorial Union’s Kanza Room on the ESU campus.
The lecture, entitled “A New Deal for the Nursery: Golden Books and the Democratization of American Children’s Book Publishing,” is the behind-the-scenes tale of the visionary enterprise that brought together top authors and artists, advanced printing technology, and savvy marketing talent to make Golden Books a household name.
Along with a book about the Golden Books series, Marcus has also written book a book about Margaret Wise Brown, author of Goodnight Moon and Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom, an anthology of letters to many of the greats of children's literature. Other works of his include Minders of Make-Believe, A Caldecott Celebration, Side by Side, Storied City, and The Wand in the Word. His recent children's books include Pass It Down: Five Picture-Book Families Make Their Mark, and Funny Business: Conversations with Writers of Comedy.
Marcus is a trusted critic, currently writing for The New York Times Book Review, The Horn Book, and Publishers Weekly, among other publications. His book reviews appeared in every issue of Parenting magazine for 21 years. He is a three-time judge of the New York Times Best Illustrated Books of the Year prize, a standing member of The Ezra Jack Keats New Writer Award committee, and was a judge of the 1996 National Book Awards. Marcus has been a featured guest of ABC's Good Morning America, C-SPAN 2 Book TV, Fox Network's Good Morning Sunday, and National Public Radio's All Things Considered and Talk of the Nation.
“Mr. Marcus’s depth of knowledge about the authors and illustrators of children’s books is truly amazing,” said Jones Institute special projects director Lucie Eusey.
Along with his lecture on Wednesday night, there will be a special exhibit of original Caldecott-winning artwork from the ESU Archives’ May Massee collection. The exhibit, reception, and opportunity to buy books will take place from 6-6:50 p.m. A book signing, exhibit viewing, and refreshments will follow the presentation. The reception is hosted by Phi Delta Kappa, Flint Hills Chapter.
In addition to the evening lecture, an additional lecture for educators will be presented on Thursday, November 19 at 3 p.m. in ESU’s Visser Hall, Room 330. There, Marcus will address Minders of Make-Believe: Children's Book History in Ten Giant Steps from The New England Primer to Harry Potter. This wide-ranging illustrated talk highlights the key moments in a lively 300-year-old debate that has often made allies – or enemies – of the nation’s publishers, librarians, religious leaders, parents, and educators.
This will be the 22nd Annual Jones Distinguished Lecture. It is sponsored by the Jones Institute for Educational Excellence and ESU Archives. Both events are free and open to the public.
Last Updated October 20, 2009>