THE KERLAN COLLECTION Children’s Literature Research Collections

SPRING 2020 NEWSLETTER | CO-SPONSORED BY THE KERLAN FRIENDS AND THE CLRC

45th Annual Kerlan Award Honoring

The Kerlan Friends have awarded the 2020 Kerlan Award to Jon Scieszka in recognition of singular attainments in the creation of children’s literature and in appreciation for his generous donation of unique resources to the Kerlan Collection for the study of children’s literature.

About Jon Scieszka Jon Scieszka (pronounced “SHEH-ska”) was appointed the frst National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature in January 2008. The position was created by the to raise national awareness of the importance of young people’s literature as it relates to lifelong literacy, education, and the Jon Scieszka development and betterment of the lives of young people.

The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs Jon’s frst book, The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs by A. Wolf (1989, Viking), illustrated by , was groundbreaking. This fractured retelling of a well-known fable from the point- of-view of an unreliable narrator (the Wolf) was a laugh-out- Kerlan Award Ceremony loud, read-aloud delight that soon became a classic. Tuesday, April 14, 2020 Reviewers have praised the book. Kirkus Reviews wrote Doors open at 5:30 p.m. that “Scieszka carries of this revision with suitably mordant Program at 6:00 p.m. humor, ably refected in Smith’s dark, elegantly sophisticated Elmer L. Andersen Library, Rm 120, illustrations,” while Publisher’s Weekly praised the work as University of Minnesota, West Bank, having been “designed with uncommon fair.” 222 21st Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455 This event is free and open to the public, but 2020 Kerlan Award: Jon Scieszka cont. on page 6 attendees should register: z.umn.edu/kerlan2020

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. To receive this information in alternative formats, or for disability accommodations, contact CLRC at [email protected] or 612-624-4576. Contents From the Kerlan Board President

Kerlan Award ...... 1 Dear Kerlan Friends, From the Board President . . . 2 My time as President of the Kerlan Friends Board has come Chase Lecture ...... 3 to a close. I wish to express my appreciation and admiration for all the amazing Kerlan Friends I have met while From the Curator ...... 4 Mary Schultz participating in planning meetings, board meetings, follow Recent Acquisitions ...... 5 up work meetings, and casual meet ups with Friends at our many Kerlan Kerlan Award cont...... 6-7 Events. I have had opportunities for listening, learning, growing, teaching, Melissa Sweet, Some Writer! . . 8 mentoring, researching and community engagement.

Kerlan Friends Board Members The members of the Kerlan Friends Board have been diligent in promoting Alexandro Genis Marek Oziewicz education, communication, and access to the Children’s Literature Research JoAnn Jonas Mary Rockcastle Collections/Kerlan Collection (CLRC) through supporting the development of Maythee Kantar Mary H. Schultz online projects, exhibits, programs, and internships. Andrew Karre Julie Schumacher Verla Klassen Jean Stevenson When I visit with people at a Kerlan event, I am often asked how we help Leah Larson Katie Weiblen visitors use the materials that are held in the CLRC. A few examples include Tamara Lee Gretchen Wronka a graduate student who was interested in digging deep into the archives in Brian Nerney preparation for a presentation and paper, an elementary teacher who was The Children’s Literature Research looking for a way of connecting social studies to art and literature, and a Collection’s Kerlan Collection is an middle school teacher who wanted to learn more about books for readers internationally recognized center who have not yet found books to be excited about. The volunteers (many of research in the feld of children’s of whom are retired teachers and librarians), the staf, and interns all have literature. The Collection contains original materials, including manuscripts, artwork, opportunities to explore the Kerlan Collection and answer these queries and galleys, and color proofs for more than many more. 1,700 children’s book creators. These When the Kerlan Friends has exhibited at children’s literature events in the materials represent over a century of American children’s books and selected area, I have greatly enjoyed exhibiting and sharing Kerlan process art, fnal titles published in other countries. The art, working manuscripts, and correspondence between illustrators, authors Kerlan Collection also includes more than and editors. This school year, attendees would have found us in Red Wing at 110,000 children’s books. the Anderson Center Children’s Book Festival, Twin Cities Book Festival, The The spring 2020 newsletter is Hubbs Children’s Literature Conference at St. Thomas, CEHD’s Book Week co-sponsored by the Kerlan Friends with Donna Jo Napoli, and the Indigenous Representations: A Literature and the CLRC. Workshop at St. Catherine University. Content: Lisa Von Drasek Production Editor: Caitlin Marineau I will continue as past president and volunteer to mentor the interns who are Design: Mary Brozic delving into the archives for their educational programs at the Minneapolis Children’s Literature Research Collections College of Art and Design and the St. Catherine MLIS program. University of Minnesota All of these marvelous intersections and teaching moments occur only 113 Andersen Library 222–21st Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455 because of the support of the Kerlan Friends for the acquisitions, exhibits, and T: 612-624-4576 programs. Thank you for being part of our community and bringing our work E-mail: [email protected] into yours. We encourage present members to gift membership to the younger http://www.lib.umn.edu/clrc/ people in their lives so that they might know that these treasures are available © 2020 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota. to the next generation for teaching and learning. Emily’s Blue Period, original art by Lisa Brown. Published by Neal Porter Books in 2014. I hand over this space to Jean Stevenson, professor emeritus of UMN Duluth, the incoming president of the board.

Page 2 2020 Spring Kerlan Collection Newsletter Grace Lin: 2020 Naomi C. Chase Lecture

Putting Books to Work: Mirrors of Your Child’s Bookshelf,” as well as hosting The 2020 Chase Lecture with the two podcasts: kidlitwomen* and Book Friends Grace Lin Forever. In 2016, Grace’s art was displayed at the How can we make multicultural White House where Grace was recognized by President children’s literature more Obama’s ofce as a Champion of Change for Asian mainstream? Grace Lin, a New American and Pacifc Islander Art and Storytelling. York Times bestselling author More information about Grace can be found on her Grace Lin and illustrator, shows how we can website (www.gracelin.com). encourage children to read books The event is free and open to the public. CEUs are with culturally diverse characters. Using her experiences available. as a child, a mother, and an author as examples, Lin discusses ways that we can use books as tools to Award-winning author Grace Lin explores how we integrate diversity into our children’s lives. can “put books to work” to integrate diversity into our children’s lives. Grace Lin won the Newbery Honor for Where the Mountain Meets the Moon and the Theodor Geisel Honor for Ling and Ting. Her most recent novel, When: When the Sea Turned to Silver, was a National Book Tuesday, April 21, 2020 | 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM CDT Award Finalist and her most recent picture book, A Big Where: Mooncake for Little Star, was awarded the Caldecott Willey Hall 125, 225 19th Avenue South Honor. Grace is also an occasional commentator for University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 New England Public Radio, a reviewer for the New York This event is free and open to the public but attendees Times, a video essayist for PBS NewsHour, and the should register: z.umn.edu/GraceLin speaker of the popular TEDx talk, “The Windows and

Kerlan Friends Welcome Jean Stevenson, New President of the Board Visit Our Collection of Digital Exhibits: z.umn.edu/digital

Little Red Riding Hood: A Comparative Folk Tale Study

Children’s Book Art: Techniques and Media

Balloons Over Broadway, Melissa Sweet, and the Engineering of a Picture Book

The Making of Picture Book Illustrations: What is Preseparated Art? Incoming President Kerlan Friends Jean Stevenson and Past-president Mary Schultz

2020 Spring Kerlan Collection Newsletter Page 3 From the Curator

What is the job of curator? To fnd, preserve, and create access to “stuf.” Yes, that is the bottom line. One of the ways that we create access is to communicate about our holdings. This can be accomplished through speaking engagements (examples include the University Women’s Club and teaching classes), loaning materials to institutions around the world (including the Millesgården Lisa Von Drasek Museum in Stockholm where 34 of our Gustaf Tenggren paintings are currently on display), and writing (such as the Blue Ox Review, Children and Libraries, and Shelf Awareness). In addition, I present at conferences. On March 28, 2020, I will be presenting with teacher and cartoonist Ivan Brunetti to the members of the National Art Education Association. “Comics in the Classroom: An Integrated Art Response Across the Curriculum” will be a rare opportunity to experience the groundbreaking work of Eisner Award-winning cartoonist Ivan Brunetti (Cartooning: Philosophy and Practice, Comics Easy as ABC: The Essential Guide to Comics for Kids) as we demonstrate the use of mentor texts like Babymouse, Captain Underpants, and Benny and Penny; the cartoonist’s process; as well as how k-12 art educators can provide opportunities for making comics across the curriculum. We are inviting the attendees for a visit to Andersen Library on Thursday March 26th from 2:00 to 3:30 to have a hands-on experience with the original art of major illustrators like Tomie dePaola, Virginia Lee Burton, Wanda Gag, Mellissa Sweet, James McMullan, Betsy Bowen, Clement Hurd, Lois Ehlert, Gustaf Tenggren, and James Marshall. In addition to the art educators, we will be saving 25 spots for Kerlan Friends who wish to join us. Email me at asc- [email protected] with the subject heading “Art Educators” to reserve your spot. Please include your name, email, and phone number.

Judging the Bologna Ragazzi The BolognaRagazzi Award is among the world’s most highly regarded international prizes in children’s publishing. I had the honor of judging the 2020 illustrated children’s books.

THANK YOU, MARY SCHULTZ “Mary’s contributions exceed the work of the CLRC. As Kerlan Friends Board President her calm leadership in the face of tight deadlines and unexpected changes modeled how to approach challenges. The CLRC staff, students, and interns are grateful for leadership in professional work expectations and completion of outstanding projects like Children’s Book Art: Techniques and Media and Little Red Riding Hood: A Comparative Folk Tale Study.”

The judges, left to right: Birthe Steinbeck – Germany, Nicolette Jones – – Lisa Von Drasek, Curator Great Britain, Lisa Von Drasek – U.S.A.,Dina Bass – Italy

Page 4 2020 Spring Kerlan Collection Newsletter Recent Acquisitions

Kate DiCamillo: Original drafts and production material Marcia L. Owen: Original for various books written by DiCamillo, as well as artwork by Leonard Weisgard, international editions of her works Tasha Tudor, and Robert Lawson, donated by Owen John Coy: Original drafts, F&Gs, and production material for multiple titles written by Coy Ruth Heller: Original illustrations for Merriam Phoebe Erickson: Original piece of artwork donated by Webster’s Primary Marjorie Hirsch Dictionary, donated by Anne Pellowski: Personal and professional Philip Heller correspondence, and other materials related to Margaret Read MacDonald: Pellowski’s life and work as a writer and educator Original materials related to Robert Lawson, Happy Claudia Mills: Drafts and production material for her the children’s book’s Tough Valley – Winter new novel Nixie Ness, Cooking Star Tug and The Wishing Foxes Donna Jo Napoli: Typescripts and correspondence for The collection her upcoming novel In a Flash has acquired 124 Jill McElmurry: Original artwork for children’s books titles from the illustrated by McElmurry, donated by Eric Webster recommended-for- purchase book list Melissa Sweet: Endpaper collage for Some Writer! “American Indian The Story of E.B. White Literature Resources for Educators” presented at the Indigenous Representations: A Literature Workshop, at St. Catherine University in November 2019. The full bibliography can be viewed at z.umn.edu/IndigenousRepresentations

Become a Kerlan Friend with an annual donation!

THERE ARE FOUR LEVELS OF MEMBERSHIP: Student (full-time) $10 Kerlan Friend $25 Kerlan Collector $100 Special Patron $1,000 If you would like to become a Friend, donate online at z.umn.edu/kerlanfriends. Volunteer Chris Faust getting one of the frst looks of the Sweet egg collage.

2020 Spring Kerlan Collection Newsletter Page 5 2020 Kerlan Award: Jon Scieszka cont. from page 1

Jon on his process and inspiration “I read everything — comic books, newspapers, cereal boxes, poems — anything with writing on it. My favorite things to read are fairy tales, myths, and legends. When I’m not reading, I listen to music, watch cartoons, and sit in my chair and just think about stuf. I’ve always thought about being an author. One of the frst books I read was Green Eggs and Ham, by Dr. Seuss. It made me realize that books could be goofy. It’s the book that made The Stinky Cheese Man possible! “I write books because I love to make kids laugh. I knew Lane Smith (illustrator of The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, The Stinky Cheese Man and Squids Will Be Squids) would do a great job because we like a lot of the same cartoons and books and ideas. And we laugh at each other’s bad jokes all of the time. Our audience is hardcore silly kids, and there are a lot of ‘em out there! My motto in writing is: “Never underestimate the intelligence of your audience.” Kids can be silly and smart!” (From the Scholastic Teacher’s Activity Guide “Fractured Fairy Tales & Fables.”)

Humor It is no secret that Scieszka’s books are funny. The picture books with Lane Smith, amusing fractured tales like Stinky Cheese Man and Squids Will Be Squids, and the absurdity of Math Curse, centering on math anxiety when everything becomes a math problem, all use humor as a way to tell stories and engage readers. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) takes center-stage again with the entertaining Science Verse, a story about a teacher who tells his class that they can hear the poetry of science in everything and a student is struck with a curse where he hears nothing but science verses that sound very much like some well-known poems. (Credit for these books must not only be given to the Scieszka’s writing and Lane Smith’s artwork, but to book designer Molly Leach, as the layout and page turns design tell much of story.)

Chapter Books Jon Scieszka’s frst foray into the early chapter book began with the Time Warp Trio series. A young reviewer, Nicolaj B., age 10, noted in Cricket Magazine: “For all science fction, magic, and time-traveling lovers, The Time Warp Trio books are, in my opinion, one of the best book series ever! It’s about three friends, Joe, Sam, and Fred. Joe gets a magical book from his uncle, and because of that, they are shot into hilarious adventures in time, from the years 1000 to 2095. A perfect mood is set by the wacky illustrations by Lane Smith and Adam McCauley.” (Vol. 43, Issue 7)

National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature In a 2008 interview with American Libraries, Jon was asked what his role was going to be as frst National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Jon said, “To be a champion for children’s books and promote all the books that we have available to us. I’ve met all kinds of spectacular authors and it gives me great hope that there’s a book out there for every kid.”

Page 6 2020 Spring Kerlan Collection Newsletter 2020 Kerlan Award: Jon Scieszka cont. from page 1

Memoir In Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Mostly True Stories About Growing Up, Scieszka brings his “all is fair in writing” philosophy to new heights as he recalls in short chapters what it was like growing up with his f ve siblings in Flint, Michigan, as the son of a school principle and a nurse. A book for all ages f lled with family photos and memorabilia, this book is a gift as a mentor text to inspire students and families to recall, retell, and write about their own f awed adventures of childhood.

Always Surprising Jon Scieszka’s body of work shows a never-ending curiosity, willingness to experiment, and the ability to meet the readers where they are in their literacy journey. The Truck Town series provides an opportunity for preschoolers to play, shout, run, and explore their emotional growth through picture books and emergent readers. Battle Bunny gives children permission to despise a book and change it to suit their own sensibilities. Jon returns to science as his protagonist Frank Einstein solves the mysteries of the universe through subjects like matter and energy, subversively engaging readers in real science experiments.

Guys Read Jon Scieszka learned that boys’ reading scores lagged dramatically behind girls and was concerned that this literacy gap was not raising many alarms among parents and teachers. He knew that kids wanted more action, more science, more facts, humor, and adventure. He created Guys Read as a web-based literacy program that strived to motivate boys to read by connecting them with materials they want to read, in ways they like to read (see www.guysread.com). Jon continues to promote the work of others, most recently in Review round-up of high interest graphic format titles: “For the last couple of decades, I’ve been wrestling with the complicated challenge of getting kids to read more — especially boys, who are more likely than girls to turn away from reading books as a pastime. When desperate parents, teachers and librarians ask me how to get their ‘reluctant readers’ to open a book, I’ve found that the best short answer is: Help kids choose something they’ll want to read... Emerging readers of the crucial ages 7 to 12 can now choose graphic books from an inspiring variety of genres — humor, nonf ction, fantasy, action/adventure and drama. I’ve found that many of those so-called reluctant readers will light up at the sight of a graphic novel.” (“Getting 21st-Century Kids to Read More Books,” January 14, 2020). Scieszka’s most recent series is the middle-grade graphic novel series AstroNuts.

“AstroNuts is fun and silly with a heart of science! Give this to your curious readers.” – Jennifer L. Holm, Author of the Babymouse series

2020 Spring Kerlan Collection Newsletter Page 7 Nonproft Org. U.S. Postage PAID TWIN CITIES, MN Children’s Literature Research Collections Permit No. 90155 612-624-4576 • [email protected] 113 Elmer L. Andersen Library 222 – 21st Avenue South Minneapolis, MN 55455

Original collage for Some Writer! The Story of E.B. White, Melissa Sweet papers