Fall 2003

Contents

• Free to Read Book Week 2003
• From the Curator
• Recent Acquisitions
• Recent Visitors
• Past Events
• Service Elderhostel
• Current Exhibits
• Staff and Award News
• Gifts
• Author Events: Karen Gündisch and Lensey Namioka

Free to Read Book Week 2003

Kate DiCamillo Photo Candlewick Press	Featured Speaker: Kate DiCamillo The speaker for this year's Book Week will be Kate DiCamillo. Her first book, Because of Winn-Dixie, won a Newbery Honor Award as well as many other awards. Her second book, The Tiger Rising, was a National Book Award finalist. Her most recent book, The Tale of Despereaux has just been released. Manuscript drafts from Because of Winn-Dixie and The Tiger Rising will be on display. Book Week events also include a display and review of new books. Cost is $10 for Appetizers and the Lecture. Please send check (no cash please) payable to University of Minnesota, by October 8 to: Cathy Zemke, Book Week, 125 Peik Hall, 159 Pillsbury Drive SE, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0208. See the schedule opposite for dates and times. Contact Cathy Zemke at 612-625-7835 or email zemke001@umn.edu with any questions. For more information visit http://education.umn.edu/NBYR.html This event is co-sponsored by the College of Education and Human Development and the Children’s Literature Research Collections.
	New Book Display 120A Andersen Library 12 p.m. to 6:15 p.m., Tuesday, October 14 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday, October 15 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday, October 16 Review of New Books 4:00 - 5:30 p.m., Tuesday, October 14 120 Andersen Library Appetizers from 5:30 -6:15 p.m. Catered by Two Good Cooks Evening Lecture 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, October 14 120B & C Andersen Library $10 for Appetizers and Lecture Suggested Parking: Holiday Inn Hwy 35W and Washington Avenue Books will be sold, courtesy of Red Balloon Bookstore.

From the Curator

Service Elderhostel Recap

Eighteen Service Elderhostelers arrived on campus Sunday afternoon July 13. They registered at the new Riverbend Dormitory and then walked to a nearby restaurant for supper. The evening orientation consisted of each person introducing herself or himself by name, by home location and by a verbal synopsis of a favorite children's book. Bobbie Cronquist is a U of MN alumni; Vera Carney is a Kerlan Friend. Conversations about children’s books continued throughout the week, thereby launching the first Elderhostel for the Children's Literature Research Collections (CLRC).

"Children's Book Special Collections Worldwide" and "Introduction to the CLRC", both accompanied by slides, were presentations by Curator Karen Hoyle. University Reference Librarian Susan Gangl used a projector for “Gustaf Tenggren” and Kerlan Friend Ruth Berman talked about aspects of the Oz series. Later, Kerlan Friend and Bethel College Teacher Adele Greenlee told about Carol Ryrie Brink's research for her book Caddie Woodlawn. Kerlan Friend and Marketing Chair Norma Gaffron talked about searching for original art, selecting, acquiring permissions, printing and selling greeting cards.

The participants helped with four projects, thereby providing the Service component. First, under the guidance of Greta Bahnemann, participants placed acid free barrier paper between pieces of art. John Barneson taught them how to measure special books for portfolios and supervised a project with processing posters. Karen Hoyle requested assistance with author and artist checklists of works by noting birth and death dates and the volume number of reference books providing biographical information for both staff and researchers. Paper copies of finding aids soon will be replicated in an archival electronic system called EAD.

Hallway window exhibits and table displays featured the manuscript drafts by the guest speakers. Pages with notes by both the author and editor noting suggested changes were placed next to dust jackets.

Guest speaker Lensey Namioka traveled from Seattle to talk about writing books as a Chinese American author who spent significant time in Japan. She writes books about contemporary family life and historical fiction about the Samurai in the medieval period and immigrants. Susan Marie Swanson encouraged reading and writing of poetry with people of all ages. Anne Ylvisaker talked about the observations and episodes that worked their way into her writing. Following each talk, the audience asked questions and then some purchased books for an autograph opportunity.

Off campus activities included a boat trip on the Padelford to which attendees at the Kerlan Friends annual meeting and CLRC volunteers were invited. Elderhosteler Evelyn Swanson and Dr. Edward B. Stanford chatted about times they were student and faculty in the Library School respectively. Some participants toured the nearby Open Book, with the Loft writing center, Milkweed Editions publisher and book arts activities.

Talks, service projects, exhibits, author presentations and off campus activities comprised the week that ended much too soon. Uncompleted conversations about books and treasures in the CLRC continue through correspondence.

--Karen Nelson Hoyle, Curator

Recent Acquisitions
These materials have been donated by the authors and/or illustrators and their families or third parties. Titles of new acquisitions are not listed if already reported in The Kerlan Collection: Manuscripts and Illustrations (1985) or in previous newsletters. Key: MS-manuscripts, IL-illustrations, TMS-translator’s manuscripts; published titles are indicated by italics.

Brenner, Barbara: MS Thinking About Ants

Bunting, Eve: MS Anna’s Tale; Bones of Fred McFee; Days of Summer; Girls A to Z; Little Badger; One Candle

Eve Bunting
Photo from Kerlan Collection

Domanska, Janina: IL I Saw a Ship a Sailing

Dupre, Kelly: MS & IL The Raven’s Gift: A True Story from Greenland

Koertge, Ron: MS Stoner and Spaz

Lewis, E.B.: IL Fire on the Mountain; The New King; Big Boy; Down the Road; The Magic Moonberry Jump Ropes; Magid Fasts for Ramadan; Only a Pigeon; Staying Cool; Creativity; I Love My Hair; Bat Boy and His Violin; Jazz of Our Streets; The Magic Tree; Little Cliff and the Porch People; My Rows and Piles of Coins; Dirt on Their Skirts; Virgie Goes to School; Faraway Home; The Times They Used to Be; The Other Side; Little Cliff's First Day at School; Bippity Bop Barbershop; Little Cliff and the Cold Place; Talkin' About Bessie; Jo-Jo's First Flight

E.B. Lewis illustration from I Love My Hair!
by Natasha Anastasia Tarpley

Mills, Claudia: MS Gus and Grandpa at Basketball; Gus and Grandpa and the Halloween Costume; 7 x 9 = Trouble!

Mikolaycak, Charles: IL
Orpheus; A Child’s Chanukah Festival: 8 Activities for Eight Nights: Games, Toys, Recipes; A Gift From Saint Nicholas; A Rumor of Pavel and Paali; Forerunner Foray; I Am Joseph; Journey to the Bright Kingdom; Read All About It; The 12 Clever Bothers and Other Fools; The Binding of Isaac; The Boy who Tried to Cheat Death; The Christmas Spider: A Puppet Play from Poland; The Feral Child; The Nine Crying Dolls : A Story from Poland; The Surprising Things Maui Did; Three Wanderers From Wapping; Westmark

Illustration from Orpheus
by Charles Mikolaycak

Rounds, Glen: IL Aesop’s Fables; Billy Boy; Boll Weevil; Crocodile’s Mouth; Glorious Morning; Kickle Sniffers and Other Fearsome Critters; Little Old Woman and the Jar of Umms; Lumbercamp; Mountain Men; Old Woman and the Willy Nilly Man; and materials from 100 other titles.

Yolen, Jane: MS Sword of the Rightful King

Recent Visitors

Sheila Goins from Louisiana State University searched for botany in picture books for her PhD. Thesis.

Sheila Goins.
PhD. candidate from Louisiana State University

Amy Sonheim from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas researched the Author-Illustrator-Editor relationship.

Author Jackie Eastman reviewed Ludwig Bemelmans scholarship since her book was published in 1996.

Timothy Jones, from Augustana College, studied Howard Pyle’s Robin Hood.

Susan Moore explored art for a possible Louisville Public Library exhibit.

Masahiko Todoroki visited from Japan to view original picture book art.

Ross Hoffman reviewed Paul Bunyan folklore and history.
Whitney Brown read correspondence and viewed art by her grandfather, illustrator Paul Brown.

Art teacher Sara Bledsoe sought children’s books about drawing horses.

Mary Ellen Brue read correspondence from Carol Ryrie Brink about Caddie Woodlawn.

Nancy Vogel looked for material on one-room schoolhouses.

Yumiko Fukumoto returned on a second visit from Tokyo, Japan and continued work on picture book art.

Past Events

Moldavian Librarians Visit the Collection

On June 25 a group of Librarians from Moldavia visited the Children’s Literature Research Collection for a tour of the facility and an overview of our collections. They were guests of the U.S. State Department.

Dr. Edward B. Stanford
Receives Distinguished Alumnus Award

Retired University of Minnesota Librarian Dr. Edward B. Stanford received the 2003 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Illinois School of Library and Information Science. A ceremony honoring him was held June 28, 2003 in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois.

Service Elderhostel

The week of July 13 - 18 brought the volunteer help of 18 Service Elderhostelers to the Kerlan Collection. Volunteers came from California to North Carolina. Most stayed on campus at the Riverbend Dormitory and walked across the river every morning to Andersen Library. The Elderhostelers worked on several projects for the Children’s Literature Research Collections, including the following:

Art Conservation - Volunteers checked some boxes of original artwork from the collection. They placed protective acid-free paper between the works of art and completed worksheets on the collection’s condition.

Portfolio Measuring - Measuring rare Kerlan Collection books, Elderhostelers generated order forms for protective portfolios that will preserve these materials for years to come.

Poster Processing - Volunteers processed new posters for the collection.

Manuscript Box Labeling - Volunteers labeled manuscript boxes for easier retrieval.

Author Checklists - Elderhostelers verified some biographical information for donor authors and illustrators.

The Pennsylvania State University: Exploring the Art of Children's Picture Books: A Celebration of Illustration
In August, we shipped original art to Penn State's HUB-Robeson Gallery in State College, PA for an exhibit entitled: Exploring the Art of Children's Picture Books: A Celebration of Illustration. Included in the exhibit is art by Tomie dePaola, Don Freeman, Clement Hurd, Chris Van Allsburg and Vera Williams. The exhibit, which runs through the October, explores the changing look of children's book illustration.

Shelburne Museum: The Hurd Family in Vermont Hits the Road!
When examples of Clement Hurd's work departed for Vermont this spring, we expected it home by late November. The Hurd Family, a retrospective exhibit of the family's work and life in Vermont opened to rave reviews at the Shelburne Museum. The exhibit was originally slated to run through October but may become a travelling exhibit. Watch the winter newsletter for information on future venues if the Hurds “hit the road”.

Coming in 2004
The Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford, PA is organizing the exhibit, Paul Revere's Ride and Longfellow's Legend. It is scheduled to open on September 11, 2004 with art on loan from the Kerlan Collection.

Staff and Award News

2003 Ezra Jack Keats Fellow

Kena Sosa, 2003 Ezra Jack Keats Fellowship winner, visited the collection the week of July 21 to July 25. Sosa, from Dallas, Texas, explored manuscripts and researched modern Japanese children’s literature. She had spent a year in Japan on a college exchange program. Kena’s career appears ready to take off. She states, “I have to admit, I had recently been a bit disillusioned with the publishing process. However, after the enormous reassurance Kerlan staff and the works themselves have given me, I managed to pump out a grand chunk of research, one new children’s story, and two new ideas in the making.” For more information on the Keats Fellowship and application materials for 2004, please visit:
http://special.lib.umn.edu/clrc/awards.html

2003 Ezra Jack Keats Fellowship winner
Kena Sosa views art in the CLRC reading room.

Staff Update

John Barneson joined the CLRC staff as a Library Assistant. His job description includes reference, daily operations, web development and staff liason to the Kerlan Award committee.

CLRC Library Assistant
John Barneson

Digital Collections Intern

Since May 2003, the CLRC has been fortunate to have Jason Wagner working on digital projects. Jason has helped CLRC staff update the Hess Collection website which will include digital samples of dime novels. In the near future Jason will assist the CLRC in updating the Kerlan Collection website. Visit http://special.lib.umn.edu/clrc for all the latest changes.

CLRC Intern Jason Wagner

The CLRC thanks the following people and organizations for their monetary gifts:
Billie Levy
Red Balloon Bookshop

Lensey Namioka (right) and Prof. Emerita
Chun-Jo Liu, Dept. of Asian Languages and
Literatures

Lensey Namioka Visit
On Thursday, July 17 Lensey Namioka spoke to a large crowd at Andersen Library. Lensey spoke about her interesting childhood in China and America and how she started writing. She answered questions after her talk and signed books. Namioka is best known for The Samurai and the Long-Nosed Devils. More recently she has written An Ocean Apart, a World Away and Half and Half.

Karen Gündisch Workshop and Talk

Join us Saturday, September 27 for an author talk in English at 1:30 - 3 p.m. Preceding the talk, from 10 a.m. - 12 noon, is a teacher’s workshop, in German. Karin Gündisch won the 2002 Mildred L. Batchelder Award for her book How I Became an American. The talk is free and open to the public. The event is sponsored by the European Studies Consortium and the local chapter of the American Association of Teachers of German, in collaboration with the University German Department and Goethe-Inter Nationes. Additional support provided by the Kerlan Friends and the Friends of the Library. Call 612-624-4576 with questions.