Martha's KidLit Newsletter

I began Martha’s KidLit Newsletter ten years ago as a way to search for books for my collection and to help other children’s book collectors in their searches. I saw a gap in media coverage of the children’s book community—especially for those of us interested in the “old” books; not necessarily classics but, you know, those “good” books. The thought of preserving some of these books from oblivion also occurred to me. And I thought it would be fun to meet other collectors and dealers who were interested in these “old” books. And it has been.

Some of the famous collectors I have met in this newsletter, both through their collections that I have seen or heard about and personally by telephone and correspondence, include Irwin Kerlan, Edward Nudelman, Anne and Fernand Renier, Elisabeth Ball, Marjorie Moon, Doris Frohnsdorff, Jesse Spencer, Father Gregory Carlson, S.J. I’ve met Dr. Kerlan by using parts of his collection now at the Children’s Literature Research Collection at the University of Minnesota, and Marjorie Moon I know through the Christie’s catalog for her auction in June 1995.

I viewed Jesse Spencer’s collection at Augustana College Library in Rock Island, Illinois, with the curator, Judy Belan. Spencer was a corporate lawyer whose collection included Kate Greenaway, Randolph Caldecott, and Arthur Rackham. His heirs wanted the 3,800 volume collection kept intact and within the community of Rock Island. Like many other collectors, we owe much to those early collectors who preserved these books for us.

The three collectors with whom I have personally spoken are Edward D. Nudelman, collector and biographer, whose specialty is Jesse Wilcox Smith; Doris Frohnsdorff, whose collection of Beatrix Potter materials was auctioned by Christie’s; and The Rev. Gregory Carlson, S.J., who wrote a wonderful article for the November 1996 Newsletter addressing the questions people have about collecting books of fables. I’ve met all these collectors because of the newsletter, and so have my readers.

Initially, the newsletter was published bimonthly. Each issue would feature a particular author, illustrator, or theme. The first year’s issues (1989) included special articles on L. M. Montgomery, Arthur Rackham, Andrew Lang, Beatrix Potter, E. Nesbit, but the issues also covered topics and themes such as the portrayal of minorities in children’s books before 1955, fantasy and science fiction genres, and the Stratemeyer Syndicate.

In the second year, I began with an issue devoted to Jesse Wilcox Smith and her work; other topics included the article by Michael Dowhan about Thornton Burgess and Harrison Cady books and Dr. Seuss and humor in children’s books.The Christmas issue focused on Hans Christian Andersen. I tried to find topics that would interest other collectors, but wrote most of the articles myself. I also offered tips about collecting, as well as news of conferences and exhibitions featuring children’s literature during the year.

So the pattern was set: an article about the featured author or illustrator along with book reviews, auction reports, stories about conferences and exhibitions, organizations and general information about children’s book collecting and advertisements from book dealers and want lists from collectors. Martha’s KidLit Newsletter also covers general news of the children’s literature community, including award announcements such as the winners of the Caldecott/Newbery Award, the Carnegie/Greenaway Medal, the Coretta Scott King Award, and the Governor General’s Award in Canada. I cover the particular conferences I attend: the 1993 Nancy Drew Conference held in Iowa City, Iowa, and the Beatrix Potter Conference in the Lake District, England. I also offer information about such special collections as the deGrummond Collection, the Elisabeth Ball Collection, the Kerlan Collection, the Renier Collection, and, most recently, the Osborne Collection at the Toronto Public Library.

A variety of books—award winners, reference books, and biographies—have been reviewed during the past ten years of the newsletter’s publication. A few of the books reviewed are Johnny Gruelle: Creator of Raggedy Ann and Andy by Patricia Hall, Margaret Brown: Awakened by the Moon by Leonard S. Marcus, Price Guide and Bibliography of...