| Leonard S. Marcus |
| Children's Book Historian, Author, Critic |
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| Presentations |
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Leonard Marcus is one of the children's-book world's most engaging and versatile speakers.
Contact him about coming to your library, school, convention,
or group meeting to give any the programs listed below.
Programs can also be planned to meet your group's specific needs. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
| Pre-school - grade 6 |
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GUESS WHO LIVES IN THE GREAT GREEN ROOM? A slide talk and conversation, partly in guessing-game format, about the adventurous life and times of Goodnight Moon author Margaret Wise Brown. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
| Grades 4 - 6 |
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DO YOU SEE WHAT I SEE? TELLING STORIES WITH WORDS AND PICTURES What makes Where the Wild Things Are, The Stinky Cheese Man, and Goodnight Moon so special? In this informal illustrated workshop for sixth-graders, we take a closer look at each of the basic elements—story, illustrations, typography, cover image, and others—that make up a picture book, and see just how artists and writers go about creating a book worth reading again and again. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
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AUTHOR TALK A Slide program about the writing process and the writer's life, based on Author Talk, Leonard's book of conversations with Judy Blume, Lois Lowery, Lawrence Yep, and twelve other favorite writers for young people. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
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MOCK CALDECOTT WORKSHOP In this slide talk featuring lots of class participation, Leonard gives students a unique, behind-the-scenes look at how picture books are made. Aimed at honing children's visual literacy skills and as the ideal preparation for Mock Caldecott projects, this program is based in part on the new, expanded 2008 edition of Leonard's award-winning book A Caldecott Celebration. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
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SIDE BY SIDE A slide talk about how writers and artists work together to make picture books. Examples include Lane Smith and Jon Scieszka; Jerry Pinkney and Julius Lester; Alice and Martin Provensen. A lively introduction to the creative process and a good chance to talk about teamwork and the concept of collaboration. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
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WILD THINGS! PICTURE BOOK CLASSICS AND THEIR CREATORS A slide show and talk about the making of six books that won the Caldecott Medal, including Make Way for Ducklings and Where the Wild Things Are. Great for students engaged in author studies or in learning about how books are made. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
| Parents |
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READ ME A STORY, SING ME TO SLEEP: CHOOSING THE BEST BOOKS FOR YOUR CHILD Practical advice from one of the world's most respected critics about how to approach the daunting task of finding books your children will love and remember. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
| Families/Professional audiences |
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"A New Deal for the Nursery: Golden Books and the Democratization of American Children's Book Publishing" Golden Books revolutionized publishing for children when they first appeared during the 1940s, for the first time making quality children's books available everywhere, for just 25 cents each. In this illustrated presentation, renowned children's literature historian Leonard Marcus tells the fascinating 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. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
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MINDERS OF MAKE-BELIEVE: OR, CHILDREN'S BOOK HISTORY IN TEN GIANT STEPS FROM THE NEW ENGLAND PRIMER TO HARRY POTTER What should children read? In this wide-ranging illustrated talk, noted historian Leonard Marcus highlights the key moments in a lively three-hundred-year-old debate that has often made allies—or enemies—of the nation’s publishers, librarians, religious leaders, parents, and educators. Along the way, the genteel backwater that was once children’s book publishing somehow morphed into big business. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
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OF MICE AND MANHATTAN: Stuart Little and His Storybook Friends Find out from this entertaining slide presentation why New York City has inspired so many of children's literature's most memorable characters, from Stuart Little to Harriet the Spy and Eloise. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
| Librarians, Publishing Professionals, and Teachers |
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THE WAND IN THE WORD: Meeting the Masters of Modern Fantasy In this reading and discussion, Leonard shares his experiences of interviewing thirteen of the genre's greats, including Madeleine L'Engle, Susan Cooper, Lloyd Alexander, Diana Wynne Jones, Philip Pullman, and Jane Yolen. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
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LET THE WILD RUMPUS START: URSULA NORDSTROM AND THE MAKING OF THE MODERN PICTURE BOOK This slide presentation gives an inside look at the path-finding work of Harper's visionary editor of books for boys and girls. The focus is on the hands-on creation of such well-loved classics as Goodnight Moon, Harold and the Purple Crayon, Charlotte's Web, Where the Wild Things Are, and Harriet the Spy, and on Ursula Nordstrom's own thoughts on why some books last. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
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RANDOLPH CALDECOTT AND THE ART OF THE PICTURE BOOK This slide talk takes a many-sided look at the man behind one of childrens literature's most coveted prizes, and shows why Randolph Caldecott was indeed the father of the modern picture book. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
| Pediatricians, Child Psychologists, Educators, and Parents |
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CHILDREN'S BOOKS AND THE LADDER OF YEARS In this entertaining and innovative illustrated program, Leonard considers children's literature as a unique window on early childhood development. Focusing on such core issues as the establishment of trust, the development of family and peer relationships, and the consolidation of a secure and flexible self, this programs gives audiences a fuller understanding of the value for children of classics like Goodnight Moon and Where the Wild Things Are and other, more recent touchstone books. LeonardSMa@aol.com |
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