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Media Relations
Kansas State University
9 Anderson Hall
Manhattan, KS 66506
785-532-6415
media@k-state.edu

Information provided by K-State Media Relations, K-State's news service, may be reproduced without permission. The marks and names of Kansas State University are protected trademarks and may not be used in any commercial or private endeavor without the approval of the university.

Sources: Anne Phillips, 785-532-2167, annek@k-state.edu;
and Philip Nel, 785-532-2165, philnel@k-state.edu
News release prepared by: Andy Badeker, 785-532-6415, media@k-state.edu

Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008

SCHOLAR OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE TO SPEAK AT K-STATE

MANHATTAN -- Leonard S. Marcus, an author and expert on American children's books, will speak about the history of children's literature at 4 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 2, in the Hemisphere Room at Kansas State University's Hale Library.

"Marcus is among the top scholars of children's books," said Philip Nel, director of K-State's children's literature program. "He's written a few children's books, too, including 'Oscar: The Big Adventure of a Little Sock Monkey.'"

Marcus' recent works include a history of the Little Golden Books and the first-ever history of the American children's book business.

"That's what he'll be talking about here at K-State," Nel said. The title of his book and lecture is "Minders of Make-Believe: Idealists, Entrepreneurs and the Shaping of American Children's Literature."

Later that same day, at 7:30 p.m. at the Manhattan Public Library, 629 Poyntz Ave., Marcus will give a talk for adults and school-age children on Caldecott-winning books: "Wild Things! Picture Book Classics and Their Creators." Book signings will follow both talks, which are free and open to the public. The events are sponsored by K-State's department of English, Hale Library and the Manhattan Public Library.

"My favorite book by Leonard Marcus, and one I often use in my teaching and research, is 'Dear Genius,'" said Anne Phillips, associate head of K-State's department of English. The book collects editor Ursula Nordstrom's letters to authors and illustrators, including Maurice Sendak, Shel Silverstein, Margaret Wise Brown and E.B. White. "This is an enormously useful resource because of its representation of the writing and editing of many well-known American children's books, as well as their reception."

Marcus directs Parenting magazine's annual best books awards and frequently contributes to The New York Times Book Review, Washington Post Book World, The Horn Book and Publishers Weekly.

More information on Marcus is available at his Web site, http://www.leonardmarcus.com/