Tony Chen Papers

The collection contains correspondence from Chen to the de Grummond Collection, photographs of Chen, and material for twenty-four books published between 1962 and 1983, two of which Chen both wrote and illustrated. Also included is a 1988 de Grummond Collection Christmas card designed by Chen. The material for the books is arranged alphabetically by title; within each title the organization of the material reflects the probable order in which it was created.

Chen spent his youth in Jamaica where he encountered many exotic animals and landscapes. As he grew older he began to draw, paint, and sculpt, using these early experiences as material for his art. The collection contains material from twenty years of Chen's career as an illustrator of children's books, and many of the illustrations are of the unusual creatures and settings for which he is recognized. For About Owls (1975), a book describing the habits and characteristics of various species of owls, the collection has one illustration and material relating to the dust jacket and an exhibit. After Dark (1975) explores the sights and sounds that night brings to a child's home. For this title, the collection includes a dummy, two illustrations, proofs, and paste-ups for the endpapers and dust jacket. For Breakfast With the Birds (1972), the tale of a Japanese boy and his fortune-telling mynah bird, the collection contains five double-page illustrations and seven color separations. The Cozy Book (1982) describes in verse a number of places, sounds, smells, activities and feelings that are "cozy." The collection has five double-page illustrations for this title. The collection has color separations for The Cucumber Stem (1980), an adaptation of an old Bengali folktale. There are 20 of Chen's illustrations for the Doubleday Illustrated Children's Bible (1983). For Do You Know A Cat? (1968), which tells of the unique accomplishments of seven special cats, the collection includes one illustration.

The Fisherman's Son (1979), adapted from a Georgian folk tale, is the story of a young man who enlists the help of different animals in accomplishing the tasks set him by the woman he wishes to marry. The collection has one double-page illustration for this title. There are two illustrations for Flying Fur, Fin and Scale (1977), a book about animals other than birds that can fly. For Follow a Fisher (1973), which describes the domain and habits of fishers or North American weasels, the collection contains a dummy and six illustrations. Hello, Small Sparrow (1971) is a collection of haiku by Hannah Lyons Johnson. Included in the Chen Collection are a dummy and four illustrations. For It's About Birds (1978), a book describing the characteristics and habits of birds found at the beach and in the city, country and zoo, the collection has a dummy and twelve illustrations. There are a dummy and an illustration with text paste-up for Little Koala (1979), a book about a baby koala from its birth to its first birthday when it must leave its mother. Similarly, Little Wild Lion Cubs (1980) follows the development of a lion from its birth until, at two years, it is no longer a cub. The collection has eleven illustrations for this title and the 1987 de Grummond Christmas card which featured an adapted illustration from this book.

Many Hands Cooking (1974) is an international cookbook for girls and boys. For this title the collection includes one illustration. For Once We Went On A Picnic (1975), a rhyming account of four children's adventures, the collection contains four illustrations. Pond Life: Watching Animals Find Food (1970) describes the feeding habits of animals living in and around a pond and how these habits affect the ecology of the area. The collection includes a dummy, three illustrations and two color separations. For The Princess and the Admiral (1974), the story of what happens to the Tiny Kingdom when a fleet of warships attacks, the collection has ten illustrations. The Riddle of the Drum (1979) by Verna Aardema is a tale from Tizapan, Mexico. Included in the collection for this title are nine of Chen's illustrations, one of which is for the dust jacket.

For The Rock Hound's Book (1973), a guide to collecting and identifying rocks and minerals, the collection has nine illustrations and six proofs. Run, Zebra, Run (1972), written and illustrated by Chen, is a collection of haiku describing the wonders of the animal world and their impending destruction as a result of man's technological advances. The collection has a dummy for this title. Too Many Crackers (1962) was the first children's book Chen illustrated. For this title the collection includes two illustrations. In The White Horse (1971), a boy finds a magic horse while visiting the zoo. The collection has three illustrations, one of which is for the cloth cover. For The Wonderful World of Seals and Whales (1984) the collection contains eight illustrations.