Adrienne Adams Papers
Scope and Contents
The collection contains correspondence from Adams to the de Grummond Collection, illustrated greeting cards, and material for eight titles published between 1960 and 1976. The titles are arranged alphabetically; materials within each title are arranged in the probable order of creation. Four titles are represented by dust jackets only: The Easter Egg Artist (1976), Poetry of Earth (1972), The Shoemaker and the Elves (1960), and A Woggle of Witches (1971).
Jorinda and Joringel (1968) is Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's story of two young lovers whose romance is thwarted by a wicked witch who casts a spell on Joringel, turns her into a bird, and locks her in a cage. For this title, the collection includes a sketch and paste-up for the title page, final illustrations, dust jacket material, and a drawing for the cloth cover. For The Mouse Palace (1964), a tale of an elaborate house built especially for a pair of beloved pet mice in old Siam, the collection contains a dummy with text and illustrations.
The collection includes an artist's thumbnail dummy for Summer's Coming In (1970), a blank verse narrative about English festivities marking the arrival of spring and summer. For Two Hundred Rabbits (1968), written by Adams's husband, Lonzo Anderson, the collection includes paste-ups. This is the story of a boy who, in an effort to entertain the king, makes a magic whistle that summons 199 marching rabbits. As Adams notes in the correspondence, this was one of her favorite books.
Dates
- 1960-1977
Conditions Governing Access
Non-circulating; available for research.
Conditions Governing Use
This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. Code). Reproductions can be made only if they are to be used for "private study, scholarship, or research." It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials.
Biographical / Historical
Adrienne Adams was born on February 8, 1906 in Ft. Smith, Arkansas and grew up in Oklahoma. She earned the Bachelor of Arts degree from Stephens College in 1925, then attended the University of Missouri in 1927. Subsequently, she returned to Oklahoma where she taught school from 1927 to 1929. She was so dedicated to becoming an artist that she arose at 5:00 a.m. in order to paint before going to work. In 1929, Adams moved to New York City where she attended the American School of Design and worked as a free-lance designer of displays, murals, textiles and greeting cards. In August of 1935, Adams married John Lonzo Anderson, author of children's books, and in 1942 she illustrated his book, Bag of Smoke. From 1944 to 1951, Adams worked at Childhood, Inc. in New York as a designer of furniture and murals and as art director. She began her career as a full-time illustrator in 1952.
Adams illustrated more than 30 books ranging from texts by contemporary authors to the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. She worked primarily in full color, using tempera, gouache, watercolor or crayon.
Adams was runner-up for the Caldecott Medal in 1960 for illustrating Houses from the Sun and in 1962 for The Day We Saw the Sun Come Up. These two books, as well as four others she illustrated for Scribners (The Shoemaker and the Elves and Jorinda and Joringel by the Grimms, Thumbelina by Hans Christian Andersen, and Bring a Torch, Jeannette, Isabella) were selected as ALA Notable Books. In 1964 she received the Alumnae Achievement Award from Stephens College, and in 1973 she received the Rutgers Award for overall contributions to children's literature. She was awarded the University of Southern Mississippi's Medallion in 1977. Adrienne Adams passed away on December 3, 2002.
Sources:
Something About the Author, vol. 8, pp. 1-2.
Illustrators of Children's Books: 1957-1966, 1968, pp. 70-71.
Contemporary Authors: New Revision Series, vol. 1, pp. 9-10.
Extent
90 Cubic Feet (1 box)
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Adrienne Adams (1906-2002) was born in Ft. Smith, Arkansas and grew up in Oklahoma. She married John Lonzo Anderson, author of children's books, and illustrated his book, Bag of Smoke in 1942. She began her career as a full-time illustrator in 1952, and went on to illustrate more than 30 books ranging from texts by contemporary authors to the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. She was a runner-up for the Caldecott Medal in 1960 and 1962 and was the recipient of the Southern Miss Medallion in 1977.
Arrangement
This collection consists of three series within a single box:
Series I: Correspondence (1966-1977)
Series II: Books (1960-1976)
Series III: Cards and Stationery (1971-1974)
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Material received from Adrienne Adams between 1966 and 1977.
- Children's literature -- Illustrations. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Children's literature, American -- 20th century. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Greeting cards. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Illustrations. Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Adrienne Adams Papers
- Status
- In Progress
- Author
- Julia Marks Young and Sharon Miller
- Date
- 1991-03
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
- Sponsor
- This finding aid is the product of a grant funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Repository Details
Part of the de Grummond Childrens Literature Collection Repository
118 College Drive - 5148
Hattiesburg MS 39406-0001
601.266.4345
