The World of Costume Dolls and Wooden Toys

On behalf of the Arne Nixon Center, we thank Karin and Robert Larka for their generous donation of Russian costume dolls and wood carved toys.

Viewhere:Karin and Robert Larka Collection

Invitational visits to the Soviet Union offered Arne Nixon the opportunity to enrich lives of those around the world. He shared stories to children and made presentations to university groups, Soviet Publishers, editors, and others who worked with children’s literature. These items were purchased by the Larka family while traveling with Arne Nixon and Karin Sabul. Ms. Sabul, from Tallinn, Estonia, was their tour guide during a trip to Russia in 1987.

Included in this donation are 21 Bogorodskoe Wood Carved Toys.

Bogorodskoe Wood Carving is a folk craft of carved toys and sculpture from soft wood—linden, alder, and aspen. It has existed in the village of Bogorodskoe (presently located in Zagorsk Raion, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation) probably since the 16th or 17th century. In the beginning of the 20th century the master craftsmen united into an artel known as the Bogorodskoe Engraver from 1923; in 1960 it was transformed into the Bogorodskoe Factory of Artistic Wood Carving. There is a professional technical school. Until the end of the 19th century Bogorodskoe wood carving preserved the traditional technique of shallow cuts, which revealed only the necessary details for the characterization of personages in the figurines of people and animals and moving toys (“bobbers,” “blacksmiths,” and so on). These details were often emphasized with bright painting. At the turn of the 20th century, the technique of cutting was replaced by more detailed working of the figures, which are then assembled into compositions and daily scenes on themes from fables, fairy tales, popular prints, poems, and, in Soviet times, from contemporary events and history as well.

Masters of Bogorodskoe wood carving include F. S. Balaev, A. G. Chushkin, V. S. Zinin, I. K. Stulov, M. A. Pronin, and M. F. Barinov.

Vasilenko, V. M. Russkaia narodnaia rez’ba i ros’pis po derevu XVIII-XX vv. Moscow, 1960.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserve

Wild About Books: Interview by CBS47 Fresno, CA

Thank you Zara Arboleda, CBS 47,  for the opportunity to share the news of the contest "Wild About Books!"

Jennifer Crow, Interim Curator at The Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature, announced the contest details this morning on CBS 47. 

Enjoy the interview here. CBS47, Fresno, CA Interview with Jennifer Crow

One of many sponsors of the contest , CBS 47 encouraged  students  to participate and become part of the Central Valley's rich culture of authors and illustrators.

'Wild About Books' is a writing contest for children between 3rd and 12th grade.The contest will award prizes for writing and illustrating.

Prizes will be awarded for grades 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12 and range from $25 to $100.

The contest is open to students in Fresno, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced and Tulare Counties.

Entry forms can be picked up at the CBS47 Studios at 4880 N. Fist Street in Fresno, A Book Barn at 640 Clovis Avenue in Clovis, Arne Nixon Center for Children's Literature, Madden Library at Fresno State, and all Fresno County Public Libraries.

Contest details, guidelines and permission form accesible online by clicking here. 

Womack Lecture: FAIR Education Act

Jennifer Crow, Interim Curator at the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature
welcomes Dr. Robert McGarry, Shelbi Day and Lee Wind.

Three panelists presented to an engaged audience at the Henry Madden Library on Wednesday evening, May  1, 2012. Each speaker presented experienced, informative and varying perspectives regarding the  FAIR Education Act.

Shelbi Day, staff attorney in the Western Regional Office of Lambda Legal, did a great job at explaining the law behind the Act and the reasons for the Act. Her passion on the topic and willingness to translate the evolution of the law with a non - lawyer audience created understanding and awareness.

In addition, Dr. Robert McGarry, director of education for the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, was a wonderful speaker, centering his talk on the value of respecting difference..  His message reflected the impact on students when people are left out of the textbooks in describing our history.

And finally,  Dr. Lee Wind, author, speaker, and official blogger for the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators was a brilliant speaker as well.   His ability to engage with the audience, get us to interact  and bring the program around full-circle was a successful effort towards a content rich event. He brought humor, love, and pizzazz into this very serious FAIR Education Act topic.

Audience questions were welcomed and discussed. And appreciation was experienced for all speakers, who have experienced and seen such difficult and even negative events in their lives and careers but continue to approach  this serious FAIR Education Act topic with passion and a positive manner.

Thank you again to all our speakers for your contributions to an EXCELLENT lecture event!

To view more photos of this event Womack Lecture: FAIR Education Act Panel

Contest: Student Writers and Illustrators!

Student Writing and Illustration Contest: 
Submissions accepted from June 1 - July 1, 2012.
Have you ever dreamed of becoming a published author or illustrator? Now’s your chance! If you are a student in grades 3 - 12 and have a passion for fiction, non-fiction, poetry or illustration, let the juices flow and submit your creation! Choose any subject related to books. Entry and permission forms including award details may be downloaded from www.cvyoungwritersprize.com OR may be picked up at the following locations: A Book Barn, 640 Clovis Avenue, Clovis, California, Fresno County Library ( any branch ), Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature, and KGPE CBS 47, 4880 N. First St., Fresno, California

Angelica Carpenter's Retirement

At the end of 2011, Angelica Carpenter, curator of the Arne Nixon Center decided to retire. Angelica has been with the Center since its conception and she has worked to make the Arne Nixon Center one of the most significant children's literature research centers in the country.

Below is the last Curator's Corner article that Angelica wrote in The Magic Mirror (Spring 2012). To view the complete newsletter, visit our website.

Greetings from a recent retiree with a new title, Curator Emerita. It was a difficult decision to retire at the end of 2011, as I absolutely loved my job, which I consider to be the best in the world. However it could be tiring (largely because I make it that way) and I was ready for a rest and a change. 

So now when I am at the Library, I’m there as a patron instead of a librarian. I’m writing a new biography for young adults, about Matilda Joslyn Gage, who was L. Frank Baum’s mother-in-law. That’s how she came onto my radar, through my interest in Baum and Oz, but she was a famous feminist and author in her own right. After she was widowed she spent winters with the Baums—her daughter Maud, Maud’s husband Frank, and their four sons. She encouraged Frank to write down the stories he told his sons, and to submit the to a publisher. I don’t think that it is a coincidence that Baum’s Oz is a feminist utopia, ruled by women. 

The Henry Madden Library is a terrific resource for authors. Before moving here, I wrote three books in a Florida city with minimal library resources. In Fresno I wrote two more, a much easier task with access to an outstanding academic library. My habit of writing about Victorians means that I need to read many books published in the Victorian era. It always surprises me how many of these are in the Madden collection. And if they are not, I can get them through Interlibrary Loan. A million books, dazzling databases, and specialist librarians who have helped me to track down all kinds of elusive information (like what year did bustles go out of style?)—research is fun here and wonderfully productive. While writing this book, I will stay involved with the Arne Nixon Center, as a volunteer and a Life Member of ANCA. 

I have also signed up to FERP, as part of the Faculty Early Retirement Program, starting next fall. This program allows retired faculty members to work part-time. My plan is to catalog, or help with exhibitions, or process the papers of authors or illustrators, or to do anything else that is needed. But not full-time and not early in the morning! 

It’s a wonderful job when you get to do anything you can dream of. If anyone had told me, when I was eight years old, that someday I would get to put on a national Oz conference, my daughter says that I would have started planning it right then. 

My plans were not accomplished alone—they involved the help and support of many other people, in and out of the Library. I thank all of you for taking my wild ideas seriously. 

The Library plans a national search to fill my job. In the meantime, the Arne Nixon Center will be led by Jennifer Crow, who is already working on some interesting new projects. My email will still be the same — angelica@csufresno.edu — and I look forward to hearing from friends and colleagues as I continue to work in children’s literature, in a slightly new capacity.

Happy reading!

A few celebratory pictures from Angelica's retirement party in December 2011:

Walter R. Brooks Exhibit

In honor of the Friends of Freddy fan club gathering in Fresno, the Arne Nixon Center will exhibit books and artifacts from the library of the late Walter R. Brooks, author of the Freddy the Pig series.Brooks wrote 25 Freddy books, which were published from 1927 to 1958. He also wrote some 200 short stories for adults, 20 of them featuring Ed the Talking Horse, whose adventures formed the basis of the kitsch classic TV show of the 1960s, “Mr. Ed.”

The exhibition includes two cases of books by Brooks and a third case showcasing books illustrated by Kurt Wiese, who provided pictures for all but the first Freddy book. Two pieces of original Freddy art are also included. Wiese became well-known for his illustrations in Felix Salten’s story of Bambi. He won two Caldecott Honor medals, one in 1946 for his book, You Can Write Chinese and another in 1949 for his book, Fish in the Air. He is also the illustrator of the picture book classic, The Story about Ping by Marjorie Flack.

Planning for 2011 Programs

Save the date, and please plan to come to one (or some, or all!) of our programs this year. We have collaborated with some wonderful people and organizations, on-campus and off-campus, to offer these great programs in 2011.
So, here is a quick run-down of all the programs and exhibitions that the Arne Nixon Center is planning for the first half of this year:

• February 3: Exclusive Film Screening
  Everyone is invited to see an exclusive Central Valley film screening of The Library of the Early Mind: A Grown-Up Look at the Art of Children's Literature, on Feb. 3 at the Henry Madden Library. This event is free for the public, but space is limited to the first 100 people. To see the trailer (and 'Like' it!) and get more info on the film, click here.
  
• February 10: A Child's Garden of Verses Recital
  The public is invited to a recital of Robert Louis Stevenson’s poems set to music and performed by pianist Hatem Nadim and Fresno State vocal students from the Voice Studio of Professor Emerita Helene Joseph-Weil. This event is free for the public, the recital will start at 12:30 pm at the Henry Madden Library. For more info, click here

Ashley Bryan Donates Art

     Artist/author Ashley Bryan has donated twelve pieces of original art from his famous picture books to the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature, a department of the Henry Madden Library. The gift includes bright tempera paintings from The House with No Doors and The Story of the Three Kingdoms and watercolors from The Story of Lightning and Thunder and All Night, All Day. Pen and ink studies and paintings for The Dancing Granny show dancers in motion—their depiction so dynamic that they seem likely to shimmy right off the paper. The gift also includes a crayon pencil sketch from The Cat’s Purr, selected by the artist in honor of the Center’s Helen Monnette Amestoy Collection of Books on Cats.

    Ashley Bryan, who writes most of the books he illustrates, is the winner of three Coretta Scott King awards for illustration. In 2009 he won the American Library Association’s Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, a lifetime achievement award for substantial and lasting donations to children’s literature. In 2010 he won a Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for the best non-fiction book of the year, for his amazing and unusual picture book autobiography Ashley Bryan: Words to My Life’s Song.

ARE YOU SCARED YET?

Robert San Souci speaks for the Big Read Program

Everyone is invited to a talk by author Robert D. San Souci at 2 p.m. on Sunday, October 17, at the Woodward Park Library, 944 East Perrin Avenue in northeast Fresno. The program, which is co-sponsored by the Arne Nixon Center, is part of the Fresno County Public Library’s Big Read program. This event is FREE and open to the public.

The Big Read theme this year is the works of Edgar Allan Poe and other scary stories, like Haunted Houses (Are You Scared Yet?) by Robert San Souci. The Big Read will offer more than 100 programs in October and November, including this one, which is suitable for readers of all ages. Refreshments will be served. The author’s books will be available for sale and autographing from Petunia’s Place bookstore.

Click here for more info.

ANCA 2010 Annual Meeting with Virginia Pilegard

Children's book author, Virginia Pilegard

The Arne Nixon Center Advocates invite everyone to their annual meeting, featuring picture book author Virginia Walton Pilegard. The program will be held on Friday, September 17, at the Henry Madden Library, 5200 N. Barton Avenue, Fresno. The evening will begin with a reception, featuring Chinese hors d'oeuvres, wine, and soft drinks at 6 p.m. The meeting will begin at 6:45 p.m.

Virginia Pilegard began writing for children while teaching math to third and fourth graders. Her Warlord series of seven picture books features well researched adventure stories set in ancient China, each demostrating a math concept.

Friends of Freddy to flock to Fresno (EVENT UPDATE)

The Friends of Freddy will gather at the Arne Nixon Center from March 26-27, 2011 (date changed from March 19-20), to celebrate that pig o'their hearts, Freddy, the talking animal hero of 25 children's books written by the late Walter R. Brooks and published by Alfred A. Knopf from 1927 to 1958, the year of the author's death.
This gathering is free for members and $25 for non-members (Friends of Freddy membership info: http://www.freddythepig.org/MemOrder.html). RSVP are required by calling 559-278-8116 or email to mrianto@csufresno.edu.

In addition to the Freddy books, Brooks was the author of more than 200 short stories for adults, 20 of them featuring Ed the Talking Horse, whose adventures fromed the basis of the kitsch classic TV show of the 60s, "Mr. Ed."

Leo Politi Garden Dedication

The dedication ceremony for Leo Politi Garden were held on June 2. It was a very nice event attended by the Center's community supporters and fans of Leo Politi.

The garden honors the friendship between children's illustrator and author, Leo Politi, and his friend, the late Professor Arne Nixon. Politi, who was born in Fresno, lived most of his adult life in Los Angeles, but returned many times to speak at, and draw and paint at, workshops put on by Nixon.

The garden is funded by ANCA, the Arne Nixon Center Advocates. ANCA is the support group for the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature.

Oz: The Books Conference Round Up

Oz: The Books Conference was held on May 14-16, 2010 at Fresno State Campus, and so-sponsored by the Arne Nixon Center and the International Wizard of Oz Club.
Renowned Oz experts and speakers such as Gregory Maguire, John Fricke, Eric Shanower, and many more, shared their Ozzy experiences.
See some of the photos from the conference at Arne Nixon Center's album.
Thank you to all the speakers, performers, and everyone that helps to make the Conference a success!

Here are some of the press coverage links for the Oz Conference:

Leo Politi Garden Groundbreaking & Construction

The groundbreaking for the Leo Politi Garden is being planned for Monday morning, March 8, at 10 a.m. 

Construction begins Monday, March 8, on the Leo Politi Garden, on the east side of the new Henry Madden Library. The garden honors the friendship between Fresno's most famous children's illustrator and author, Leo Politi, and his dear friend, the late Professor Arne Nixon. Politi, who was born in Fresno, lived most of his adult life in Los Angeles, but returned many times to speak at, and draw and paint at, workshops put on by Nixon.

Oz Conference Registration Info

At last...the registration information for Oz: The Books Conference (May 14-16, 2010) is now available!  Go to  Arne Nixon Center's website to download the form, read about the marvelous line-up of speakers, or to see the conference schedule.

Register Early! Discounted prices available for early registration, ANCA members, IWOC members, and students. Call 559.278.8116 for more information.

Lodging Information:
The Piccadilly Inn-University offers an “Oz Conference” rate of $98, per night, per room (includes tax and continental breakfast). Reserve early because room rate will increase after 4/14/2009. Call (800) HOTEL-US (468-3587) or (559) 224-4200

Oz: The Writing Contest

Calling all young writers!   

Write your way to Oz!

Create an original story based on The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and the other Oz books by America’s foremost author of fairy tales, L. Frank Baum.



Rules:

• Contest open to all students, grades 4–12, residing in California.
• Submission must be accompanied by the Entry form and Permission form. (Find entry forms and rules at www.arnenixoncenter.org, call us at 559.278.8116, or visit your nearest Fresno County Public Library branch)
• Complete rules available at the www.arnenixoncenter.org

Division A 4th – 7th grade (500 words)

Division B: 8th – 12th grade (1500 words)

Awards for each Division:

• 1st Place: $150
• 2nd Place: $100
• 3rd Place: $50

All winners will receive ten copies of their stories, embellished with illustrations provided by art students at Fresno State. Winners will be honored at the “Oz: The Books” conference on Sunday morning, May 16th, at Fresno State. Their families will also be invited as special guests.

Wrap-up and Pics from 2009 ANCA Annual Meeting with Margarita Engle

The 2009 ANCA Annual Meeting was a great fun! We had about 140 people RSVPd, and perhaps a bit more attended that day.

Thank you so much for everyone that joined us last Friday for some delicious Cuban-themed food and wonderful presentation from both Margarita Engle and WILPF's Jane Addams award.

Here are some more pics, courtesy of Howard Watkins, from the event. If you missed this one -- just remember to join us next time!