Marc Brown (author)
Encyclopedia
Marc Tolon Brown is an American writer of children's books. He writes as well as illustrates his Arthur books, and is best known for that series and its spin-offs. He currently lives in Hingham
, Massachusetts
. The names of his two sons, Tolon Adam and Tucker Eliot, have been hidden in all of the Arthur books except for one. He also has a daughter named Eliza Morgan, whose name appears hidden in at least two books. He is a Daytime Emmy award winner; The Arthur
TV series adapted from the books was named number ONE on PBS for three years. (1997, 2000, 2001)
, was “born one night when Brown was telling a bedtime story to his son”. http://www.pbs.org/parents/arthur/program/about_mb.html Since then, Brown’s stories about Arthur
have developed over the years into the first Arthur book, Arthur’s Nose, which was published in 1976. After his first book, Brown continued to write and illustrate more than thirty other children’s books about Arthur
and his younger sister Dora Winifred Read. Many of the characters from his books were inspired by people in Brown’s life growing up, such as Grandma Thora. Brown looks at his past experiences and to his three children for inspiration. He also gets suggestions from the students at the schools he visits. http://marcbrownstudios.com/ Brown’s Arthur books turned out to be very popular among young audiences and sold five million copies over the years between 1976 and 1995. However, with the debut of the animated “Arthur” TV series
in 1996, another 45 million books were sold from 1996 to 2001. Finally in 2001, the “Arthur” TV show
was rewarded with the prestigious Peabody Award
. http://www.edupaperback.org/showauth.cfm?authid=16
, Pennsylvania
with his three sisters, Brown’s grandmother Thora told them many stories. This inspired Brown to write stories of his own in the later years of his life. It was Grandma Thora who also fueled Brown’s penchant for drawing which was discovered at the age of six. Eventually, his high school art teacher, Nancy Bryan introduced him to watercolors
, which he now uses for the majority of his illustrations. Brown was inspired by other artists like Marc Chagall
. Maurice Sendak
, the author of the children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are
” also influenced Brown in deciding on a career choice.
. Even with the opposition from his colleagues, Brown continued onward with his dream to be a children’s book illustrator. After graduating, Brown presented a sample of his drawings to the publishing company Houghton Mifflin, in Boston
, Massachusetts, who offered him a five thousand dollar deal. This offer allowed Brown to confirm his decision of making professional illustrating his career. “In 1969 he began part-time teaching at Garland Junior College
in Boston
and illustrated textbooks.” http://www.edupaperback.org/showauth.cfm?authid=16
http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/arthur/catalog/
Hingham, Massachusetts
Hingham is a town in northern Plymouth County on the South Shore of the U.S. state of Massachusetts and suburb in Greater Boston. The United States Census Bureau 2008 estimated population was 22,561...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. The names of his two sons, Tolon Adam and Tucker Eliot, have been hidden in all of the Arthur books except for one. He also has a daughter named Eliza Morgan, whose name appears hidden in at least two books. He is a Daytime Emmy award winner; The Arthur
Arthur (TV series)
Arthur is an American/Canadian animated educational television series for children, created by Cookie Jar Group and WGBH for the Public Broadcasting Service...
TV series adapted from the books was named number ONE on PBS for three years. (1997, 2000, 2001)
Career
Brown’s well-known character Arthur Read, an aardvarkAardvark
The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa...
, was “born one night when Brown was telling a bedtime story to his son”. http://www.pbs.org/parents/arthur/program/about_mb.html Since then, Brown’s stories about Arthur
Arthur Read
Arthur Timothy Read is the title character of both the book series and the PBS children's television show Arthur which was created by Marc Brown. On the show, he is eight years old, in Mr. Ratburn's third grade class, and lives in Elwood City...
have developed over the years into the first Arthur book, Arthur’s Nose, which was published in 1976. After his first book, Brown continued to write and illustrate more than thirty other children’s books about Arthur
Arthur Read
Arthur Timothy Read is the title character of both the book series and the PBS children's television show Arthur which was created by Marc Brown. On the show, he is eight years old, in Mr. Ratburn's third grade class, and lives in Elwood City...
and his younger sister Dora Winifred Read. Many of the characters from his books were inspired by people in Brown’s life growing up, such as Grandma Thora. Brown looks at his past experiences and to his three children for inspiration. He also gets suggestions from the students at the schools he visits. http://marcbrownstudios.com/ Brown’s Arthur books turned out to be very popular among young audiences and sold five million copies over the years between 1976 and 1995. However, with the debut of the animated “Arthur” TV series
Arthur (TV series)
Arthur is an American/Canadian animated educational television series for children, created by Cookie Jar Group and WGBH for the Public Broadcasting Service...
in 1996, another 45 million books were sold from 1996 to 2001. Finally in 2001, the “Arthur” TV show
Arthur (TV series)
Arthur is an American/Canadian animated educational television series for children, created by Cookie Jar Group and WGBH for the Public Broadcasting Service...
was rewarded with the prestigious Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
. http://www.edupaperback.org/showauth.cfm?authid=16
Childhood
While growing up in ErieErie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
with his three sisters, Brown’s grandmother Thora told them many stories. This inspired Brown to write stories of his own in the later years of his life. It was Grandma Thora who also fueled Brown’s penchant for drawing which was discovered at the age of six. Eventually, his high school art teacher, Nancy Bryan introduced him to watercolors
Watercolor painting
Watercolor or watercolour , also aquarelle from French, is a painting method. A watercolor is the medium or the resulting artwork in which the paints are made of pigments suspended in a water-soluble vehicle...
, which he now uses for the majority of his illustrations. Brown was inspired by other artists like Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall
Marc Chagall Art critic Robert Hughes referred to Chagall as "the quintessential Jewish artist of the twentieth century."According to art historian Michael J...
. Maurice Sendak
Maurice Sendak
Maurice Bernard Sendak is an American writer and illustrator of children's literature. He is best known for his book Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963.-Early life:...
, the author of the children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are
Where The Wild Things Are
Where the Wild Things Are is a 1963 children's picture book by American writer and illustrator Maurice Sendak, originally published by Harper & Row. The book has been adapted into other media several times, including an animated short in 1973 , a 1980 opera, and, in 2009, a live-action feature film...
” also influenced Brown in deciding on a career choice.
Education
With the help of his Grandma Thora, Brown was able to major in painting at the Cleveland Institute of ArtCleveland Institute of Art
The Cleveland Institute of Art is a private college of art and design located in University Circle, Cleveland, Ohio. It was founded in 1882 as the Western Reserve School of Design for Women. From 1891 until 1948 it was named Cleveland School of Art. During the Great Depression the school...
. Even with the opposition from his colleagues, Brown continued onward with his dream to be a children’s book illustrator. After graduating, Brown presented a sample of his drawings to the publishing company Houghton Mifflin, in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Massachusetts, who offered him a five thousand dollar deal. This offer allowed Brown to confirm his decision of making professional illustrating his career. “In 1969 he began part-time teaching at Garland Junior College
Garland Junior College
Garland Junior College was a liberal arts women's college in Boston, Massachusetts. Mary Garland established the Garland Kindergarten Training School in 1872 on Chestnut Street in Boston's Beacon Hill. By 1903, the school had expanded its curriculum to include home economics, and was renamed the...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and illustrated textbooks.” http://www.edupaperback.org/showauth.cfm?authid=16
Works
The Arthur books are about situations that children often face. In their book Beyond Picture Books for which Deborah Hatzig's Little Witch’s Big Night and Happy Birthday, Little Witch were selected, Barbara Barstow and Judith Riggle said that Brown's "friendly watercolor illustrations" in the former "take away all fear." Brown's illustrations are mainly done in watercolor and pencil. In some of the Arthur books, Brown hides the names of his three children in the illustration. (Tolon, Tucker, and Eliza)Arthur Adventure Series
http://www.bookfinder.com/author/marc-brown/http://www.randomhouse.com/kids/arthur/catalog/
- 1976 - Arthur's Nose
- 1979 - Arthur's Eyes
- 1980 - Arthur's Valentine
- 1981 - Arthur and the True Francine
- 1982 - Arthur Goes to Camp
- 1982 - Arthur's Halloween
- 1983 - Arthur's April Fool
- 1983 - Arthur's Thanksgiving
- 1984 - Arthur's Christmas
- 1985 - Arthur's Tooth
- 1986 - Arthur's Teacher TroubleArthur's Teacher TroubleArthur's Teacher Trouble is a book in the Arthur series, released in 1986.. It was written by Marc Brown and published by Atlantic Monthly Press.-Plot:...
- 1987 - Arthur's Baby
- 1989 - Arthur's Birthday
- 1990 - Arthur's Pet Business
- 1991 - Arthur Meets the President
- 1992 - Arthur Babysits
- 1993 - Arthur's Family Vacation
- 1993 - Arthur's New Puppy
- 1994 - Arthur's First Sleepover
- 1994 - Arthur's Chicken Pox
- 1995 - Arthur's TV Trouble
- 1996 - Arthur Writes a Story
- 1996 - Arthur's Reading Race
- 1997 - Arthur's Computer Disaster
- 1998 - Arthur Lost and Found
- 1999 - Arthur's Underwear
- 2000 - Arthur's Teacher Moves In
- 2000 - Arthur's Perfect Christmas
- 2002 - Arthur, It's Only Rock 'n' Roll
- 2006 - Arthur Jumps into Fall
- 2011 - Arthur Turns Green
Arthur's Audiobooks
- 2000 - Mark Brown's Arthur Chapter Books: Volume 1 (Reissue) - (Arthur's Mystery Envelope, Arthur and the Scare-Your-Pants-Off Club, and Arthur Makes the Team) ISBN 0-8072-8015-1
- 2000 - Mark Brown's Arthur Chapter Books: Volume 2 (Reissue) - (Arthur and the Crunch Cereal Contest, Arthur Accused!, and Locked in the Library) ISBN 0-8072-8040-2
- 2000 - Mark Brown's Arthur Chapter Books: Volume 3 (Reissue) - (Buster's Dino Dilemma, The Mystery of the Stolen Bike, and Arthur and the Lost Diary) ISBN 0-8072-8090-9
- 1999 - Marc Brown's Arthur Chapter Books: Volume 4 - (Who's in Love with Arthur, Arthur Rocks with BINKY, Arthur and the Popularity Test) ISBN 0-8072-8146-8
Beginner Books
- Wings on Things
- A World Full of Monsters (illustrator)
- Spooky Riddles
- Glasses for D.W.
- From Whom The Bell Tolls
- The Bionic Bunny Show
- Arthur's Teacher Moves In
- Arthur Tricks the Tooth Fairy
- Arthur's Reading Race
- Witches four written 1980
- Arthur's Animal Adventure
- Pickle Things
Chapter Books
- Arthur and the Mystery Envelope
- Arthur and the Double Dare
- Arthur and the Crunch Cereal Contest
- Arthur and the Cootie-Catcher
- King Arthur
- Arthur and the Big Blow-up
- Arthur and the Scare-your-pants-off Club
- Arthur and the Lost Diary
- Arthur and the 1001 Dads
- Arthur and the Perfect Brother
- Arthur rocks with Binky'
- Arthur and the Nerves of Steal
- Arthur and the Poetry Contest
- Arthur and the Popularity Test
- Arthur Accused!
- Arthur Loses His Marbles
- Arthur Makes the Team
- Arthur and the Comet Crisis
- Buster Baxter, Cat Saver
- Buster Makes the Grade
- Buster's Dino Dilemma
- Muffy's Secret Admirer
- Francine, Believe It or Not
- Francine the Superstar
- "The Poetry Contest"
- The Mystery of the Stolen Bike
- Locked in the Library
- Who's in Love with Arthur?
- BINKY RULES
Good Sports Chapter Books
- Arthur Race to Read
- Arthur and the Best Coach Ever
- Arthur and the Goalie Ghost
- Arthur and the Pen-Pal Playoff
- Arthur and the Recess Rookie
- Arthur and the Seventh Inning Stretcher
- Arthur and the Poetry Contest
Books Illustrated by Marc Brown
- Little Witch's Big Night (Step into Reading) by Deborah Hautzig
- Happy Birthday, Little Witch (Step into Reading) by Deborah Hautzig
- Rabbit's New Rug (Parents Magazine Books) by Judy Delton
Books by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
- Dinosaur's Travel (Dinosaurs Travel) by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
- Dinosaurs Alive and Well!: A Guide to Good Health (Dino Life Guides for Families) by Marc Brown and Laurie Krasny Brown
- How to Be a Friend: A Guide to Making Friends and Keeping Them (Dino Life Guides for Families) by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
- When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death (Dino Life Guides for Families) by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown
- Dinosaurs Divorce by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown