PETERSHAM, Maud Fuller

Born 1890, Kingston, New York; died 5 August 1971, Ravenna, Ohio

Married Miska Petersham

The daughter of a Baptist minister, Maud Fuller Petersham grew up in New York, South Dakota, and Pennsylvania. Petersham faithfully attended church, listened to the stories told by visiting missionaries, and reveled in her Quaker grandfather's stories, which she heard while living with her aunt in the summers. Petersham graduated from Vassar College in 1912, and then attended the New York School of Fine and Applied Arts. While working at her first job with International Art Service, Petersham met a young commercial artist from Hungary. At first he was her tutor in art, but later when they were married, Petersham's influence in their cooperative creative activities was as strong as his. After they turned to children's literature, Petersham usually wrote the major part of the text.

The Petershams' first picture book, Miki (1929), is about Miska's early experiences in Hungary. Their early books continued to draw from their own childhoods and from the childhood experiences of their son Miki. Although the early books received good reviews, critics called the final book of the series, Get-a-Way and Háry János (1933), old-fashioned and quaint. The stories were episodic in nature. While cute, they were not significant in theme or writing style. Their major contributions to children's literature came from their effective use of foreign lands and strong female characters. In Miki and Mary: Their Search for Treasures (1934), Mary is equal to Miki in courage and intelligence. Because of their quaint illustrations and overromanticized style, these early books are of little interest today.

Their strongest books were those based on the Bible or on early U.S. history. Designed with the youngster in mind, these stories contained humor, optimism, and realistic drama. Their first religious book, The Ark of Father Noah and Mother Noah (1930), gave Mother Noah a more distinctive role without detracting from the biblical story. The Christ Child (1931) was produced after the Petershams had spent three months in Palestine. It is a reverent retelling of the Christian epic.

In 1946 the Petershams won the Caldecott medal for their illustrations in The Rooster Crows (1945). The book, a compilation of American nursery rhymes, contains some of their finest art. The Box with Red Wheels (1949) and The Circus Baby (1950) are valuable as examples of their literary talents. Both are slight fantasies designed for the preschooler. The writing is simple and smooth; it is not descriptive and is not detailed in plot. The themes reflect Petersham's optimism; the plots contain an exciting drama and are resolved through positive actions.

The Petershams are also remembered for their many child-ren's nonfiction books. Not creative in writing style, these books follow an established format. They were instructive and therefore useful to children, but they were not significant as literature. As early author-artists in the field of children's literature, this husband-wife team created lively females relating to the world around them. Their biblical adaptations are significant, and their picture book stories are charming. They were not trendsetters, but they successfully buoyed the expectations of children for quality writing and illustrating.

Other Works:

Auntie and Celia Jane and Miki (1932). The Story Book of Clothes (1933). The Story Book of Food (1933). The Story Book of Houses (1933). The Story Book of Things We Use (1933). The Story Book of Earth's Treasures (1935). The Story Book of Gold (1935). The Story Book of Iron and Steel (1935). The Story Book of Oil (1935). The Story Book of Ships (1935). The Story Book of Wheels (1935). The Story Book of Trains (1935). The Story Book of Corn (1936). The Story Book of Foods from the Fields (1936). The Story Book of Rice (1936). The Story Book of Sugar (1936). The Story Book of Transportation (1936). The Story Book of Wheat (1936). David (1938). Joseph and His Brothers (1938). Moses (1938). Ruth (1938). Stories from the Old Testament (1938). The Story Book of Cotton (1939). The Story Book of Things We Wear (1939). An American ABC (1941). America's Stamps (1947). A Bird in the Hand: Sayings from Poor Richard's Almanack (1951). The Silver Mace: A Story of Williamsburg (1951). Story of the Presidents of the United States of America (1953). Off to Bed: Seven Stories for Wide-Awakes (1954). The Peppernuts (1958). The Shepherd Psalm (1962). Let's Learn About Silk (1967). Let's Learn About Sugar (1969).

Bibliography:

Reference books:

Caldecott Medal Books, 1938-1957 (1963). Illustrators of Children's Books, 1946-1956 (1958). Junior Book of Authors (1951).

Other references:

Horn Book 22 (Sept./Oct. 1935).

—JILL P. MAY