Children's Literature: Special Collections

Over 1,000 children’s picture and chapter books, primarily late 20th century, including a significant number of books on slavery, form part of the larger Joanna Banks Collection.

This collection holds picture books and chapter books for older children on topics that focus on the experiences of girls and women, including American Indians and African Americans, from the early 19th through the early 21st century.

This collection comprises picture books and chapter books, primarily late 20th century, many published by Dial Books for Young Readers, where Thiras worked as Art Director for three decades, along with works from other major children’s book publishers. Some works in multiple copies (different printings or editions).

This collection of Russian children’s picture books comprises works from the early Soviet era.

Late 19th and early 20th-century juvenile series books, many given by Morris Dembo (unfortunately, only the Dembo books come up in a search, as the none of them have juvenile in their record). Many of these books are on permanent display in cases on the 2nd floor of Van Pelt-Dietrich Library.

Versions of Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels for young readers are part of this comprehensive collection.

Versions of Shakespeare’s plays for younger readers are part of this comprehensive collection.

Over three-dozen works by the nineteenth-century American children’s book author Samuel Goodrich can be found in the general rare book collection.

Early juvenile fiction is one focus of this collection.

Ashley Bryan (1923-2022) was an artist and storyteller best known for his award-winning children's book illustrations with particular emphasis on African folktales and African-American spirituals. Bryan authored, illustrated, published, and distributed his first book in Kindergarten, later graduating from Cooper Union and Columbia University, being awarded a Fulbright to study at the University of Freiburg, before becoming a professor at Dartmouth College. The collection documents his lifelong devotion to the arts including sketchbooks, artwork, and especially materials relating to the publication process of over sixty book projects. There is also material relating to his professional engagements; certificates, awards, diplomas, and plaques relating to his many achievements; and personal and family materials, notebooks, photographs, greeting cards and postcards, school children thank you cards and artwork, and research files and ephemera. Also included are foundational administrative documents regarding the Ashley Bryan Center.