Martin Provensen
Personal Information
Description
Alice Provensen and Martin Provensen were an American author-illustrator team who created children's books. There was a remarkable similarity to the couple's early histories. Both were born in Chicago, Illinois, and both moved to California when they were twelve. Both received scholarships to the Art Institute of Chicago, and both attended the University of California, though at separate campuses. After college, Alice went to work with Walter Lantz Studio, the creators of Woody Woodpecker, and Martin took work with the rival Walt Disney Studio, where he collaborated on Dumbo, Fantasia, and Pinocchio. The pair met in 1943 when Martin, working as a creator of training films for the American military, was assigned to the Walter Lantz Studio. They were married in 1944 and resettled in Washington, D.C., where they worked on war-related projects. Following the end of the war, they moved to New York City, where a friend assisted them in finding their first job, illustrating The Fireside Book of Folk Songs. In 1952, Tony the Tiger, designed by Martin, debuted as a Kellogg's mascot. Following that, they illustrated several Little Golden Books such as The Color Kittens, and in 1982, they received the Caldecott Honor Medal for their illustration of A Visit to William Blake's Inn, by Nancy Willard. They were further recognized just two years later, when they received the Caldecott Medal for A Glorious Flight, the story of aviator Louis Blériot, the first man to fly solo across the English Channel. The Provensens have been on the New York Times list of the Ten Best Illustrated Books eight times. In all, the couple wrote and illustrated more than 50 books.
Books
Katie the kitten
A kitten's day is busy as she plays, eats, and sleeps.
The fireside cook book
Clear, easy-to-follow instructions for the basic preparation of every food, followed in each case by variations.
Een jaar op het land
Informatief boek over de invloed van de jaargetijden op het leven van de dieren die op en om de boerderij voorkomen.
A Peaceable Kingdom
An illustrated alphabet rhyme that includes the animals from alligator to zebra.
The Year at Maple Hill Farm
This is a book about farm animals, and what happens during one year on a farm. In January, the cows stay in the barnyard, and the chickens don't lay many eggs. By March, you can tell spring is coming: the barn is filled with baby animals. Month by month, the animals at Maple Hill Farm sense the changing seasons and respond to the changes. Through gently humorous text and charming illustrations, Alice and Martin Provensen capture one year at their beloved Maple Hill Farm in a way sure to delight city slickers and country folk alike.
Town & country
Describes life in a big city and on a farm near a village.
For Our Children
Lyrics, illustrated by some renowned illustrators, from 20 songs on the Disney album For our children with musical notation for piano and guitar for 5 of the melodies.
A Visit to William Blake's Inn
Poems for innocent and experienced travelers
The Mother Goose Book
A selection of traditional Mother Goose rhymes with illustrations.
A Child's Garden of Verses
Art of Alice and Martin Provensen
The Art of Alice and Martin Provensen' is the first-ever monograph on this beloved midcentury husband-and-wife illustration team. This award-winning pair created more than 40 beloved children's books over the span of seven decades, many of which appeared on the New York Times Best Illustrated Books of the Year lists. From early favorites for Golden Books such as The Color Kittens by Margaret Wise Brown, 1949, to their Caldecott-winning title The Glorious Flight: Across the Channel with Louis Bleriot, 1983, the Provensens' books inspired generations of young readers. Original paintings for their beloved classics such as A Child's Garden of Verses, 1951, The Iliad and the Odyssey, 1959, Myths and Legends, 1960 and many others, are beautifully reproduced and included here.0This comprehensive volume showcases hundreds of their well-known illustrations, as well as many never-before-seen paintings, drawings, and exquisite sketchbooks from their travels around the world. An interview with their daughter Karen Provensen Mitchell illuminates their life and career and includes many personal photographs, quotes, speeches, and memorabilia from their archive. An introduction by Leonard S. Marcus, a leading historian in children's literature, underscores the Provensen's importance and influence as illustrators and authors. Additionally, noted publisher and close family friend Robert Gottlieb, provides a personal essay that shares many of his memories with this cherished couple. 0The Provensens' colorful, inimitable artwork is a treasure trove that has influenced generations of children, designers, illustrators, historians, and all who cherish classic children's books.
Old Mother Goose and other nursery rhymes
An illustrated collection of traditional rhymes.
The glorious flight
A biography of the man whose fascination with flying machines produced the Bleriot XI, which crossed the English Channel in thirty-seven minutes in the early 1900's.