Scope and Contents
Dates
- 1902 - 2017
- Majority of material found within 1945 - 2016
Creator
- Stevenson, James, 1929-2017 (Author)
Language of Materials
Conditions Governing Access
Boxes 71, 153-154 are restricted until 2040. For further information consult the appropriate curator.
Box 147 (computer disks): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Box 148 (audiovisual material): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Box 149 (record album storage): Restricted fragile material. Reference copies may be requested. Consult Access Services for further information.
Conditions Governing Use
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Arrangement
Extent
236.5 Linear Feet ((151 boxes) + 2 art, 1 record album storage)
Catalog Record
A record for this collection is available in Orbis, the Yale University Library catalog
Persistent URL
Overview
James Stevenson (1929-2017)
Stevenson published his first children’s book, Walker, the Witch, and the Striped Flying Saucer, in 1969. One of his earliest books, If I Owned a Candy Factory, was written in collaboration with his young son James in 1968. Other titles include The Worst Person in the World (1978), Don’t You Know There’s a War On? (1992), and No Laughing, No Giggling, No Smiling (2004). His books What’s Under My Bed? (1983) and Could Be Worse! (1987) were featured on the PBS Reading Rainbow television show. Could Be Worse! was also selected as The New York Times Outstanding Children’s Book of the Year. In addition to his many picture books, Stevenson published adult and young adult novels, several illustrated collections of his poetry, and an illustrated biography of fellow New Yorker cartoonist Frank Modell. He also illustrated books for authors such as Judy Blume, Dr. Seuss, Jack Prelutsky, Cynthia Rylant, and Alan Arkin. Stevenson married Jane Walker in 1953, and later painter Josephine Merck in 1993. He was the father of nine children and a longtime resident of Cos Cob, Connecticut, where he died on February 17, 2017.
Processing Information
Information included in the Description of Papers note and Collection Contents section is drawn from information supplied with the collection and from an initial survey of the contents. Folder titles appearing in the contents list below are often based on those provided by the creator or previous custodian. Titles have not been verified against the contents of the folders in all cases. Otherwise, folder titles are supplied by staff during initial processing.
This finding aid may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
- Audiovisual materials
- Authors, American -- 20th Century
- Authors, American -- 21st century
- Blume, Judy
- Cartoonists -- United States
- Cartoons (humorous images)
- Children's literature, American -- 20th century
- Children's literature, American -- 21st century
- Dramatists, American
- Drawings (visual works)
- Fontrier, Gabriel, 1918-1998
- Illustrators -- United States -- 20th Century
- Illustrators -- United States -- 21st century
- Journalists -- United States -- 20th Century
- Journalists -- United States -- 21st century
- Kennedy, Ethel, 1928-
- Modell, Frank
- Musicals -- Librettos
- New York times
- New Yorker (New York, N.Y. : 1925)
- Paintings (visual works)
- Photographs
- Picture books for children -- United States
- Playwriting
- Political cartoons
- Scripts (documents)
- Sketchbooks
- Sketches
- Stevenson, James, 1929-2017
- Stevenson, Suçie
- Theater -- United States
Creator
- Stevenson, James, 1929-2017 (Author)
- Title
- Guide to the James Stevenson Papers
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- by Emma Gronbeck
- Date
- April 2021
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Revision Statements
- 2022-06-13: Updated by Rosemary K. J. Davis to reflect donor restriction.
Part of the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Repository
Location
121 Wall Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Opening Hours
Access Information
The Beinecke Library is open to all Yale University students and faculty, and visiting researchers whose work requires use of its special collections. You will need to bring appropriate photo ID the first time you register. Beinecke is a non-circulating, closed stack library. Paging is done by library staff during business hours. You can request collection material online at least two business days in advance of your visit, using the request links in Archives at Yale. For more information, please see Planning Your Research Visit and consult the Reading Room Policies prior to visiting the library.