From: Megan Schliesman <Schliesman>
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1998 12:12:06 -0500

As I was rereading Dear Genius over the weekend (it's still a delight the second time around!), I was struck by how much input Ursula gave authors, at least some authors, over the illustrations that were to go in their books. E.B. White, for example, was sent a number of illustrators sketches for Stuart Little, and then there was even discussion over particular drawings. And much of the correspondence with other authors includes discussions of the illustrations. Leonard--or anyone who can speak from an editorial perspective--was this typical for the time, or was Ursula being exceptionally gracious to these authors. How different--or the same--are things today?

Is it possible to pick favorite letters, or moments, from this book? As I was reading it again I kept finding myself sharing letters aloud with someone who has no background in children's literature, but it didn't matter--Ursula's humor and dry wit translate even without a context. For example, I love the letter on page 131 to Garth Williams about the sketches for Bedtime for Frances, in which two drawings show three arms in Frances's bathrobe, to which Ursula responds, and you can see the straight face and sense the twinkle: "Garth, badgers have only two arms in their bathrobes."

So what are some of your favorite moments in the book? What other questions do you find yourself asking as you read? What books does it send you back to the shelves to look at again--or for the first time?

Megan Schliesman Cooperative Children's Book Center School of Education UW-Madison schliesman at mail.soemadison.wisc.edu
Received on Mon 17 Aug 1998 12:12:06 PM CDT