James Stevenson (illustrator)

James Stevenson (July 11, 1929 – February 17, 2017) was an American illustrator and author of over 100 children's books. His cartoons appeared regularly in The New Yorker magazine.[2] He usually used a unique comic book style of illustration that is very recognizable. His books, like What's Under My Bed, have been featured on the Reading Rainbow television series.

James Stevenson
Born(1929-07-11)July 11, 1929
New York City, New York, U.S.
DiedFebruary 17, 2017(2017-02-17) (aged 87)
Cos Cob, Connecticut, U.S.
EducationYale University
Hackley School
OccupationCartoonist, illustrator, writer
EmployerThe New Yorker (1956–2017)
Spouse(s)Josephine Merck (1993–2017)
Jane Walker
ChildrenCharles, Sucie, James, Walker, Harvey, Peter, Jane, Edwina, Emily[1]
Parent(s)Harvey Stevenson
Winifred (Worcester) Stevenson

Biography

James Stevenson was born in New York City and educated at Yale University, where he was the feature editor of campus humor magazine The Yale Record.[3]

He contributed his first cartoon to The New Yorker on March 10, 1956.[4]

James Stevenson wrote and illustrated his first book Walker, the Witch, and the Striped Flying Saucer in 1969. He had previously illustrated the children's book If I Owned a Candy Factory (1968) written by his then eight-year-old son, James Walker Stevenson.

Awards
  • Could Be Worse! (1977) - was awarded the New York Times' "Outstanding Children's Book of the Year", and School Library Journal's "Best Books for Spring"
  • The Sea View Hotel (1978) - ALA Notable Book
  • Monty (1979) - School Library Journal's "Best Books for Spring"
  • Fast Friends: Two Stories (1979) - ALA's Notable Book designation
  • The Worst Person in the World (1979) - Children's Choice Award (International Reading Association)
  • Howard (1980) - New York Times' "Best Illustrated Book" and New York Times' "Outstanding Book"
  • That Terrible Halloween Night (1980) - ALA's Notable Book designation and Children's Choice Award (International Reading Association)
  • The Wish Card Ran Out! (1981) - School Library Journal's Best Books of 1981
  • The Night after Christmas (1982) - Children's Choice Award (International Reading Association) and Boston Globe/Horn Book honor list
  • We Can't Sleep (1982) - Christopher Award
  • Oliver, Clarence, and Violet (1982) - Parents' Choice Award
  • What's Under My Bed? (1983) - Boston Globe/Horn Book's honor list, ALA's Notable Book designation, and School Library Journal's Best Books of 1983
  • Grandpa's Great City Tour: An Alphabet Book (1982) - Garden State Children's Book Award (New Jersey Library Association)
  • Higher on the Door (1987) - Parents' Choice designation and Redbook award
  • Georgia Music (1987) - Boston Globe/Horn Book honor list
  • Granddaddy's Place (1987) - Parents' Choice Picture Book award
  • The Supreme Souvenir Factory (1989) - Children's Choice Award (International Reading Association)
  • Oh No, It's Waylon's Birthday! (1990) - Children's Choice Award (International Reading Association)
  • Something Big Has Been Here (1992) - Kentucky Bluegrass Award
  • Don't You Know There's a War On? (1992) - Parents' Choice Picture Book award

Select bibliography

Children's books
  • Walker, the Witch, and the Striped Flying Saucer
  • If I Owned a Candy Factory
  • Just Around the Corner
  • Lost and Found New York: Oddballs, Heroes, Heartbreakers, Scoundrels, Thugs, Mayors, and Mysteries
  • Rolling Rose
  • Here Comes Herb's Hurricane (1973)
  • That's Exactly the Way It Wasn't
  • Monty
  • No Need for Monty
  • Howard
  • The Most Amazing Dinosaur
  • Clams Can't Sing (1980)
  • A Village Full of Valentines (1995)
  • The Castaway (2002)

Grandpa, Mary Ann and Louie series

A series of tales told by a grandfather character to his grandchildren. Usually containing outrageous and unbelievable tales:

  1. Could Be Worse! (1977)
  2. That Terrible Halloween Night (1980)
  3. We Can't Sleep (1982)
  4. The Great Big Especially Beautiful Easter Egg (1983)
  5. Grandpa's Great City Tour: An Alphabet Book (1982)
  6. What's Under My Bed? (1983)
  7. Worse Than Willy (1984)
  8. That Dreadful Day (1985)
  9. There's Nothing to Do (1986)
  10. No Friends (1986)
  11. Will You Please Feed Our Cat? (1987)
  12. We Hate Rain! (1988)
  13. Grandpa's Too-Good Garden (1989)
  14. Brrr (1991)
  15. That's Exactly the Way It Wasn't (1991)

Emma series

Featuring Emma, a good witch, and her nemeses Dolores and Lavinia:

  1. Yuck! (1984)
  2. Emma (1985)
  3. Fried Feathers for Thanksgiving
  4. Happy Valentine's Day, Emma! (1987)
  5. Un-Happy New Year, Emma!
  6. Emma at the Beach (1990)

The Worst series

Featuring a crotchety old man:

  • The Worst Person in the World
  • The Worst Person in the World at Crab Beach
  • The Worst Person's Christmas
  • Worse than the Worst
  • The Worst Goes South

Mr. Frimdimpny series

These books feature the alligator Mr. Frimdimpny who has rules about no laughing:

  • Don't Make Me Laugh (1999)
  • No Laughing, No Smiling, No Giggling (2004)

Mud Flat Friends series
  • Mud Flat Spring
  • Christmas at Mud Flat
  • Mud Flat Mystery
  • Mud Flat April Fool
  • Flying Feet: A Mud Flat Story
  • The Mud Flat Olympics
  • Yard Sale
  • Heat Wave at Mud Flat

Autobiographical and reminiscent picture book series

A series of books illustrated in a softer watercolor style:

  • When I Was Nine
  • Higher on the Door (1987)
  • July
  • Don't You Know There's a War On?
  • Fun No Fun (1994)
  • I Had a Lot of Wishes (1995)
  • I Meant to Tell You (1996)

Young Adult novels
  • The Bones in the Cliff
  • The Unprotected Witness

Poetry

Collections of James Stevenson's poetry, illustrated by himself.

  • Candy Corn
  • Popcorn
  • Cornflakes
  • Sweet Corn
  • Corn Chowder
  • Corn-Fed
  • Just Around the CORNer

Cartoons collections
  • Sorry, Lady. This Beach Is Private! (1963)
  • Let's Boogie! (1978)

Novels
  • Do Yourself a Favor, Kid (1962)
  • The Summer Houses (1963)
  • Sometimes, But Not Always (1967)
  • Something Marvelous Is About to Happen (1971)
  • Cool Jack and the Beanstalk (1976)
  • Uptown Local, Downtown Express (1983)

Illustrations for other authors

Illustrations for Judy Blume

The following books by Judy Blume feature cover artwork and inner illustrations by James Stevenson:

  • Soupy Saturdays with the Pain and the Great One (August 28, 2007) ISBN 0-385-73305-4
  • Cool Zone! with the Pain and the Great One (May 13, 2008) ISBN 0-385-73306-2
  • Going, Going, Gone! with the Pain and the Great One (August 12, 2008) ISBN 0-385-73307-0
  • Friend or Fiend? with the Pain and the Great One (May 12, 2009) ISBN 0-385-73308-9

Illustrations for Janet Schulman

James Stevenson illustrated three of Janet Schulman's Jack the Bum series:

  • Jack the Bum and the Halloween Handout (1977)
  • Jack the Bum and the Haunted House (1977)
  • Jack the Bum and the UFO (1978)

Illustrations for Helen V. Griffith

James Stevenson illustrated a few of Helen V. Griffith's books:

  • Georgia Music (1986)
Helen V. Griffith's Grandaddy trilogy

All illustrated by James Stevenson:

  1. Grandaddy's Place (1987)
  2. Grandaddy and Janetta (1993)
  3. Grandaddy's Stars (1995)
  • Grandaddy and Janetta Together: The Three Stories in One Book (2001) (anthology that collects the three previous Grandaddy books)

Illustrations for Jack Prelutsky

The following books of children's poetry by Jack Prelutsky are illustrated by James Stevenson:

  • The Baby Ugs are Hatching (1982)
  • The New Kid on the Block (1984)
  • Something BIG Has Been Here (1990)
  • A Pizza the Size of the Sun (1996)
  • It's Raining Pigs and Noodles (2000)
  • My Dog May Be a Genius (2008)

References
  1. "James Stevenson, Longtime New Yorker Cartoonist, Dies at 87". New York Times. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  2. "James Stevenson: biography". HarperCollins Publishers. Retrieved 24 June 2018.
  3. The Yale Record ("Smut!" Issue). New Haven: Yale Record. February, 1951. p. 3.
  4. Stevenson, James (March 10, 1956). Cartoon. The New Yorker. New York: Conde Nast.
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