Leonard Marcus

Leonard Marcus is one of the most respected writers and historians of children's literature. His critically acclaimed books have looked at Caldecott winners, the history and impact of Golden Books, fantasy writers, and the lives of other children's authors including the influential Margaret Wise Brown.

Marcus reviews children's books for Parenting magazine since and has been a contributing editor to the magazine since 1988. He is a frequent contributor to The New York Times Book Review, Washington Post Book World, The Horn Book, and Publishers Weekly, among other publications. He has also curated exhibitions on children's books and book illustration at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, where he is a founding trustee.

Marcus holds degrees in history from Yale and poetry from the University of Iowa Graduate Writers' Workshop. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the Bank Street College of Education in 2007. Marcus and his wife, the picture-book artist Amy Schwartz, live with their son Jacob in Brooklyn, New York.

Books by This Author

Golden Legacy

By: Leonard Marcus

This well-researched book is a lively cultural history of the Western Publishing Company and their bold WWII experiment to create affordable books for children. Learn, too, about the exceptionally talented writers and illustrators who helped create such a memorable series.

Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon

By: Leonard Marcus

Using original source material, letters, and interviews with people who knew her, Marcus creates a compelling picture of the unusual woman who re-invented children's picture books, especially with her enduring classics, The Runaway Bunny and Goodnight Moon.

Minders of Make-Believe: Idealists, Entrepreneurs, and the Shaping of American Children's Literature

By: Leonard Marcus

This thoroughly researched and compelling history looks at the editors, authors, librarians, and booksellers who helped answer the provocative and centuries-old question: What should children read? Discover how landmark children's books like The New England Primer, The Cat in the Hat, and The Chocolate Wars helped define children, families, and the culture of their times.

Pass it Down: Five Picture Book Families Make Their Mark

By: Leonard Marcus

Conversations with families provide insight and information into how books are created and the intergenerational impact of illustrating and writing them. From the Rockwells, the Crews/Jonas family, the Pinkneys, the Myers', and the Hurds – talent seems to run in the family!