Children's Literature Research Collection
113 Elmer L. Andersen Library
University of Minnesota
222 21st Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455

Alice Dalgliesh Papers, 1935-1956. Finding Aid.

Summary Information

Collection Number: CLRC-119

Collection Size: Ca. 0.7 linear ft. (Manuscripts) Ca. 0.4 cubic ft. (Illustrations)

Abstract/Notes: Alice Dalgliesh's papers focus on her work as an author and illustrator of children's books. The collection contains production material for three titles published between 1935 and 1956 and includes manuscript and/or illustrative material. The collection also contains some miscellaneous watercolors done by Alice Dalgliesh.

This collection was originally given to Dr. Irvin Kerlan who in turn donated his collection to the University of Minnesota.

Collection is non-circulating, in-house use only.

This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Titles 17, U.S. Code). It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all the necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials.

Prepared by Christina Cowan, November 1998.

This collection was processed with financial assistance from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biographical/Historical Notes

Alice Dalgliesh was born on October 7, 1893 in Trinidad, British West Indies, and later became a naturalized United States citizen. She graduated from the Teachers College at Columbia University with a BA and later received her MA, and taught elementary school for many years before becoming children's book editor at Charles Scribner's Sons. She published her first book for children, A Happy School Year, in 1924 and throughout her long and prolific career wrote dozens of fiction and non-fiction books for children. Alice Dalgliesh illustrated several of her own works and also worked with many well-known illustrators including Katherine Milhous. Alice Dalgliesh's non-fiction was praised by critics for its "casual" yet factual and detailed style. Her historical fiction is cited for its accuracy and detail as well as her creation of believable characters and dramatic plots. Two of her works of historical fiction, The Courage of Sarah Noble (1954) and The Bears of Hemlock Mountain (1952) were Newbery Award runners-up. Her books for very young children including Sailor Sam (1935) were noted for their attention to "sound" and "image" and many of these books were praised for their "read aloud" quality. Her autobiographical story The Silver Pencil (1944) was also a Newbery Award runner-up. Alice Dalgliesh died on June 11, 1979 in Woodbury, Connecticut.

Scope and Content Notes

The collection contains production material for three titles published between 1935 and 1956. Manuscript materials include a holograph, corrected typescripts including one for Ride on the Wind (1956) that has notations by Charles Augustus Lindbergh, and a page of photocopy typescript. Illustrative materials include sketches with holograph and a sheet with ink and pencil sketches. The collection also contains some miscellaneous artwork consisting of five watercolors. The materials are arranged by title with folder and box level control.

See attached inventory for folder and box contents.

Collection Inventory

Miscellaneous Artwork [not dated]
-5 watercolors (M.C. 555)

Ride the Wind, 1956
-Holograph, 22 p. (M.F. 279, folder 1)
-Typescript, corrected, 21 p. with notations by Charles Augustus Lindbergh (M.F. 279, folder 2)
-Typescript, photocopy, 1 p. (M.F. 279, folder 2)

Sailor Sam, 1935
-3 ink " pencil sketches with holograph (M.C. 555)
-1 sheet of ink " pencil sketches (M.C. 555)

The Thanksgiving Story, 1954
-Typescript, corrected, 21 p. (M.F. 279, folder 1)

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