Marc Brown

Marc Brown

Having fun isn't hard when you're got a library card.

Biography

• Brown began illustrating books for various authors in 1970 while holding these other jobs throughout the years.

• In 1968 he married Stephanie Marini and had two sons, Tolon Adam and Tucker Eliot Brown.

• They divorced in 1977.

• Brown married

fellow writer, Laurie Krasny, in 1983 and had one daughter with her, Eliza Morgan.

What Makes the Sun Shine?

• Brown worked numerous jobs before writing and illustrating books. Some of his jobs throughout the years:
• truck-driver
• short-order cook
• soda jerk
• assistant college professor at Garland Junior College
• television art director
• actor
• costume set designer for WICU-TV

• The first book Brown illustrated was Isaac Asimov’s "What Makes the Sun Shine?", in 1970.

• It won a Children’s Books of the Year citation from the Child Study Association of America.

Marc, Laurie and their daughter currently live in Hingham, Massachusetts.

Marc and Laurie

Getting connected online

• http://pbskids.org/arthur/
• Full of fun educational games and coloring pages for kids.

• http://www.pbs.org/parents/arthur/index.html
• An amazing site for parents and teachers
• Lesson plans, activities and resources

• https://www.facebook.com/pages/Marc-Brown-Studios/385632154862428
• Marc Brown Studios have a variety of new events about Marc, his projects and the Arthur TV show on their page.

• http://marcbrownstudios.com/
• Their goal is to offer you new creative projects in the coming months and years that will both educate and entertain.

• http://www.randomhousekids.com/brand/marc-brown/
• A look at Marc's new book. Different activities that go with his various books.

Arthur television show

Awards and Honors

1996-present

• Won 6 Emmy Awards
• 25 Emmy nominations.

• Receiver of the prestigious George Foster Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting.

Arthur TV Series begins...

• In 1994 WGBH and PBS approached Marc Brown about adapting the Arthur books to a television series.

• The objective of the new series was to use the powerful mediums of animation and television to excite kids about reading.

• Arthur almost instantly became the most watched children's show on television.

• It is now the longest running animated children's television series in history.

Arthur's opening theme

Arthur's TV Free Week

Kids Are from Earth, Parents Are From Pluto

Elwood City Turns 100

Marc Brown in the classroom

How much can a party cost?

Picture Day!

• After reading "Arthur's Birthday" to the class, and watching "Grandma Thora Appriciation Day", the students will create a list of things they would need to plan a birthday party.
• Next they can look through newspapers, ads and magazines to find prices for the supplies.
• After they found as many prices they can, the students will add up the list to figure out how much a birthday party would cost.

• Read "Arthur's Nose"
• Watch "Francine's Bad Hair Day"
• The students will make a picture of themselves and make it however they would like. They can use any media available.
• Next the students will write a short message about themselves, what they like to do outside of school and an interesting fact.
• Lastly the students will present their portraits to the class.

• http://www.pbs.org/parents/arthur/activities/acts/how_much_cost.html?cat=math

References

Themes and Relevance

• Arthur, his friends and family deal with many of the same issues that children go through everyday. Marc writes about difficult issues that families may face like death, cancer and divorce.

• The Arthur books encourage reading and relationships with family and friends by explaining that people have different personalities and interests.

http://images.wikia.com/arthur/images/archive/2/27/20120226171907!Arthur_and_buster.gif

http://nickjrcharacters.blogspot.com/2013/03/arthur-character-pictures.html

http://www.apbspeakers.com/speaker/marc-brown

http://www.bestplaces.net/city/pennsylvania/erie

http://www.pbs.org/parents/arthur/program/about_mb.html

http://pbskids.org/arthur/health/resilience/tips3.html

http://paintersoflouisville.com/7-art-programs-you-should-consider/

http://pabook.libraries.psu.edu/palitmap/bios/Brown__Marc_Tolon.html

http://www.mvmagazine.com/article.php?29667

http://www.asimovreviews.net/Books/Book111.html

http://forum.ebaumsworld.com/archive/index.php/t-275375.html

http://hermionish.com/2011/11/14/guest-post-about-marc-brown/

http://childrensbookalmanac.com/2011/10/arthurs-nose/

http://arthur.wikia.com/wiki/Arthur's_Nose

http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/birthbios/brthpage/11nov/11-25brown.html

http://www.natgen.org/photos-videos/video-clips/marc-brown-accepts-the-2012-green-earth-book-award-for-picture-book/

http://www.prhspeakers.com/speaker/marc-brown/

http://www.encyclopedia.com/article-1G2-3416600025/brown-marc-tolon-1946.html

http://marcbrownstudios.com/arthur/tv-show/

http://www.quazoo.com/q/Arthur%20(TV%20series)

http://www.paperbackswap.com/Arthur-Turns-Green-Marc-Brown/book/0316129240/

http://appshopper.com/books/arthur-turns-green-by-marc-brown-lite

http://www.livingstonmckay.com/livingstonmckay-nominated-for-southeast-emmy-award

http://arthur.wikia.com/wiki/Arthur_and_the_True_Francine_(book)

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/933502.Dinosaurs_Beware_

http://www.amazon.com/Swamp-Monsters-Easy-Read-Puffin/dp/0140368418

http://www.amazon.com/Dinosaurs-Divorce-Guide-Changing-Families/dp/0316109967

http://www.amazon.com/There-goes-feathertop-Unicorn-book/dp/0525296670

https://openlibrary.org/works/OL16054277W/Arthur's_eyes

http://www.peacefulreader.com/2011_04_01_archive.html

http://becuo.com/pbs-kids-characters-wiki

http://wnedblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/pbs-kids-characters-are-timeless.html

http://wnedblog.blogspot.com/2013/03/pbs-kids-characters-are-timeless.html

http://www.crazyaboutmybaybah.com/arthur-stands-bullying-in-new-episodes-on-pbskids/

http://www.jpgglobal.com/?portfolio=181

http://dreager1.com/2012/04/09/arthur-vs-dw/

http://meetville.com/quotes/tag/fun/page37

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20609141_20615220,00.html

https://openlibrary.org/works/OL18914W/D.W._rides_again!

http://arthur.wikia.com/wiki/File:D.W._and_Arthur_Computer.jpg

http://www.cia.edu/student-life/our-campus/campus-map

http://arthur.wikia.com/wiki/Marc_Brown

http://throughtrialsiambeingpurified.blogspot.com/2012_04_01_archive.html

http://www.pinterest.com/wqededu/arthur/

http://binky-rules.tumblr.com/post/35517144130/arthurs-eyes

http://uproxx.com/sports/2013/01/sports-on-tv-arthurs-20-greatest-sports-moments/#page/1

http://www.speakaboos.com/story/arthurs-chicken-pox

http://arthur.wikia.com/wiki/File:14_No_Talking,_You're_Sick.jpg

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/book/arthurs-chicken-pox

http://www.betterworldbooks.com/locked-in-the-library-id-0316115576.aspx

http://arthur.wikia.com/wiki/Locked_in_the_Library!_(episode)

• Some issues that Arthur books tackle:
• Siblings
• Responsibilities
• Homework
• Bullies
• Friendship
• Learning disabilities
• Death and cancer
• Divorce
• Making new experiences

less frightening

• Honesty and truthfulness,
• Respect and helping
• Appearance

Biography

• Marc Brown was born November 25th, 1946 in Erie, Pennsylvania.

• His passion for drawing began at age six because

of the loving attentions of his grandmother, Grandma Thora, who saved his artwork in her bottom bureau drawer. Brown cites his grandmother for the ability to tell imaginative stories on command.

• Brown chose art school because of his inspiration from artists, Marc Chagall, Maurice Sendak and his high school art teacher Nancy Bryan.

• Brown attended art school at the Cleveland Art Institute, which he attended from 1964 to 1969.

Arthur and DW with their Grandmother Thora, the character was inspired by Marc Brown's actual grandma.

Brain

Mr. Ratburn

Sue Ellen

Muffy

Binky

Francine

Tibble Twins

Arthur

DW

Buster

Book Summaries

Arthur's Eyes

Marc Brown is the best for creating Arthur!!!

• Arthur is having a hard time seeing and finds out he needs glasses. The problem is none of his friends have glasses and they tease him. Arthur decides to stop wearing them but without glasses he cannot see. When Arthur goes home he is watching TV and sees the man who plays Bionic Bunny, the superhero, wearing glasses and decides to wear them. A week later, Francine is wearing fake glasses because she now thinks they are cool.

• I love the Arthur books, television show and movies. I read the books and grew up with these characters. I watched the TV show almost every morning through elementary, high school and the first two years of college.

Arthur's Chicken Pox

Book

Awards and Honors

• Monday morning finds Arthur's family taking about Saturdays trip to the Circus. Unfortunately Arthur gets a case of the chicken pox. DW spends the week making fun of Arthur and his spots. She also begins to get jealous of all the attention and gifts Arthur is getting because he is sick. Saturday comes around with Arthur feeling well enough to go to the circus. DW does not get to go because she comes down with the chicken pox.

• Arthur and his fellow characters were like friends growing up and I could relate to so many of the issues they were dealing with.

Locked in the Library!

• One of my favorite movies growing up was "D.W. Rides Again.!".

• Francine gets really mad and decides she is not going to talk to Arthur anymore. Unfortunately they end up as partners in a project. When they get to the library Arthur and Francine cannot agree about anything, they decide to go to different spots in library. Things get worse when they end up getting locked in the library after it closes. Arthur and Francine try ways to get out with but nothing works. Things turn around when Arthur thinks Francine is in trouble and comes to her rescue. Francine besides to forgive Arthur because he helped her. The librarian comes back and finds, them thus being able to leave right when they start to get along again. When Monday comes, they realize they never did their book report but Mr. Ratburn gives them an extension because of their learning about heroism in the library.

• I have an older brother and felt like D.W. was going through the same things I was with my brother.

AWARDS and HONORS:

• Children's Books of the Year citations, Child Study Association of America:
• 1971 for What Makes the Sun Shine?,
• 1976 for One Two Three: An Animal Counting Book
• 1986 for What's So Funny, Ketu?, Hand Rhymes, and The Banza: A Haitian Story.
• Children's Choice awards, Children's Book Council/International Reading Association:
• 1976 for Arthur's Nose,
• 1980 for Arthur's Eyes,
• 1981 for Arthur's Valentine,
• 1982 for The True Francine, Arthur's Halloween, and Arthur Goes to Camp,
• 1983, for Arthur's April Fool;
• Notable Book citations, American Library Association:
• 1979, for Why the Tides Ebb and Flow,
• 1982, for Dinosaurs Beware! A Safety Guide,
• 1984, for Oh, Kojo! How Could You!;
• American Institute of Graphic Arts Book Show:
• 1980 There Goes Feathertop!
• Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor Award for Illustration,
• 1980 Why the Tides Ebb and Flow
• Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies citations, National Council for Social Studies/CBC:
• 1982 The True Francine
• 1985 Oh, Kojo! How Could You!
• Library of Congress Book of the Year citation:
• 1985 for Swamp Monsters.
• Booklist Children's Editor's Choice and New York Public Library Children's Books citations:
• 1985 Hand Rhymes.
• Notable Book citation, New York Times:
• 1986 Dinosaurs Divorce: A Guide for Changing Families;

Influence and

Inspiration

• Winner of the 2012 Green Earth Book Award in the Picture Book category for his book,

“Arthur Turns Green”

• Marc discusses his friends and family who inspired many of the beloved characters in his Arthur Series.

Arthur begins...

• In an interview with Reading Rockets, Marc Brown talks about his childhood, the Arthur television shows on PBS, and his friendship with the late Mr. Rogers.

• Marc reading

"Arthur Turns Green"

• After about five years of illustration, Brown decided to try and create his own stories.

• The popular Arthur books began when Brown’s son wanted to hear a bedtime story and he made one up about an aardvark named Arthur.

• Arthur's Nose was published in 1976.

Author Study

by Ashley Kluver