Maud and Miska Petersham

Frontispiece of the 1922 first edition of Carl Sandburg's Rootabaga Stories, illustrated by the Petershams.

Maud Fuller Petersham (August 5, 1890 – November 29, 1971)[1] and Miska Petersham (September 20, 1888 – May 15, 1960)[1] were American writers and illustrators who helped set the direction for illustrated children's books that followed. The Petershams worked closely with such pioneering children's book editors as Louise Seaman Bechtel and May Massee, and with such innovative printers as Charles Stringer and William Glaser. They worked as a seamless partnership for more than five decades. Both prolific and versatile, they produced illustrations for more than 120 trade books and textbooks, anthologies, and picture books. Of the 50 books they both wrote and illustrated, many were recognized with important awards or critical acclaim.[2] They are known for technical excellence, exuberant color, and the introduction of international folk and modernist themes.

  1. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference UMN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Lawrence Webster, Under the North Light: The Life and Work of Maud and Miska Petersham, Woodstock, NY: WoodstockArts, 2012, p. 39.