from American Girl
Introducing Some 'American Girl' Authors and Artists
So many of our readers have asked us to print photographs of our writers and illustrators that we decided to have a whole page of them this month. We wish we had room to show pictures of more of the people who help make the magazine.
Ellis Parker Butler, author of the popular Jo Ann stories, says that he began to write when he was in the sixth grade. "One of the punishments for misbehavior was to write an essay and read it aloud. When I found that the school and even the teacher laughed at what I wrote, I became a sort of permanent misbehaver." Mr. Butler has written many books and thousands of short stories. He has four children, including twins. Garrett Price (right, above) illustrates the Jo Ann stories. His humorous pictures appear in well-known magazines.
At the extreme left you see Catharine Lewis who draws Mary Ellen and her friends. Miss Lewis has a job during the day and does most of her illustrating "near midnight." She loves winter in New York, Maine coast summers, and people -- "not too many at once."
Gurney Williams, who created Mary Ellen, is studying at Ann Arbor, Michigan. He usually writes "from about seven until after sunrise. Most of the boys in the stories are fraternity brothers and they grab each new 'American Girl' to read what I say about them."
The famous "Scatter" stories were written by Leslie C. Warren, shown at the right with her dog. Mrs. Warren writes: "I had my first girl scout troop back in the days of the old campaign hat and I'm now captain of a troop in Waban, Massachusetts. I like mountains, books, dogs, swimming. My claim to distinction is that I once made a hooked rug."
Helen Hokinson, illustrator of Scatter, is famous for her amusing drawings. She sent her photograph with this comment: "when I showed this picture to my friends they all said 'who is it?' as a result, I have fifty which I am unable to give away even as Christmas gifts. It is with pleasure that I send one to you. (Only forty-nine left now.)"
Here are the ladies who are responsible for the Good Looks pages -- Katherine Shane Bushnell, artist, at the left, and Hazel Rawson Cades at the right. Miss Cades is Good Looks editor of "the Woman's Home Companion." She says, "I have written a great deal, but I never really did anything interesting (to myself, I mean) until I started writing for girls. Girls, I have discovered, want to know things. And I want to know things, too. So I'm always hoping they get as much fun out of reading my articles as I do out of writing them."
Mabel Cleland (at the extreme right) is Mrs. Kenneth Widdemer. She has written many books and short stories for girls, and is the author of our new boarding-school serial which will begin in February. She loves camping, dogs, boating and archery.
Edward Poucher, the artist who has made so many of your favorite covers, is illustrating Mrs. Widdemer's serial for us. He writes that he thinks it is "more fun to illustrate an 'American Girl' story than it is to open Christmas packages."
At the left is Marjorie Provost, author of "Vagabond's Ward." She is not much older than "American Girl" readers, and this serial is her first. She says she loves reading about strange places and is "keen on history, especially French and Dutch history." She likes Don John of Austria, Lord Nelson, Bonnie Prince Charlie and "of course, Francois Villon."
Harve Stein created the lovely pictures for Miss Provost's story. He enjoyed doing the illustrations, both because the story is laid in Paris, a city that he knows and loves, and the characters are dashing and picturesque. Those of you who read "Chestnut Court" a few years ago will remember the fine drawings he made for that story of modern Paris.