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Elizabeth Orton Jones




Jones' great-grandfather, Joseph Russell Jones, a friend of Abraham Lincoln, was minister to Belgium under President Grant. Her grandmother was a professional pianist and her grandfather owned a bookstore.

In 1932, Jones received her Ph.B. from the University of Chicago. Afterward she spent time in France, studying at the École Des Beaux Arts in Fontainebleau, receiving a diploma in the same year. Upon returning, she presented at the Smithsonian Institution a solo display of color etchings of French children. She also spent time studying at the School Of The Art Institute Of Chicago .

In the mid 1940's she visited Mason, New Hampshire and moved there soon afterward. Jones became a well respected figure in Mason, as she served to collect and preserve the history of the town in ''Mason Bicentennial, 1768-1968'' a book she edited. She was known there, not by her name, but by the name 'Twig,' the name of a character from one of her books.

She died in the spring of 2005 at the age of 95.


PROFESSIONAL WORK

After Paris, Jones began writing and illustrating her first book, ''Ragman of Paris and His Ragamuffins'', which was based on her experiences in France. It was published in 1937. Other books followed and evidenced her experiences as well: ''Maninka's Children'' was influenced by the Bohemian girls she knew growing up. Her home in Mason served as the model for her illustrations of a publishing of '' Little Red Riding Hood '' by Golden Books from 1948 through 1979.

'' Small Rain: Verses from the Bible'', a book she illustrated in 1944, was chosen as a Caldecott Honor Book, and in 1945, ''Prayer for a Child'' written by Rachel Field and illustrated by Jones, received the Caldecott Medal .


Children's Books Written and Illustrated

  • ''Ragman of Paris and His Ragamuffins'', Oxford University Press, 1937.

  • ''Minnie the Mermaid'' (with Thomas Orton Jones), Oxford University Press, 1939.

  • ''Maminka’s Children'', Macmillan, 1940, reissued, 1968.

  • ''Twig'', Macmillan, 1942, reissued, 1966.

  • ''Big Susan'', Macmillan, 1947, reissued, 1967.

  • ''Little Red Riding Hood'' (reteller), Simon & Schuster, 1948.

  • ''How Far Is It to Bethlehem?'', Horn Book, 1955.



Children’s Books Illustrated

  • Bible, ''David'', Macmillan, 1937.

  • Adshead, Gladys L., ''Brownies—Hush!'', Oxford University Press, 1938, reissued, Walck, 1966.

  • Meigs, Cornelia Lynde, ''Scarlet Oak'', Macmillan, 1938.

  • Association for Childhood Education, ''Told under the Magic Umbrella: Modern Fanciful Stories for Young Children'', Macmillan, 1939, reissued, 1967.

  • Hunt, Mabel Leigh, ''Peddler’s Clock'', Grosset, 1943.

  • Jones, Jessie Mae, editor, ''Small Rain: Verses from the Bible'', Viking, 1943, reissued, 1974.

  • Field, Rachel, ''Prayers for a Child'', Macmillan, 1944, reissued, 1973.

  • Adshead, Gladys L., ''What Miranda Knew'', New York, Oxford University Press, 1944.

  • Farjeon, Eleanor, ''Prayer for Little Things'', Houghton, 1945.

  • Jones, Jessie Orton, ''Secrets'', New York, Viking, 1945.

  • Jones, Jessie Mae, ''Little Child—The Christmas Miracle Told in Bible Verses'', New York, Viking, 1946.

  • Jones, Jessie Mae, editor, ''This Is the Way: Prayers and Precepts from World Religions'', Viking, 1951.

  • St. Francis of Assisi, ''Song of the Sun'', Macmillan, 1952.

  • Thurman, Howard, ''Deep River'', Harper, 1955.

  • Bridgman, Elizabeth, ''Lullaby for Eggs'', Macmillan, 1955.

  • Trent, Robbie, ''To Church We Go'', Follett, 1956.



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