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Black silhouette of a girl in a bonnet holding an open book, being followed by a cat. Underneath is a ribbon banner with the text De Grummond Children's Literature Collection

WELCOME TO THE DE GRUMMOND 
CHILDREN'S LITERATURE COLLECTION

The de Grummond Children's Literature Collection is one of North America's leading research centers in the field of children's literature. Although the Collection has many strengths, the main focus is on American and British children's literature, historical and contemporary. Founded in 1966 by Dr. Lena Y. de Grummond, the Collection holds the original manuscripts and illustrations of more than 1,400 authors and illustrators, as well as over 200,000 published books dating from 1530 to the present.

The collection contains the works of authors and illustrators that include Randolph Caldecott, John Newbery, Kate Greenaway, H.A. and Margret Rey and Ezra Jack Keats. These are some of the most celebrated names in children’s literature with Caldecott, Newbery, Greenaway and Keats all having prestigious national awards named in their honor, and the Rey’s being the creators of Curious George. Keats, the man behind The Snowy Day, is one of America’s most groundbreaking authors with his efforts to break the color barrier in children’s publishing, and The Snowy Day is considered to be one of the most important American books of the 20th century.


These original materials are supplemented by a book collection of historical and contemporary children's literature that include Aesop’s Fables that date back to 1530, a board game from 1790, more than 100 version of the Cinderella story and the papers of popular young adult author, John Green. Researchers from across the United States, around the world and all disciplines at Southern Miss visit the collection on a regular basis to study its fables, fairy tales, folklore, alphabet books, nursery rhymes, textbooks, religious books, moral tales, fantasy, fiction, primers, and children's magazines. Complementing these holdings are scholarly studies, biographies, bibliographies, and critical works.

Part of Special Collections, the de Grummond Collection is housed in the McCain Library and Archives on the campus of The University of Southern Mississippi

Background of a row of books with a gold circle in front with a silhouette image of a girl wearing a dress and bonnet walking reading a book, with a cat following. Below the girl is a banner that says de Grummond Children's Literature Collection, $1 million match gift challenge.

The de Grummond Curatorship Endowment initiative was announced in 2023 to support the curator and preserve, promote and grow the collection.

 

Earlier this year, an anonymous donor came forward to help us reach our goal.

For every donation, the donor will match that support, up to $1,000,000.

 

There has never been a more opportune time to support the de Grummond Children’s Literature Collection and help build the collection and its legacy. 

UPCOMING EVENTS

de Grummond Book Group

Thursday, June 20 at 11:30 a.m. 

Virtual Meeting

Click for more Zoom information and the selected reading

NEWS & EVENTS

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