Marc Brown
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- For the blogger, see Marc Brown (blogger).
- For the news anchor, see Marc Brown (journalist).
Marc Tolon Brown (born November 25, 1946 in Erie, Pennsylvania) is an American writer of children's books. He is best-known for his Arthur series books and its spin-offs. He currently lives in Hingham, Massachusetts and is married to Laurene Krasny Brown, who also is a author and illustrator.
Contents |
[edit] Personal life
Marc Brown grew up in Erie, Pennsylvania, where he attended Lakewood Elementary School. Brown's childhood years would later become the setting for many of his Arthur books. In junior high, Brown drew cartoons for the school newspaper. When it came time for college, his grandmother helped pay for his art class.
In 1969, Marc Brown graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art with a degree in painting. On his way to becoming a full-time author and illustrator, he worked as a truck driver, short-order cook, television art director, actor, college professor, and freelance illustrator. His big breakthrough came one night when his five-year-old son asked for a bedtime story about a weird animal. Brown came up with Arthur, an aardvark who hated his long nose. In 1976, this story became Arthur's Nose, the first book in the very popular series.
For the next twenty years, Marc Brown enjoyed his life as a successful children's book author and illustrator. He worked from the barn behind his house and visited classrooms around the country. In 1995, Brown agreed to help produce an Arthur TV series on PBS. Brown's hands-on dedication helped "Arthur" become the most watched children's television show in the country, with an estimated 15 million weekly viewers. During the first eight years of the show, Arthur book sales jumped from five million to 60 million.
[edit] Arthur
Marc Brown is the creator of Arthur, the most popular aardvark in the whole world. What started out as a bedtime story has turned into a global phenomenon. From the Americas to China, Arthur the loveable likeable aardvark turns up in books, schools, backpacks, and even bowls of macaroni-and-cheese. Arthur's Emmy Award-winning PBS television series is broadcast in over 60 countries. And in the United States alone, nearly 60 million Arthur books have been sold. Marc Brown believes that millions of children can relate to third-grade Arthur because "he's dealing with the same issues that they're dealing with in their lives."[citation needed]
[edit] Of note
Promotes literacy alongside Barbara Bush and Laura Bush.
[edit] Artistic license
Marc Brown uses the names of his children, and other family members, in almost all books.
[edit] Fame
TV series; spinoff series featuring Arther's friend Buster, called Postcards from Buster.
[edit] Trivia
- The names of his two sons, Tolon and Tucker, and his daughter, Eliza, have been hidden in the illustrations in all but one Arthur book.
- Another of Marc Browns projects include doing the illustrations for "Wild about Books" by Judy Sierra
[edit] External links
| Arthur | |
|---|---|
| Production: | Episodes |
| Characters: | Arthur Timothy Read | Binky Barnes | Buster Baxter Francine Alice Frensky | Mr. Ratburn | Other characters |
| Miscellaneous: | Soundtracks | Bionic Bunny | Postcards from Buster | Marc Brown |
