Junior Gleaners and Beaver Books:
The colourful children’s books of Fredericton’s Brunswick Press in the 1950s and 60s
An illustrated talk with accompanying exhibition
Presented by Susan Fisher, Curator
Eileen Wallace Children’s Literature Collection
Harriet Irving Library
UNB Fredericton
Date: Thursday, October 27th
Place: HIL Milham Room
Time: 4:00pm
Reception: 4:45-5:30pm
Overview
With over 70 titles for children, ranging from newly illustrated classic poems and tales to locally authored poetry, fiction and non-fiction, Fredericton’s Brunswick Press was an early innovator in Canada, defining what regional children’s publishing could be. Managed by Brigadier Michael Wardell in close correspondence with financial backer, Sir Max Aitken (Lord Beaverbrook), the press was part of a larger publishing venture which also included Fredericton’s local paper, The Daily Gleaner.
In this image-rich presentation, Susan Fisher will discuss the origins of the Brunswick Press, show examples of its children’s books (including original artwork for an unpublished volume of Desmond Pacey’s children’s poetry), and look at how the Press and The Daily Gleaner combined to engage the child reader in 1950s New Brunswick.
This Milham Lecture is presented in conjunction with a book/archival exhibit of Brunswick Press materials to be held in the H. R. Stewart Exhibition Room, Harriet Irving Library, beginning October 24th.
Read the CBC interview of Susan Fisher regarding the Brunswick Press books.
Read the CBC interview of Eileen Wallace and the collection of children’s books she built.
The Milham Lectures were established in 1987 in honour of Mary Ella Milham,
a professor of classics and ancient history at UNB. Consult the list of previous Milham Lectures.