About the Author:
Marc Brown, who was born in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1946, received great encouragement and support from his grandmother and uncle. Inspired by the books of Maurice Sendak, Brown decided to pursue his ambition of becoming an illustrator. After receiving a B.F.A. in painting from the Cleveland Institute of Art, he worked as a TV art director, a professor of mechanical drawing, and a freelance illustrator, before becoming a writer. In his books, he addresses the fears and problems which children face and events like friendship, family, school and pets. For his illustrations, Brown uses pencil with watercolor on a variety of papers to achieve different visual effects. The "Arthur" series, about the everyday adventures of a lovable aardvark, began in 1976 and continues to this day with 25 titles published. Brown has also created other series such as the "Rhymes" series, and the nonfiction "Dinosaur" series, which conveys messages of do's and don'ts. These series, like the stories of Arthur, hold the attention of young children while transporting their imaginations on magical journeys.
From Booklist:
Ages 4-7. When Arthur comes down with chicken pox on Monday, his chief concern is that he'll miss the much anticipated family trip to the circus on Saturday. Younger sister D. W. envies the treats and attention Arthur is getting so much that she makes fun of his "polka dots," pretends that she is sick, and torments Arthur about missing the circus. When Saturday rolls around, Arthur is well, but D. W. has the pox and can't go to the circus. Arthur's many fans will enjoy D. W.'s cunning in needling her brother, and Arthur's inability to resist gloating in the end. Chicken pox may provide the plot, but the subject is sibling rivalry. The cartoonlike ink-and-watercolor illustrations are sure to attract young children, even those meeting Arthur and D. W. for the first time. Carolyn Phelan
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