James Edward Marshall (October 10, 1942 – October 13, 1992), who sometimes published under the name Edward Marshall, was an American author-illustrator of children's literature, including the George and Martha series of picture books (1972–1988), and an illustrator of additional books including Miss Nelson is Missing (1977) by Harry Allard. In 2007, he was posthumously awarded the Children's Literature Legacy Award for "substantial and lasting contribution" to American children's literature.
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Early life and education
James Marshall was born on October 10, 1942, in San Antonio, Texas, where he grew up on his family's 85-acre farm. Marshall's father worked on the railroad and had a band, and his mother sang in the local church choir. The family later moved to Beaumont, Texas. Marshall said: "Beaumont is deep south and swampy and I hated it. I knew I would die if I stayed there so I diligently studied the viola, and eventually won a scholarship to the New England Conservatory in Boston."
He entered the New England Conservatory of Music but injured his hand in an airplane accident, causing his music career to end at age 19. Marshall returned to Texas, where he attended San Antonio College, and later transferred to Southern Connecticut State University, where he earned degrees in French and history.
Career
From 1968 to 1970, Marshall taught French and Spanish classes at Cathedral High School in Boston, Massachusetts, despite not knowing Spanish. In 1970 he moved to New York City to work as an illustrator, and soon illustrated his first picture book, Plink, Plink, Plink by Byrd Baylor (1971). In 1972 he published George and Martha, his first book as an author-illustrator.
He illustrated several books by the writer Harry Allard including Miss Nelson Is Missing and The Stupids. Later in his career, Marshall illustrated picture book versions of classic fairy tales including Little Red Riding Hood, Mother Goose, Hansel and Gretel, and Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
As illustrator of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Marshall was a runner-up for the Caldecott Medal in 1989 (the "Caldecott Honor Books" display silver rather than gold seals). He won a University of Mississippi Silver Medallion in 1992. Over his career, he was three times recognized by The New York Times Book Review as one of the best illustrated children's book of the year.
Marshall lived between an apartment in the Chelsea district of New York City and a home in Mansfield Hollow, Connecticut. He died on October 13, 1992, three days after his 50th birthday. Marshall's obituary states that he died of a brain tumor, but his sister has since clarified that he died of AIDS. Marshall was gay, and though he did not publicly come out during his lifetime, he was open with those he knew personally about his sexuality.