Stockbridge, MA, September 10, 2014—Norman Rockwell Museum will present the lecture, “American Dreamer: Robert McCloskey and the Art of the Picture Book” on Saturday, September 13, starting at 2 p.m. Noted author/children’s book historian Leonard S. Marcus will look at the career of Robert McCloskey (1914-2003), famous for his Caldecott Medal-winning book, “Make Way for Ducklings” (1942). Marcus will discuss McCloskey within the context of mid-twentieth century American culture, drawing comparisons to Norman Rockwell, Aaron Copland, Jackson Pollock, and other celebrated figures. The talk is presented as part of the Museum’s “Adventures in Visual Culture” series, exploring the art of illustration and world of visual culture, and is free with Museum admission.

Leonard Marcus is one of the children’s book world’s most respected and versatile writers, historians, and critics. His incisive book reviews have been featured in “Parenting Magazine” in every issue since 1987. He has been a frequent contributor to “The New York Times Book Review,” “Washington Post Book World,” ”Publishers Weekly,” among other publications, and is a three-time judge of the “New York Times” Best Illustrated Books of the Year prize. His books about children’s literature and the authors and artists who create them include: “Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon;” “A Caldecott Celebration;” “The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy;” and “Minders of Make-Believe. “Recent children’s books include “Oscar: the Big Adventure of a Little Sock Monkey” (co-authored and illustrated by Amy Schwartz) and “Pass It Down: Five Picture-Book Families Make Their Mark.” Learn more at www.leonardmarcus.com