These materials were received from Fritz in 1986 and 1990.
Non-circulating; available for research.
This collection is protected by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17, U. S. Code). Reproductions can be made only if they are to be used for "private study, scholarship, or research." It is the user's responsibility to verify copyright ownership and to obtain all necessary permissions prior to the reproduction, publication, or other use of any portion of these materials, other than that noted above.
Jean Fritz was born November 16, 1915 in Hankow, China, the daughter of a minister and missionary. She married Michael Fritz in 1941 and had two children. She received the A. B. degree in 1937 from Wheaton College and also studied at Columbia University. Fritz has worked as a research assistant; children's librarian, 1937-1941; teacher for the Board of Cooperative Educational Service; lecturer, 1976; and faculty member at Appalachian State University, 1980-1982. She also founded the Jean Fritz Writer's Workshops and taught writing from 1961 to 1969.
Fritz published her first book, Bunny Hopewell's First Spring, in 1954. This prolific and versatile writer likes to look to the past for new stories and ideas. She continues to put her roots down deeper into her own country (America), perhaps because she spent much of her childhood in China feeling a sense of rootlessness. Fritz, who conveys an empathy with her characters and a respect for her young readers, is considered one of the best writers of historical biographies and novels for young people.
Her awards include Outstanding Pennsylvania Author, 1978; Honor Award for Nonfiction, Washington (D.C.) Children's Book Guild, 1978-1979; Boston Globe Horn Book Honor Book Award, 1980, for Stonewall; American Book Award nomination, 1981, for Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold; Child Study Award and Christopher Award, both 1982; Newbery Honor Book Award, American Book Award and Boston Globe Horn Book Honor Book Award, all 1983, for Homesick: My Own Story; Boston Globe Horn Book Nonfiction Award, 1984, for The Double Life of Pocahontas; and Regina Award, 1985.
The collection contains correspondence from Fritz to the de Grummond Collection and material relating to the publication of ten novels published primarily in the 1980s. The material for the novels is arranged alphabetically by title; for each title, the organization of the material reflects the probable order in which it was created.
There are complete edited typescripts for all ten titles. For China Homecoming, which Fritz wrote after a trip back to China and the places of her childhood, the collection contains a partial first draft manuscript in a notebook and two typescripts, one being the final marked for the typesetter. Also for China's Long March: 6,000 Miles of Danger, which is set in China during the Chinese revolution, the collection includes two typescripts, one of which is marked for the typesetter, and a review from Publisher's Weekly. Material for the award-winning The Double Life of Pocahontas, about early settlers in America, includes manuscripts in notebooks and an edited typescript marked for the typesetter. For The Good Giants and the Bad Pukwudgies, a fictitional legend in contrast to Fritz's many historical novels, her papers include edited typescripts.
For The Great Little Madison, which traces the life of the child who grew up to be the fourth president of the United States, there is a final edited typescript marked for the typesetter. Homesick: My Own Story, which won several awards, is Fritz's account of her childhood in China and the start of the revolution. For this title the collection includes a partial first draft manuscript in a notebook and an edited typescript. Make Way For Sam Houston, Shh! We're Writing the Constitution, Stonewall, and Traitor: The Case of Benedict Arnold are more of her historical works about America. The collection has edited typescripts for each of these titles, and for Traitor it includes a partial first draft manuscript in a notebook, an edited typescript, and another edited typescript marked for the typesetter.
Fritz's writing encompasses a variety of genres, including history, biography, and fiction. The Jean Fritz collection is especially valuable for its revelation of how a work evolves from rough manuscript to typescripts to galley.
Box/Folder
A. Correspondence
1/1 To the de Grummond Collection, 1986-1990, 4 items.B. Books
CHINA HOMECOMING by Jean Fritz, photographs by Michael Fritz (New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1985). 1/2 Manuscript, partial, first draft, in notebook, 46 pp. 1/3-1/4 Typescript, edited, 1/3 chapters 1-4, pp. 1-56; 1/4 chapters 5-8, pp. 57-109. 1/5-1/7 Typescript, edited and marked for typesetter, 1/5 front matter and chapters 1-3, pp. 1-43; 1/6 chapters 4-6, pp. 44-80; 1/7 chapters 7-8, notes and bibliography, pp. 81-110. CHINA'S LONG MARCH: 6000 MILES OF DANGER by Jean Fritz, illustrations by Yang Zhr Cheng (New York: Putnam, 1988). 1/8-1/9 Typescript, edited, 1/8 chapters 1-4, pp. 1-48; 1/9 chapters 5-8 and epilogue, pp. 49-99. 2/1-2/3 Typescript, edited and marked for typesetter, 2/1 front matter, 8 pp., chapters 1-4, pp. 1-49; 2/2 chapters 5-7, pp. 50-94; 2/3 chapter 8, notes and bibliography, pp. 95-113. Review, Publisher's Weekly, 26 February 1988. THE DOUBLE LIFE OF POCAHONTAS by Jean Fritz, illustrations by Ed Young (New York: Putnam, 1983). 2/4-2/5 Manuscript, partial, first draft, in notebook, 2/4 106 pages; 2/5 55 pages. 2/6-2/7 Typescript, edited and marked for typesetter, 2/6 front matter, 6 pp., and chapters 1-2, pp. 1-34; 2/7 chapters 3-5, epilogue, and bibliography, pp. 35-76. THE GOOD GIANTS AND BAD PUKWUDGIES by Jean Fritz, illustrated by Tomie de Paola (New York: Putnam, 1982). 2/8 Typescript, edited, pp. 1-11. Typescript, edited, 8 pp. Typescript, edited, 10 pp. THE GREAT LITTLE MADISON by Jean Fritz (New York: Putnam, 1989). 2/9-2/11 Typescript, edited and marked for typesetter, 2/9 front matter, 5 pp. and chapters 1-4, pp. 1-49; 2/10 chapters 5-7, pp. 50-100; 2/11 chapters 8-11, notes, and bibliography, pp. 101-156. HOMESICK: MY OWN STORY by Jean Fritz, illustrated with drawings by Margot Tomes (New York: Putnam, 1982). 3/1 Manuscript, partial, first draft, in notebook, 108 pp., and typescript insert. 3/2-3/4 Typescript, edited, 3/2 chapters 1-2, pp. 1-36; 3/3 chapters 3-4, pp. 37-78; 3/4 chapters 5-7, pp. 79-129, and epilogue, 2 pp. MAKE WAY FOR SAM HOUSTON by Jean Fritz, illustrations by Elise Primavera (New York: Putnam, 1986). 3/5-3/6 Typescript, first draft, edited, 3/5 pp. 1-30; 3/6 pp. 31-67. Sketch, photocopy, for chapter 7. Sketches, photocopies, for dust jacket, 2 items. SHH! WE'RE WRITING THE CONSTITUTION by Jean Fritz, illustrated by Tomie de Paola (New York: Scholastic, 1987). 3/7 Typescript, corrected by editor, pp. 1-21. STONEWALL by Jean Fritz, drawings by Stephen Gammell (New York: Putnam, 1979). 3/8-3/9 Typescript, edited, 3/8 chapters 1-6, pp. 1-48; 3/9 chapters 7-11, pp. 48-102. TRAITOR: THE CASE OF BENEDICT ARNOLD by Jean Fritz (New York: Putnam, 1981). 4/1 Manuscript, partial, first draft, in notebook, 90 pp. 4/2-4/4 Typescript, edited, 4/2 chapters 1-5, pp. 1-46; 4/3 chapters 6-8, pp. 47-82; 4/4 chapters 9-11, pp. 83-126. 4/5-4/7 Typescript, edited and marked for typesetter, 4/5 title page and chapters 1-6, pp. 1-51; 4/6 chapters 7-9, pp. 52-101; 4/7 chapters 10-12, notes and bibliography, pp. 102-145.
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