Restrictions
Noncirculating; available for research.
Copyright
The 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.
Biographical Sketch
Dorothy Van Woerkom was born on June 26, 1924 in Buffalo, New York. She worked
as a secretary from 1943-1947 and as an elementary school teacher from 1947-1951.
She decided to become a free-lance writer in 1968 and has since written many short
stories and articles for children's magazines and stories for beginning readers. She has
also worked as an editor for Concordia Publishing House's "Beginning Bible Readers"
series.
Van Woerkom is most noted for her folktale translations and religious stories. She often reads and rewrites old folktales found at her local library. She sometimes changes character names and settings, but keeps the plot based on local folklore intact. Along with her folk translations, she has published over a half a dozen religious stories with Concordia. Stepka and the Magic Fire (1974) won the Catholic Press Association Award for the best religious children's book of 1974.
Source:
Scope and Content
The collection contains correspondence, manuscripts and typescripts for two of Van
Woerkom's books. Becky and the Bear (1975) is based on a true story about
a colonial girl who captures a bear. There is also a dummy for this title. The Queen
Who Couldn't Bake Gingerbread (1975) is based on a folktale Van Woerkom found
in St. Nicholas Magazine. It is a tale about a king and queen who must learn
how to compromise. The collection also contains a short story called "Jonah, Go to
Nineveh!" and two reviews from the Junior Literary Guild.
The Margot Tomes Papers (DG0988)
A. Books
B. Short Stories
C. Reviews
Box/Folder
A. Books
Becky and the Bear by Dorothy Van Woerkom, illustrated by Margot Tomes
(New York: Putnam, 1975).
1/1 Correspondence, 1973-1974, 4 items.
1/2 Manuscript, "first draft," 21 March 1973, 4 pp.
Typescript, "original version," 8 June 1973, 11 pp.
1/3 Typescript, "second version," edited, pp. 1-11.
Typescript, "third version," edited, 14 pp.
1/4 Typescript, "fourth and final version," pp. 1-11.
1/5 Typescript of jacket blurbs, 2 pp.
1/6 Dummy, 1 item.
The Queen Who Couldn't Bake Gingerbread by Dorothy Van
Woerkom, illustrated by Paul Galdone (New York: Knopf, 1975).
1/7 Correspondence, 1973-1975, 8 items.
1/8 Photocopy of original story found in St. Nicholas Magazine,
vol. 10, part I, March 1883, pp. 360-362.
Typescript of photocopy, 5 pp.
1/9 Manuscript, "first draft," 7 December 1972, 5 pp.
Typescript, "first version," pp. 1-7.
1/10 Typescript, "second version," pp. 1-8.
Typescript, "final version," 14 February 1974, edited, pp. 1-7.
1/11 Typescript of jacket blurbs, 2 pp.
1/12 Galley, 20 May 1974, 3 pp.
B. Short Stories
"Jonah, Go to Nineveh!" by Dorothy Van Woerkom (undated)
1/13 Typescript, pp. 1-14.
C. Reviews
1/14 Reviews from the Junior Literary Guild in 1975, 2 items.
Processed: December 1, 1997
Revised: July 2001
Biographical Sketch | Scope & Content
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Contact:
The de Grummond Children's Literature Collection
Box 5148
Hattiesburg, MS 39406
(601) 266-4349
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