GET TO KNOW
Marc Brown 

"When my three sisters and I were growing up near Erie, Pennsylvania, our grandmother Thora told us the most wonderful stories. Back then I never dreamed I would grow up to tell stories of my own," says Marc Brown. "But when my first son, Tolon, was born, I started telling him stories every night before he went to sleep. Most of the stories were about animals. One night our story was about an aardvark who hated his nose. The aardvark, of course, was named Arthur, and that story became Arthur's Nose, the first book in the Arthur Adventure series." Now, there are more than twenty books in the series, including Arthur's TV Trouble, Arthur's First Sleepover, Arthur Meets The President, Arthur's Chicken Pox, and Arthur's Baby. And, out of the Arthur series grew a series of books based on Arthur's little sister, D.W., that includes such favorites ad D.W. Flips and D.W. Rides Again.

What began as a simple family ritual soon grew into a full-time profession for best-selling children's author and illustrator Marc Brown. Trained at the Cleveland Art Institute, he went on to create more than one hundred picture books for children, including Monster's Lunch Box and Scared Silly! A Book for the Brave. Before his current success, however, Marc worked at many jobs, including stints as a truck driver, soda jerk, actor, chicken farmer, television art director, short order cook, and college professor!

Most of the characters in Marc Brown's books are modeled after one person or a combination of people from his life. Many characters were inspired by people he knew when he was growing up and going to school in Milcreek, Pennsylvania. Mr. Ratburn is based on the "meanest algebra teacher ever," and Grandma Thora is based on Brown's real grandmother Thora, "the best storyteller ever." Says Brown, "Buster is modeled after my best friend in elementary school, Terry Johnson, who was a real practical joker. Terry spent a lot of time in the principal's office. In third grade, I spent a lot of time watching a girl named Patricia DelPorto instead of doing my math. She had curly hair and long eyelashes. On Valentine's Day, I remember waiting to get a valentine for her. She is, of course, Sue Ellen, and that's where I got the idea for Arthur's Valentine." His sisters, Bonnie, Colleen, and Kimberly have all served as role models for characters in his books -- especially D.W. and Francine.

As for story ideas, Marc Brown looks to his own three children, Tolon, Tucker, and Eliza, for inspiration (by the way, look for these three names hidden in Arthur Adventure books, along with the names of people and places Marc has visited). He also gets many suggestions from children he meets in schools, libraries, and bookstores around the country. "The most interesting -- and the funniest -- things," says Brown, "happen in real life."

Now Marc Brown lives in Hingham, Massachusetts, and Martha's Vineyard with his wife, illustrator and author Laurie Krasny Brown, and their daughter, Eliza. Marc and Laurie are the creators of the path breaking nonfiction Dinosaurs series, including, When Dinosaurs Die, Dinosaurs Divorce, Dinosaurs Alive and Well!, and Dinosaurs to the Rescue!

If you're interested in keeping up on the latest news from his popular author and illustrator, just call the toll-free number, 1-800-444-BROWN, and listen to Marc Brown tell you all about his latest books! You can also check out the Authur Web Site at

© Little, Brown and Company