Zemach, Margot

Margot Zemach was born November 30, 1931 in Los Angeles, California. She attended various art schools in California and studied on a Fulbright Scholarship at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts in 1955-1956. Margot Zemach married Harvey Fichstrom in 1957; they had four daughters including Kaethe who would later become an author and illustrator of children's books. Harvey Fichstrom, under the pseudonym Harve Zemach, authored many of the books Margot Zemach illustrated beginning with Small Boy Is Listening in 1959. The story drew on the Zemachs' experiences in Vienna and their knowledge of the city. The Zemachs collaborated on a number of children's books including Duffy and the Devil : A Cornish Tale, a retelling of a Cornish folk tale that won Margot Zemach the Caldecott Award in 1974. Margot Zemach also received Caldecott Honor citations for The Judge : An Untrue Tale and It Could Always Be Worse . Both stories drew on her love for folk tales, particularly those of Eastern Europe and the Yiddish tradition. Throughout her career, Margot Zemach illustrated and/or adapted a number of European folk tales, as well as some stories by Isaac Bashevis Singer. Critics have cited her work for its attention to detail and ability to "make things real", sense of motion, and how the "narrative pacing of her illustrations never flagged." Margot Zemach noted that she respected "draftsmanship... and the tradition of fine drawing" and wanted to "join [the] exacting standards of drawing with the wit and fantasy so necessary in children's books." She worked in a variety of media including ink and watercolor, often drawing the same page over and over to get it right. Margot Zemach received the 1979 Kerlan Award for her contributions to children's literature, and died on May 21, 1989 in Berkeley, California.

From the guide to the Margot Zemach Collection, 1959-1985, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc])

American illustrator of children's books.

From the description of Duffy and the devil : a Cornish tale : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448810

From the description of The three sillies : a folk tale : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439264

From the description of The tricks of Master Dabble : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490959

From the description of Nail soup, a Swedish folk tale : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490957

From the description of Hush, little baby : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448811

From the description of The little tiny woman, a folktale : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439247

From the description of Salt : a Russian tale : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439258

From the description of Simon Boom gives a wedding : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439260

From the description of The king of the hermits, and other stories : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448813

From the description of Favorite fairy tales told in Denmark : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439240

From the description of Mommy, buy me a China doll : adapted from an Ozark children's song : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439253

From the description of It could always be worse : A Yiddish folk tale : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448812

From the description of A penny a look : an old story : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439256

From the description of Come on, Patsy : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439238

From the description of Molly, McCullough, & Tom the Rogue : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439250

From the description of When Shlemiel went to Warsaw & other stories : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448814

From the description of The sign in Mendel's window : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490958

From the description of A hat with a rose : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439242

From the description of The judge, an untrue tale : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62439245

From the description of The speckled hen, a Russian nursery rhyme : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686700

From the description of Awake and dreaming : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686698

From the description of Alone in the forest : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686697

From the description of The last dragon : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686699

From the description of Why don't you draw a dog? : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403248

From the description of Mazel and Shlimazel : or, The milk of a lioness : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403243

From the description of Small boy is listening : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403244

From the description of Harlequin : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403242

From the description of Take a giant step : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403246

From the description of The fisherman and his wife : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403239

From the description of The frogs who wanted a king : and other songs from La Fontaine : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403241

From the description of The foundling, and other tales of Prydain : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403240

From the description of Too much nose : an Italian tale : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403247

American illustrator of children's books; Caldecott Award winner, 1974, and Kerlan Award winner, 1979.

From the description of Papers, 1959-1985. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62403238