Virginia Haviland, Founder of the Center for Children's Literature at the Library of Congress

Virginia Haviland

Author and anthologist of folk and fairy tales, Haviland was the head of the children’s section of the Library of Congress when she joined Cricket’s Editorial Advisory Board. The letter below written by Haviland to Marianne Carus, December 15, 1974, conveys her characteristic enthusiam. Notes at the top show that it circulated among Senior Editor Clifton Fadiman (Kip) and Open Court Publishing Company head Blouke Carus (MBC) in addition to Cricket staff, who fulfilled her request for a copy of the British version, Cricket & Company. It reads:

Dear Marianne,

Can CRICKET keep getting better & better? The January issue reflects a great relationship with England -- three superb new stories, those by Reeves, Hunter, & Dickinson. The last is a cliffhanger of an installment! Would it be possible to have a copy of an English issue, for an example? I need the address for writing (perhaps I lost it, if I had it).

I feel I read CRICKET through as I would read any good piece coming my way. Jane Langton did a good job comparing it with old St. Nicholas. Your subscription list should have jumped enormously since, & not only because of Christmas.

All cheer for the holidays!

Virginia