Official M. E. Kerr and Mary James Site

Welcome to the official M. E. Kerr site where Marijane Meaker’s work as a talented YA author as well as works under other pen names, if we have information to share, are appreciated. After the announcements below there is more introductory information. Thanks for visiting!!

Oakland Cemetery in Sag Harbor, NY

Announcement:

November 22, 2022

Our dear M. E. Kerr, born Marijane Meaker, died yesterday, November 21, 2022 peacefully at home at the age of 95. I saw her in person on her 95th birthday and it was a wonderful visit. I had plans to see her over the Thanksgiving weekend but instead, I will be at her home with friends and we will have a remembrance. She had a long, full, memorable life. I will write more later. She loved her fans and always wanted to support aspiring writers.

Edit: 11/24/22

I wanted to add that Marijane was a great raconteur able to weave facts into intrigue captivating her audience whether it be at a school, bookstore event or dinner table. One of these tales that she told and wrote about was the distinct possibility that Marijane was the inspiration to her dear friend and fellow YA author, Louise Fitzhugh as she had shared with Louise her days being Marijane the Spy when she was younger, following her mother’s lead as the one in the neighborhood who could be relied on to spill the tea to her neighbors about her neighbors.  Lastly, for now, I will impart two pieces of advice she gave me and to those who asked for it, especially writers and aspiring writers: “Read!” and “You’ll never do it any younger.”

Love to you all, Michelle

Added 12/10/2022: Thank you The Guardian for a beautiful and thoughtful obituary .

Added 12/12/2022: Thank you New York Times for the well-written obituary .

Added 12/13/2022: Thank you Washington Post for capturing her vibrant personality and personas in this obituary.

Added 12/17/22: Thank you NPR for your tribute where we can hear Marijane read her own words and and share part of her incredible life with listeners.

You are visiting M. E. Kerr’s official cyber digs! She is also known as Marijane Meaker, Mary James, Vin Packer and Ann Aldrich. This is the place to learn more about the author and her books as well as ask your burning questions. M. E. Kerr used to enjoy reading and responding to visitors’ comments and questions on a regular basis. Her friends and I will continue to try to answer what we can! We look forward to hearing from you!

M. E. Kerr at age 7.

M. E. Kerr at 30-something.

The books Marijane Meaker has written as M. E. Kerr and Mary James for children and young adults over the years from her first book Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack! to other titles such as Gentlehands and Shoebag have been well-received by her audience of students, critics, teachers and parents alike. Along the way, M. E. Kerr has also managed to stir up some healthy bouts of controversy and discussion with her choices in subject matter. So, there’s ample to say, ponder and appreciate about M. E. Kerr and her writing! If you’re reading this, you might already be a fan of her work. If you are new to her books, you might want to start with the biographical information.

NOTE: You are welcome to use the information at www.mekerr.com for your website or project. Please cite us as your source. Thanks for visiting!

MLA Citation:
Koh, Michelle. Official M.E. Kerr and Mary James Site.
< https://www.mekerr.com/ >. July 19, 1998. (Date of visit in parentheses).

APA Style:
Koh, M. (1998, July 19). Official M.E. Kerr and Mary James Site.
Available: https://www.mekerr.com/ [Date visited: MM/DD/YR].

Or just plain old https://www.mekerr.com

Copyright © Michelle Koh 1998 – 2024