Marijane Meaker’s works donated to University of Minnesota

We are pleased to inform the public that Marijane Meaker’s works will be taken care of by the University of Minnesota. She had received an appreciative and thoughtful letter from them during her life about where she might consider donating her work. We are confident this is the best place for her legacy.

Works of Marijane Meaker donated to University of Minnesota

Kerlan acquires new materials from the estate of award-winning author Marijane Meaker

The Kerlan Collection of Children’s Literature has recently acquired materials from the estate of award-winning author Marijane Meaker (1927-2022).

Meaker, who also wrote under the pseudonyms Vin Packer, Ann Aldrich, Laura Winston, M.E. Kerr, and Mary James, published books in genres ranging from mystery to nonfiction to young adult and children’s literature. In 1993, she was awarded the Margaret A. Edwards Award, administered by the American Library Association in recognition of a significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature.

Meaker is also credited with, as her New York Times obituary states, “jump-starting the lesbian pulp fiction genre” for her 1952 novel “Spring Fire.”
Book cover for “Dinky Hocker Shoots Smack” a novel by M.E. Kerr Book cover for Gentlehands by M.E. Kerr featuring a young man on the cover looking out into the distance while in the background layered over him is a man in military uniform Book cover for “Take a Lesbian to Lunch” by Ann Aldrich Book cover for “Shoebag,” a children’s lit book by Mary James, pseudonym of Marijane Meaker

Prior to this acquisition, the Kerlan Collection already held several boxes of production materials — including typescripts, proofs, and correspondence — related to over 20 of Meaker’s young adult books, written under the name M.E. Kerr. These new materials, donated by Meaker’s estate, include papers and manuscripts associated with Meaker’s other pseudonyms; photos; and years’ worth of artwork and correspondence from the author Patricia Highsmith, with whom Meaker was in a relationship in the late 1950s.

“Although there were other nationally renowned collections whose scope would have been suitable for the Meaker papers, the estate selected the Kerlan as its repository for our reputation of presenting the whole person of the writer and providing open access to anyone who is interested in the author’s works,” says Lisa Von Drasek, Miranker Family Curatorial Chair of the Kerlan Collection. “Meaker wrote for children, young adults and adults. We are honored and excited to share these manuscripts, correspondence, and rare materials with teachers, researchers, and students.”

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