CCBC booklist are compiled from books we have recommended in various editions of CCBC Choices. Most of these booklists are updated annually. You can also select books from one or more booklists to create a custom list, which can also include additional books from the CCBC-Recommended Book Search.
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Jim! Six True Stories About One Great Artist: James Marshall
CCBC Review:
This unique picture book biography comprises six stories about author/illustrator James Marshall, depicted here as Fox from Fox and His Friends, the character he said “was most like him.” Generous white space, succinct text, and framed full-page illustrations make this biography an attractive and accessible read. In “Story Number One: The Book,” Jim and his friend Harry [Allard] create Miss Nelson Is Missing. “Story Number Two: ‘How Cute!’” details Jim’s struggle to have his art taken seriously. The third story introduces Jim’s friends Maurice [Sendak], a bulldog wearing a “Wild Thing” shirt, and Arnold [Lobel], a bespectacled pig with a frog and toad on his belt buckle. These visual Easter eggs add humor and interest to the short chapters. In the final story, James is in the hospital (dying of AIDS). When he asks who will remember him, his parents name his family and friends. “And the kids … Your readers—they will remember you.” An excellent Author’s Note elaborates on each story. For example, Connors explains that he “tried to stay true to a James Marshall feeling” in his illustrations, except for one thing: He doesn’t use Native American headdresses as a costume, like James often did. He also notes that “James Marshall was gay. He and his partner Billy loved each other very much. His friends and publishers knew … But at this time, being gay wasn’t something that was easy to talk about.” This honest homage to a beloved book creator is a standout. ©2026 Cooperative Children’s Book Center
Illustrated by Jerrold Connors
CCBC Age Recommendation: 8-12
Age Range:
Grades 3-5 (Ages 8-10)
Grades 6-8 (Ages 11-13)
Formats:
Biography, Autobiography and Memoir
Picture book
Subjects:
Art and Artists
Biography
Books and Reading
Gays
Humor
Writers and Writing
Diversity subject:
LGBTQ Character/Topic
On CCBC Booklist:
Picture Books for Older Children and Teens: Never Too Old
Publishers:
Dial, Penguin Random House
Publish Year: 2025
Pages: 66
ISBN: 9780593859346
CCBC Location: Non-Fiction, 927 Marshall
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Please send questions or comments about CCBC booklists to ccbcinfo@education.wisc.edu.