{{Short description|American author and illustrator}} thumb|upright|Chalmers in 1967 '''Mary Eileen Chalmers''' (born March 16, 1927) is an American author and illustrator who has written children's books frequently featuring cats from the 1950s through the 1980s. She is known for her books about Harry, an anthropomorphic cat. Her books were well known for featuring her own illustrations in addition to the written text, including a unique complex layout with full pages of text and drawings woven throughout the pages and within the margins. She also provided illustrations for many other authors' books, especially those involving animals.
==Career== Born in Camden, New Jersey, on March 16, 1927, Chalmers developed an early interest in art due to her sister becoming an artist.<ref name="Collection">{{Cite web |url=https://specialcollections.usm.edu/repositories/4/resources/49 |title=Mary Chalmers Papers |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=May 19, 1998 |website=specialcollections.usm.edu |publisher=University of Southern Mississippi |access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> Raised in Haddon Heights, New Jersey, Chalmers graduated from Haddon Heights High in 1944 and obtained a four-year degree in painting at the Philadelphia Museum College of Art. During her college years, she sold several of her city and landscape watercolors, aiming to become a professional artist after graduation. She then was hired as an artist for the magazines ''Holiday'' and ''Jack and Jill''. Her work for these children's magazines raised her interest in writing her own children's story and worked on her own time designing characters and storylines.<ref name="Haddon">{{cite news |last=Roeder |first=Ida Mae |date=April 4, 1956 |title=Haddon Hts. Woman Finds Career In Writing Books for Children |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/courier-post-haddon-hts-woman-finds-car/159950987/ |work=Courier-Post |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
The stories she wrote were repeatedly rejected by publishers before she received attention in 1954 from Harper & Brothers for her first published story, ''Come for a Walk With Me''. Published in March 1955, it sold 6000 copies within three months. She soon published ''Here Comes the Trolley Car'' the same year and ''A Hat for Amy Jean'' in 1956, with several more books already on contract. All of the books featured not only Chalmers' writing, but also her personally made illustrations. They stood out from other children's books at the time by not being primarily illustrations with a line or two of story per page, but instead had illustrations woven throughout and within the borders and margins, alongside complete pages of written story.<ref name="Haddon"/>
After several more books published in 1957, Chalmers found herself in a period without ideas for new stories. The director of children's books for her publisher Harper & Row, Ursula Nordstrom, sent her a note praising ''Here Comes the Trolley Car''. Touched by the message, Chalmers sent back a multi-page thank you note that featured a kitten blowing a kiss. Nordstrom suggested that the kitten be turned into a book itself, leading to Chalmers writing the first volume in her Harry the anthropomorphic kitten series, ''Throw A Kiss, Harry''. By 1967 and several books into the series, along with other cat-focused books, Chalmers ended up owning ten cats and a Pomeranian dog.<ref name="Cats"/> These pets assisted in her drawing of poses for the cats in her illustrations.<ref name="Cats">{{cite news |last=Murray |first=Jo |date=September 30, 1967 |title=10 Cats Kibitz Writer: Can't Work Without Them, Mary Chalmers Says |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/courier-post-10-cats-kibitz-writer-can/160005809/ |work=Courier-Post |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095601668|title=Mary Chalmers|website=Oxford Reference}}</ref>
Chalmers donated a collection of her illustrations, sketches, layouts, and dummy books to the University of Southern Mississippi in 1998.<ref name="Collection"/>
==Books== <!-- {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date= |title= |publisher= |page= |isbn=}} -->
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1955 |title=Come for a Walk With Me |publisher=Harper}}<ref>Reviews for ''Come for a Walk With Me'': * {{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=April 24, 1955 |title=Entertaining Tale For the Very Young |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tulsa-world-entertaining-tale-for-the-ve/159932132/ |work=Tulsa World |access-date=November 28, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Goodwin |first=Polly |date=March 27, 1955 |title=The Junior Bookshelf |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-the-junior-bookshelf-by/159932713/ |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=November 28, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=April 17, 1955 |title=For the Pre-Schooler |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pittsburgh-press-for-the-pre-schoole/159933506/ |work=The Pittsburgh Press |access-date=November 28, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=May 29, 1955 |title=Summer Book List, Reviews Recommended For Young Readers: The Youngest Readers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/news-and-record-summer-book-list-review/159934280/ |work=News and Record |access-date=November 28, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Blount |first=Charlotte |date=October 16, 1955 |title=The Children's Bookshelf |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/winston-salem-journal-the-childrens-boo/159934303/ |work=Winston-Salem Journal |access-date=November 28, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Wall |first=Mary R. |date=May 26, 1955 |title=The Book Shelf |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/woods-county-enterprise-and-waynoka-news/159934933/ |work=Woods County Enterprise and Waynoka News |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Derleth |first=August |date=April 16, 1955 |title=Books of Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-capital-times-books-of-today-by-augu/159934952/ |work=The Capital Times |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1955 |title=Here Comes the Trolley Car |publisher=Harper |page=32}}<ref>Reviews for ''Here Comes the Trolley Car'': * https://www.nytimes.com/1955/11/13/archives/morning-odyssey-here-comes-the-trolley-car-story-and-pictures-by.html * {{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=November 13, 1955 |title=Animal and Other Fare for 6-to-8-Year-Olds |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-courier-journal-animal-and-other-far/159937612/ |work=The Courier-Journal |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Church |first=Betsy |date=November 13, 1955 |title=Here Comes The Trolley Car |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-here-comes-the-trolley-c/159938043/ |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Templeton |first=Lucy |date=November 13, 1955 |title=Literature for Young Shows Wholesome Swing Back to the Joyous Land of Make-Believe |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-knoxville-news-sentinel-literature-f/159950594/ |work=The Knoxville News-Sentinel |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1956 |title=A Hat for Amy Jean |publisher=Harper & Brothers}}<ref>Reviews for ''A Hat for Amy Jean'': * {{cite news |last=W. |first=E. I. |date=April 1, 1956 |title=Easter Parade Of Books Presents Gay Jackets Around Titles That Sound Like Spring Itself |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jackson-sun-easter-parade-of-books-p/159950930/ |work=The Jackson Sun |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Derleth |first=August |date=May 19, 1956 |title=Books of Today |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-capital-times-books-of-today-by-augu/159977573/ |work=The Capital Times |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Canfield |first=Helen S. |date=June 17, 1956 |title=Picture Books For Youth |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-picture-books-for-youth/159977678/ |work=Hartford Courant |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1956 |title=A Christmas Story |publisher=HarperCollins Canada |page=24 |isbn=9780064431569}}<ref>Reviews for ''A Christmas Story'': * {{cite news |last=Edmonds |first=May H. |date=December 11, 1971 |title=Gift the Little Readers With a Book |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-gift-the-little-readers/159928199/ |work=The Miami Herald |access-date=November 28, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=November 25, 1956 |title=A Christmas Story |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tallahassee-democrat-a-christmas-story/159983140/ |work=Tallahassee Democrat |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1957 |title=George Appleton |publisher=Harper & Brothers |page=32}}<ref>Reviews for ''George Appleton'': * {{cite news |last=W. |first=E. I. |date=December 1, 1957 |title=Attractive Picture-Story Books For Young Readers' Book Shelves |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jackson-sun-attractive-picture-story/159984322/ |work=The Jackson Sun |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Mahoney |first=Esther R. |date=September 8, 1957 |title=Fine Little Tale |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-montgomery-advertiser-fine-little-ta/159984341/ |work=The Montgomery Advertiser |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1957 |title=Kevin |publisher=Harper & Brothers}}<ref>Reviews for ''Kevin'': * {{cite news |last=Martin |first=Kathleen B. |date=October 6, 1957 |title=Kevin, the Little Rabbit, Hero of Childish Story |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-central-new-jersey-home-news-kevin/159985989/ |work=The Central New Jersey Home News |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last1=Ilg |first1=Frances L. |last2=Ames |first2=Louise Bates |date=August 30, 1957 |title=Three New Books For Small Fry |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tampa-tribune-three-new-books-for-sm/159986050/ |work=The Tampa Tribune |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=I. |first=E. D. |date=August 10, 1957 |title=Animal Stories |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star-animal-stories-by-e/159987270/ |work=The Kansas City Star |access-date=November 29, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1958 |title=Throw a Kiss, Harry |publisher=HarperCollins |page=32 |isbn=9780064430302}}<ref>Reviews for ''Throw a Kiss, Harry'': * {{cite news |last=M. |first=E. C. |date=May 11, 1958 |title=Cats ... and ... Dogs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-cats-and-dogs-by/160001505/ |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last1=Ilg |first1=Frances L. |last2=Ames |first2=Louise Bates |date=June 4, 1958 |title=More Interest In Recent Books For Preschooler |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chattanooga-daily-times-more-interest-in/160001543/ |work=Chattanooga Daily Times |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1958 |title=Boats Finds a House |publisher=Harper & Brothers |page=32}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/mary-chalmers-3/boats-find-a-house/|title=Book Reviews, Sites, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction|website=Kirkus Reviews}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1959 |title=The Cat Who Liked to Pretend |publisher=Harper & Brothers |isbn=9780060211806}}<ref>Reviews for ''The Cat Who Liked to Pretend'': * {{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=August 16, 1959 |title=A Cat Performs |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/springfield-leader-and-press-a-cat-perfo/160002631/ |work=Springfield Leader and Press |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=November 8, 1959 |title=Captivating |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/omaha-world-herald-captivating/160002643/ |work=Omaha World-Herald |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1961 |title=Mr. Cat's Wonderful Surprise |publisher=Harper & Row}}<ref>Reviews for ''Mr. Cat's Wonderful Surprise'': * {{Cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/mary-chalmers-9/mr-cats-wonderful-surprise/|title=Book Reviews, Sites, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction|website=Kirkus Reviews}} * {{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=July 8, 1961 |title=Illustrations First Catch Attention Of Young Reader |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-independent-journal-illustrations/160004257/ |work=Daily Independent Journal |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1964 |title=Take a Nap, Harry |publisher=HarperCollins |page=32 |isbn=9780060212445}}<ref>{{cite news |last=G. |first=R. Y. |date=May 23, 1964 |title=Children's Books |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-buffalo-news-childrens-books/160005329/ |work=The Buffalo News |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1967 |title=Be Good, Harry |publisher=Harper & Row |page=32 |isbn=9780064430272}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Goodwin |first=Polly |date=December 17, 1967 |title=Children's Book World |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-childrens-book-world-by/160005933/ |work=Chicago Tribune |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1977 |title=Merry Christmas, Harry |publisher=HarperCollins |page=31 |isbn=9780060227425}}<ref>Reviews for ''Merry Christmas, Harry'': * https://www.nytimes.com/1977/12/11/archives/childrens-books-visions-of-sugarplums.html * {{cite news |last=Perry |first=Scott |date=October 16, 1977 |title=Harry Surprises Old Saint Nick |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-tennessean-harry-surprises-old-saint/160009640/ |work=The Tennessean |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1981 |title=Come to the Doctor, Harry |publisher=Harper & Row |page=32 |isbn=9780590758239}}<ref>Reviews for ''Come to the Doctor, Harry'': * https://www.nytimes.com/1981/04/26/books/for-seeing-and-reading.html * {{cite news |last=Hamsher |first=Florence |date=August 2, 1981 |title=Taking a reading on the juvenile book market |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-taking-a-reading-on-the/159929714/ |work=Tampa Bay Times |pages=1-E, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-taking-a-reading-on-the/159929735/ 9-E] |access-date=November 28, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1986 |title=Six Dogs, Twenty-three Cats, Forty-five Mice, and One Hundred Sixteen Spiders |publisher=Harper & Row |page=32 |isbn=9780060211882}}<ref>{{cite news |last=Marinak |first=Barbara |date=August 17, 1986 |title=Finding The Right Books For Preschoolers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-news-finding-the-right-books-f/160009988/ |work=The Daily News |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
* {{cite book |last=Chalmers |first=Mary |author-mask=1 |date=1988 |title=Easter Parade |publisher=Harper & Row |page=32 |isbn=9780064432191}}<ref>Reviews for ''Easter Parade'': * {{Cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/mary-chalmers-7/easter-parade/|title=Book Reviews, Sites, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction|website=Kirkus Reviews}} * {{cite news |last=H. |first=B. H. |date=April 24, 1988 |title=Pleasure for little readers |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-anniston-star-pleasure-for-little-re/160011207/ |work=The Anniston Star |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}} * {{cite news |last=Fowler |first=Bonnie |date=April 3, 1988 |title=Imaginative Storybooks for Easter Are in Short Supply |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/winston-salem-journal-imaginative-storyb/160011239/ |work=Winston-Salem Journal |access-date=November 30, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
===Illustrator=== *''The Secret Language'' by Ursula Nordstrom (1960) *''Big Brother'' by Charlotte Zolotow (1960)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/charlotte-zolotow/big-brother/|title=BIG BROTHER | Kirkus Reviews|via=www.kirkusreviews.com}}</ref> *''The Happy Birthday Present'' by Joan Heilbroner (1962)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/a/joan-heilbroner/the-happy-birthday-present/ | title=Book Reviews, Sites, Romance, Fantasy, Fiction }}</ref> *''Marigold and Grandma on the Town'' by Stephanie Calmenson (1994)<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/stephanie-calmenson/marigold-and-grandma-on-the-town/|title=MARIGOLD AND GRANDMA ON THE TOWN | Kirkus Reviews|via=www.kirkusreviews.com}}</ref> *''Three to Get Ready'' by Betty Doyle Boegehold (1965) *''Crystal Tree'' by Jennie D. Lindquist (1966) *''Goodnight, Andrew, Goodnight, Craig'' by Marjorie Sharmat (1969) *''When Will It Snow?'' by Syd Hoff (1971)<ref name="Edmonds">{{cite news |last=Edmonds |first=May H. |date=December 11, 1971 |title=Gift the Little Readers With a Book |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-gift-the-little-readers/159928199/ |work=The Miami Herald |access-date=November 28, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> *''Letitia Rabbit's String Song'' by Russell Hoban (1973)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/04/15/archives/rabbit-roundup.html | title=Rabbit Roundup | work=The New York Times | date=15 April 1973 | last1=Noyes | first1=Judy }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://muse.jhu.edu/article/245865|title=Letitia Rabbit's String Song (review)|first=J. Donald|last=O'Hara|date=November 22, 1973|journal=Children's Literature|volume=2|issue=1|pages=234|doi=10.1353/chl.0.0420 |via=Project MUSE|url-access=subscription}}</ref> *''Crickety Cricket!: The Best-Loved Poems of James S. Tippett'' (1973)<ref>{{cite news |last=Curto |first=Josephine J. |date=March 31, 1974 |title=Youngsters Pick Books |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tallahassee-democrat-youngsters-pick-boo/159930944/ |work=Tallahassee Democrat |access-date=November 28, 2024 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> *''The Snuggle Bunny'' by Nancy Jewell (1972) *''The day after Christmas'' by Alice Bach (1975) *''Oh No, Cat!'' by Janice May Udry *''Mule in the Mail'' by Stephen Manes (1978)<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/12/10/archives/concerning-christmas-christmas.html | title=Concerning Christmas (Published 1978) | website=The New York Times | date=10 December 1978 }}</ref> *''When Daisies Pied, and Violets Blue: Songs from Shakespeare'' by William Shakespeare (1974) *''Home at Last: A Young Cat's Tale'' by Patricia Lauber (1980)
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://archives.lib.umn.edu/repositories/4/resources/3757 Mary Chalmers papers at the University of Minnesota] *[https://specialcollections.usm.edu/repositories/4/resources/49 Mary Chalmers papers at the University of Southern Mississippi]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Chalmers, Mary}} Category:Living people Category:1927 births Category:People from Haddon Heights, New Jersey Category:Writers from Camden, New Jersey Category:Haddon Heights Junior/Senior High School alumni Category:University of the Arts (Philadelphia) alumni Category:American women children's book illustrators Category:American children's book illustrators Category:American women children's writers Category:American children's writers