Margaret Frith, the retired president and CEO of the Putnam Publishing Children's Book Group, died December 11. She was 88. An editor and author, Frith was "was one of the most respected 'grande dames' of the New York publishing world," her obituary noted.
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| Margaret Frith | |
After she completed the Radcliffe Publishing Course, she began her long career in children's book publishing with an editorial position at Macmillan. She then joined Scribner before being hired by Coward-McCann (later an imprint of Putnam).
Frith rose to become president and CEO of the Putnam Children's Book Group, comprising Putnam, Philomel, and Grosset & Dunlap. In 1995, she stepped away from administrative duties to concentrate on editing a group of authors and illustrators as editor-at-large for Putnam at Penguin Books.
She was best known as the longtime editor of a roster of award-winning authors and artists, including Jan Brett, Tomie dePaola, Eric Hill, Peggy Rathmann, Jean Fritz, Paula Danziger, and others.
As an author, Frith's books include Hooray for Ballet!; Frida Kahlo: The Artist Who Painted Herself; Mermaid Island; as well as several titles in the Who Was? series: Who Was Thomas Alva Edison?; Who Was Louis Braille?; Who Was Franklin Roosevelt?; and Who Was Woodrow Wilson?.
With her life-long partner, the late David Urquhart, she traveled the world extensively, often on behalf of Putnam, to London, Frankfurt, and the Bologna Children's Book Fair in Italy, where she acquired the American rights to numerous international children's books, including Eric Hill's Where's Spot? lift-the-flap book, leading to many other Spot titles.
Frith's "warmth, vibrance, and dynamism will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her," her obituary observed. "In an ever-changing world, Margaret's steadfastness, honesty, kindness, and loyalty never changed. There is a gaping hole in the hearts of her loved ones today."
Donations in her memory can be made to the Northport-East Northport Public Library, 151 Laurel Avenue, Northport, N.Y. 11768.