Laura Wasowicz of the American Antiquarian Society on The Transatlantic Transformation of Poor Molly Goosey into La Gansa Amorosa

March Evening Program

This presentation explores the appropriation, adaptation, and translation of the picture book Michaelmas Day or The Fate of Poor Molly Goosey. Originally issued by London publisher Dean & Co. ca. 1843, it was quickly reprinted in Philadelphia by George S. Appleton; in about 1850 the text was Americanized and issued by Boston publisher Wier & White under the title Thanksgiving Day. Ca. 1870, New York publisher D. Appleton & Company translated the picture book into Spanish and issued it as La Historia de La Gansa Amorosa for sale in the emerging Hispanic book market in North and South America, enlisting picture book manufacturer McLoughlin Brothers. Tracing the transnational, trans-lingual history of Molly, this study illuminates the use of recognized holidays to reach new markets.

Laura Wasowicz is Curator of Children’s Literature at the American Antiquarian Society. In this capacity, she oversees the growth, description, and use of the AAS Children’s Literature Collection comprised of 30,000 American children’s books issued between 1650 and 1899. She has written on various aspects of American children’s book publishing, picture book iconography, and children’s reading habits, including essays published in A de Grummond Primer: Highlights of the Children’s Literature Collection (University Press of Mississippi, 2021) and other publications.

The presentation is in-person only. There will be no dinner.

Social hour 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Bar accepts cash or credit cards. Presentation to follow.

This program is free but you MUST preregister via website by March 13.