To Deny Freedom is to Invite Censorship: The Paul and Ethel Heins Story

Paul and Ethel Heins were a power couple in the world of children’s literature. Neither started their careers focused on children’s literature, yet they became two of the most influential people in the field during the twentieth century.

Described as “small, tweedy, and rather unprepossessing,” the Heinses had professional beginnings in academia and librarianship. Paul taught high school English for thirty years, and Ethel worked at the New York Public Library. Ethel was not working in youth services; she had planned to focus on adult education. Assigned to work at the Rivington Street Branch of the New York Public Library, Ethel was mentored by the legendary Anne Carroll Moore, Frances Clarke Sayers, and Mary Gould Davis. These youth services heavy-hitters inspired Ethel to embrace books and services for children.

Ethel influenced Paul with her passion for children’s books, and he eagerly joined her in the profession. His 1974 translation of Snow White from the original German is considered one of the most intense and haunting, with “the Evil Queen eating the lungs and liver that she thought were Snow White’s and dying by way of the red hot iron slippers at the end.” Paul became editor of The Horn Book in 1967 and held the position until 1974. He was at the helm for the 1972-1973 Eleanor Cameron/Roald Dahl battle over Dahl’s book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This controversial series of articles began with Cameron shredding Dahl’s book and Dahl responding with a Mariah Carey-esque “I don’t know her” about Cameron, with Paul Heins running interference. In 1974, Ethel became the editor of The Horn Book when Paul stepped down. She held this position for ten years before retiring in 1984. From 1975 through 1977, Ethel founded The Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at Simmons College (now Simmons University). Paul and Ethel ran the program until 1987.

The Heinses' impact on children’s literature was far-reaching. Their work included front-line services for children in public libraries and public schools, literary criticism, translation of children’s literature, and educating and influencing people who would later become giants in the field. They mingled with authors and illustrators on a global scale and had their fingers on the pulse of everything that mattered in children’s literature for most of the twentieth century. We at the Boston Public Library are fortunate to have the Heinses’ personal book collection in the Jordan Collection. These books include materials in many languages for children from babies to young adults, nonfiction for adult scholars in English and other languages, and special items such as autographed first editions and rare or unusual books.

View the Paul & Ethel L. Heins Collection at the  Boston Public Library.

For more information about The Jordan Collection, read the blog post, "Influencer: The Alice Jordan Story."