Archives West Finding Aid

The Margaret Ayer papers contain correspondence from friends as well as letters from the Thai government granting permission for Ayer to sketch certain places and works of art. This series also has receipts and postcards from Ayer's travels to Thailand. The manuscript series contains research notes and drafts for the book Animals of Southeast Asia, as well as the final draft and page proofs. It contains early drafts for the book Made in Thailand. These are only two of the six books she wrote and illustrated during her life. In this collection, (in the publications series) are several of the serials as they were published, including The First Easter, The Girl Who Helped Her Master, Jesus and the fisherman, The Little Shepherd, and Through the Roof to Jesus, all of which were published by C.R. Gibson. Other stories in this collection are "Paklat's Lucky Day," published in the Trailblazer serial (of which this collection contains two), which have in them chapters three and four of "Packlat's Lucky Day." Also included are three issues of Young Wings magazine of The Junior Literary Guild, containing the articles: "Hobby Happiness Abroad", "My Part in the Secret Spring", and "I Must See Mauna Loa." Ayer's short story "The Stone Jungle" is included in a copy of the American Red Cross Youth News magazine.. While not a complete collection, the stories and articles are a good example of the Ayer's work. In the illustrations series are many of Ayer's works in ink and crayon. As an illustrator she did the drawings for at last 52 children and adult books.

Overall this collection contains manuscripts, publications, illustrations in ink and crayon, research materials, and correspondence that demonstrate Ayer's artistic and narrative style, as well as her interest in the culture and natural world of Thailand.