From the Big Book of Bear and Hedgehog, Ingrid & Dieter Schubert

Should we be concerned that the first thing I noticed about this postcard is the sunflowers that form part of the bouquet Bear is hiding? My obsession with sunflowers has hit an all new high.

The cute card, featuring two animals hiding gifts behind their backs, was sent for the Book Lovers Congregate Children’s Book Illustration Postcards Swap #12.  Sammoning (Netherlands) sent the postcard and admitted that she joined BLC “just to participate” in children’s book illustration swaps! How cool is that?  She’s fortunate enough to live near a bookstore that sells “beautiful illustrated postcards with typical Dutch characters like Miffy and also more unique and current stories.”

The postcard illustration comes from The Big Book of Bear and Hedgehog, which is actually a compilation of four books of the duo’s adventures written by husband and wife team Ingrid and Dieter Schubert.  The bear is described in reviews as “clumsy and rather silly,” and the hedgehog as “cheeky.”  They were introduced to Dutch children’s literature in 1998 and have continued to line the shelves of children all over the world.

For Children’s Book Illustration Postcards Swap #12 (public), Mollypop (USA) sent this sweet postcard of a little girl with her teddy bear (because she knows I like teddy bears). The illustration is by Alice May Cook (1876-1958), a Scottish painter and illustrator.

Alice M. Cook from Blackie’s Children’s Annual

The image is from Blackie’s Children’s Annuals, which were published by Blackie and Son Limited, a publishing house in Glasgow, Scotland (1891-1991). According to the Abe Books website, children’s books were published in periodicals and distributed weekly or monthly.  At the end of the year, the best stories were collected, bound, and released just in time for Christmas gifting.

You can find a selection of Cook images here.  Though limited, the collection demonstrates the range of her art.  Unfortunately, I found very little about the illustrator and even less about this postcard in particular.

Swaps #13 haven’t made their way to me from Israel yet, but good news–both postcards for swap #14 arrived today! Look for those here soon.

Until next time…

Enjoy!