Children’s Book Illustration Postcards: Part II

June 18, 2016June 18, 20164 Comments

[Note: This is post two of five of children’s book illustration (CBI) postcards I received through 122 weeks of CBI postcard swaps on swap-bot].

If you enjoyed viewing the postcards shared in “Children’s Book Illustration Postcards: Part I,” you’ll have just as much fun with Part II (Weeks 26-50). You’ll find more Jip and Janneke, Alice in Wonderland, Miffy, and Moomin, but you’ll also find some illustrators that were not featured in Part I. There’s even a Winnie-the-Pooh illustration! ❤ Click an image for a closer look.

Week 26: From Nana (USA). “I wonder he said if stars are lit up so that one day we can all find our own.” Le Petit Prince (The Little Prince), Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.

Week 27: From Sara (Switzerland). Illustrated by Hans de Beer. _Little Polar Bear_.

Week 28: From Sacha (Netherlands). Illustrated by Marit Tornqvist, for Helden op sokken (Heroes on Socks).

Week 29: From Natasa (Australia). Illustration by Arthur Rackham. “Who Stole the Tarts?” _Alice in Wonderland_.

Week 30: From Monique (Netherlands). Illustration by Ernest Howard Shepard. “Pooh and Piglet on Gate.”Sketch for illustration to _The House at Pooh Corner_ chapter 1, page 8 (published 1928). Original drawings provided by Victoria and Albert Museum.

Week 31: Mmiatsu (Finland). Illustration by Charles Robinson. “What day of the month is it?” he said, turning to Alice. From Lewis Caroll’s _Alice in Wonderland_.

Week 32: From Jetske (Netherlands). Nijntje (Miffy). Illustration by Dick Bruna.

Week 33: Noora (Finland). Moomin.

Week 34: Marjan (Netherlands). Illustration by Camila Fialkowski for _Hup, naar Buiten!_

Week 35: From Eveline (Netherlands). Illustration by Fiep Westendorp for _Otje” by AMG Schmidt.

Week 36: From Mmiatsu (Finland). Illustration by Charles Folkard. “Beautiful Soup.” From Lewis Carroll’s _Alice in Wonderland_.

Week 37: From Marjan (Netherlands). Illustration by Fiep Westendorp. Jip and Janneke.

Weeks 38, 42, 48: From San (Netherlands). Illustration by Charlotte Dematons, for _Gele Ballon_. Since I received this card three times within 10 weeks, Marjan graciously sent me “make up” postcards.

Week 39: From Marloes (Netherlands). Illustrated by Luuk Klazenga. Tomke. From a Frisian book series.

Week 40: From Natasa (Australia). Illustration by Martin Handford. “On Tour with he Vikings,” from _Where’s Wally Now?_

Week 41: From Marloes (Netherlands). Illustration by Marije Tolman and Ronald Tolman (daughter and father), for _The Tree House_

Week 42 Makeup: From Marjan (Netherlands). _The Animal Book_.

Week 43: From Mmiatsu (Finland). Alice in Wonderland.

Week 44: From Marjan (Netherlands). Barbapapa.

Week 45: From Marjan (Netherlands). Illustration by Cornelis Jetses, for _Ot en Sien_.

Week 46: From Marloes (Netherlands). Illustration by Martijin van der Linden, for _Ik voel een voet_.

Week 47: From Eric (USA). Illustration by Gertrude Alice Kay, from _All Aboard for Wonderland_, 1917.

Week 48 Makeup: From Marjan (Netherlands). Illustration by Irven Lieve Baeten for _Nieuwsgierige Lotje_ (Curious Lottie) who according to Marjan is “just a cool little witch.”

Week 49: From Jenna (USA). Illustration by Pauline Baynes, 1959.

Week 50: From Eric (USA). Illustration by Philippe Rossignal. “Blue Fly,” 1954.

Children’s Book Illustration Postcards: Part I

June 17, 2016June 18, 20167 Comments

For more than two years–122 weeks to be exact–I participated in a weekly children’s book illustration (CBI) swap hosted by Marjan, a dedicated swapper from the Netherlands. Yes–Marjan hosted the swap every week for more than two years! That is quite a commitment, but, as expected, Marjan eventually ended the swaps. Her last CBI swap was hosted December 2015 and with her “blessing,” I’ve decided to continue the swaps. Before I begin the next season of the swaps, I thought I’d share with my blog audience the 125+ cards I received from June 16, 2013- January 4, 2016.

Since I can’t blog each postcard individually, I’m sharing the postcards in five parts in the order the postcards were received. The illustrators are from various parts of the world, including the Netherlands, Finland, Austria, England, and the United States. Hopefully, you’ll find some favorites from your childhood. For a closer look or for a little information on each card, click its image. Enjoy the sweetness!

Week 1: From Johanna (Netherlands). Miffy, Nijntje in Dutch, Illustration by Dick Bruna

Week 2: From Jenny, (USA). “The Snow Queen,” Illustration by Edmund Dulac, Stories from Hans Christian Anderen, 1911, from Once Upon a Time.

Week 2b: From Jenny (USA). Illustration by Margaret Tarrant. “Alice succeeded in getting her flamingo’s body tucked away, comfortably enough under her arm, but generally just as she had got its neck nicely straightened out, it would twist itself round and lookup into her face.” Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

Week 3: From Hannah (England). White Rabbit. Illustration by John Tenniel in The Nursery Alice by Lewis Carroll 1890

Week 4: From Marjan (Netherlands). Frog and Friends, Max Velthuijs

Week 5: From Natasa (Australia). Illustration by Warwick Goble for The Book of Fairy Poetry, edited by Dora Owen, 1920. “For the Nautilus is my boat/In which I over the waters float.”

Week 6: From Jenny (USA). Illustration by Warwick Goble for The Fairy Book by Dinah Mulock Craik, 1913. “Are you not sometimes called Rumpelstilzchen?”

Week 7: From Raven (Singapore). Illustration by Anita Jeram for Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney, 1995.

Week 8: From Rita (USA). Illustration by Milo Winter, “Thumbelina,” Hans Christian Andersen’s Fairy Tales, 1916. From Once Upon a Time.

Week 9: From San (Netherlands). Illustration by Fiep Westendorp. Jip and Janneke.

From Jetske (Netherlands). Frog, Kikker in Dutch. Illustration by Max Velthuijs

Week 11: From Marjan (Netherlands). Illustration by Hans de Beer, Little Polar Bear

Week 12: From Anicka (Netherlands). Miffy, Illustration by Dick Bruna

Week 13: From Sacha (Netherlands). “The Ebb and Flow Witch” or “The Witch Ebb and Flood,” from the Witches Fantasia series by Thea Tilton. Illustrator I. Bruno EA or Sylvia Bigolin

Week 14: From San (The Netherlands). Jip and Janneke. Illustration by Fiep Westerdorp.

Week 15: From Jetske (Netherlands). Illustration by Fiep Westendorp. Floddertje.

Week 16: From Sacha (Netherlands). Illustration by Brigida.

Week 17: From Aline (Belgium). Alice. Illustration by Gwenaelle Trolez.

Week 18: From Monique (Netherlands). The Witch Eucalypta and Krakras, her assistant the soup kitchen. Illustration by Jean Dulieu.

Week 19: From Noora (Finland). Moomin. Illustrated by Tove Jansson. Collaboration of Arabia (a famous tableware company in Finland) and Moomin.

Week 20: From Eve (Finland). Illustration by Mauri Kunnas

Week 21: From Marci (USA). The Very Quiet Cricket, Illustrated by Eric Carle.

Week 22: From Eve (Finland). “Children Need Us” for UNICEF. Illustrator information unreadable because of postal markings.

Week 23: From Hilary (USA). “The Frog Prince,” from Grimms’ Fariy Tales, 1922. Illustration by Anne Andersen.

Week 24:From Kirsten, Austria. “Davy.” Illustrated Eve Tharlet

Week 25: From Pek Mun (Malaysia). “Hunca Munca and Her Babies. From The Tale of Two Mice, Illustrated by Beatrix Potter.

The Cat Behind the Hat Was Hiding in Walmart

July 10, 2014July 1, 2015Leave a comment

My apologies to those of you who received an incomplete draft version of this post via email. I mistakenly hit the publish button as I hopped from my chair to take a phone call. I have a very sensitive mouse apparently!

I’m not sure where you shop, but you might want to check out the clearance books at your local Walmart. Now, I’m not a Walmart fan. In fact, I shop there as little as possible–opting to pay more $$$ at Publix for various reasons. But if you’re into books and art and into Theodor Geisel aka Dr. Seuss, it’s worth a trip if you find the deluxe collector’s edition–Dr. Seuss: The Cat Behind the Hat by Caroline M. Smith.

Dr. Seuss: The Cat Behind the Hat by Caroline M. Smith

My friend, Anitra, found this absolutely wonderful set at Walmart and gave it to our sons’ teacher for Teacher Appreciation Week. If you’re a blog follower, you know I love Dr. Seuss! Since I so obviously fell in love with the set, Anitra volunteered to go back to Walmart and pick up one for me. Take a closer look:

The Cat Behind the Hat Front of Slipcase

Closeup of Art and Title

The slipcase measures about 16 x 18 inches and is simply gorgeous. You’ll have to trust me because my quick snaps do the actual items no justice. When I saw this huge, gorgeous, foil-stamped, cloth-covered slipcase, I fell in love even before I peeked inside for a look at the contents!

What is inside the velvet-lined slipcase, you ask?

a cloth-covered 9.75 x 12.25-inch, 320-page hardcover book filled with colorful illustrations from what Geisel called his “Midnight Paintings” and the children’s book illustrations with which we’re all familiar. Most of the pages are fully illustrated like those pictured below; some contain text and illustrations and/or photos. (Click an image for a closer look).

Book Cover

Book spine

Illustrated pages

a 12 x 16-inch scrolled color lithograph featuring this image.

three 10.5 x 8.5-inch black-and-white prints tucked into a pocket inside the slipcase (click an image for a larger view).

“Zigging Down the Zag”

“Bee Being Watched by a Bee-watching Absalam”

“Any Direction You Choose”

The book was previously published as Secrets of the Deep in connection with The Art of Dr. Seuss. This revised edition was published in 2012 by the Chase Group, LLC and produced by Amazon Publishing in collaboration with Andrew McMeel Publishing and Lionheart Books. The text, as noted earlier, was written by Caroline M. Smith, but the images were compiled and edited by William W. Dreyer, Michael Reagan, and Robert Chase, Jr.

From the product description insert:

This exquisitely produced collector’s edition redefines Theodor Geisel, known to the world as Dr. Seuss, as an iconic American artist. Illustrator by day, surrealist by night, Dr. Seuss created a body of little-known work that he called his “Midnight Paintings.” For sixty years, this work allowed Geisel to expand his artistic boundaries outside the confines of commercial influences and deadlines. […] Though he fiercely protected his “Midnight Paintings” from criticism during his lifetime, his intention all along was for these works to be seen when he was gone. This comprehensive look at the art that he created over his lifetime is an eye-opening peek behind the public persona into the real story of he man who was Dr. Seuss.

The curators and publisher are quick to note that they had no intention of trying to offer Geisel’s work in its entirety, but instead wished to present a “medley” of his work in a “chronological-ish” way.

Here’s the Table of Contents.

The Cat Behind the Hat Table of Contents

The book contains 80 of Geisel’s “Midnight Paintings” along with the more popular illustrations, advertisements, drafts, etc. For the artists among us, the medium used for each piece is also provided. I wish I could share every delicious image with you.

I am seriously giddy every time I open this book! The art is amazing, as expected, and I get to enjoy it whenever I want! I also sincerely appreciate the intimate look at one of the greatest storytellers of our time and the glimpse of his struggles and triumphs. I empathize with his desire to keep these “midnight paintings” away from public scrutiny, perhaps avoiding painful criticism of some of his most personal works.

Aside from the fact that I consider this a literary and artistic treasure–one that my family and I are thrilled to have in our collection–the price makes this find even more spectacular. Here’s the original price:

Yes, $300. Thankfully, Anitra found this in the clearance section for…wait for it…wait for it…$16.00!!! Can you believe it? That’s slightly more than 5% of the list price.

I am sooo grateful to have friends who look out for me and cater to my interests. I am not much of a shopper–don’t like shopping much–so I rely on these kind souls to find the super bargains and call me and let me know about them. I would not have thought to look in the clearance section of Walmart for this!

Thank you, Anitra! You have such a good eye for bargains and a giving heart!

Bookish Matters: Children’s Literature Postcards

August 1, 2013August 2, 20132 Comments

I returned to work today for Faculty and Staff Colloquium, two days of energizing panels and discussions to start the academic year “right.” I’ve had a restful summer, and even though I wouldn’t scoff at an extra week or two, I’m looking forward to a new school year. I love my job. I love my students. I love my colleagues. Most of the time. Since I’m sure life will be insane over the next few weeks before classes begin, I thought I’d better share some of my mail goodies now.

I enjoyed a steady stream of “bookish” postcards throughout July, but today I’ll focus only on those related to children’s literature.

Alice in Wonderland, Mary Evans Picture Library

I sent and received four Alice in Wonderland postcards within the last month. There are so many AiW images out there and it’s been a treat to examine the various artistic interpretations of the characters. This one was sent by Hannah in England. It came from the British Film Institute in London. Hannah recently finished her degree in English Literature and Creative Writing and she’s on her way to a Master’s in English Literature (congrats!)–obviously a literature lover, like me! You can check out Hannah’s blog here: Just Another WordPress.Com Site. If you’re interested in two of the other AiW postcards, see my previous post, The Happy, Happy Mail Month.

Warwick Goble (1962-1943). “Are you not sometimes called Rumpelstilzchen?” for The Fairy Tale Book by Dinah Mulock Craik, 1913. from Goble’s Fairy Paintings: 24 Art Cards

Charles Robinson, “The Remarkable Rocket,” The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wild, 1913. From Once Upon a Time

Jenny, who also sent two children’s literature postcards last month, sent “Rumpelstilzchen and “The Remarkable Rocket.” I love adding these wonderful images to my collection of literary postcards! I actually sent these very images to others, so it’s nice to “get them back”–stamped and written on! : -)

From Frog by Max Velthuijs

Marjan, from the Netherlands, sent this one. She has been coordinating a series of Children’s Book Illustration swaps, driven by her love for art designed to appeal to children. I missed one of the swaps, so she was kind enough to send me “Frog.” I wished I’d encountered the Frog books earlier. My little one will think of them as a “baby books” now (He snubbed many of the books on the summer reading list his school sent for this very reason). He is partial to frogs, so we’ll see.

Here are the children’s literature postcards I sent this month:

CM Burd?

Gertrude Alice Kay, from All Aboard for Wonderland, 1917.

Ruth Mary Hallock, from Fact and Story Readers: Primer, 1930.

Gertrude Alice Kay, “Moonlight Mermaids, “from When the Sandman Comes, 1916

Beatrix Potter (1846-1943), The Tale of Pigling Bland

Four of these postcards (Burd, Kay, Hallock) came from American Women Children’s Illustrators, a collection of 30 amazing oversized postcards.

I sent one more–

Toy Story 2, Storyboard by Jill Culton, from The Art of Pixar: 100 Postcards Collectible Postcards, published by Chronicle Books

Toy Story 2 isn’t a book, but the film was designed for children and this is one of my favorite images. AND–we had to include a quote from a book written for children. Since my send-to partner is an AiW fan, I chose a bit of the March Hare’s “wisdom”: “Ah, that’s just it. If you don’t think, then you shouldn’t talk.” Enough said.

I love the enchanted stories and stunning, fanciful images. My little one provides many opportunities for me to revisit well-loved tales and fall in love with new ones. We thoroughly enjoy reading classic children’s stories, cultural myths and tales and studying the illustrations, but his latest thrills are the Diaries of a Wimpy Kid, Diaries of a Sixth Grade Ninja and The Diaries of a Superhero Kid. (He’s a little miffed that Superhero Kid 4 hasn’t come out yet). The Diaries are pretty hilarious–even though the characters usually engage in awful behavior and use “bad” grammar! It warms my heart to hear his hearty laughter while he’s reading. He also reads comic books voraciously, so I’m grateful for the public libraries that provide a steady supply of kid-friendly comics.

That’s it for now. Tune in next time for more “bookish” postcards…Maybe.

The Happy, Happy Mail Month

July 2, 2013July 2, 20132 Comments

June was a “happy mail” kind of month. I found postcards, letters, photos and other goodies in my mailbox almost every day. I was so spoiled by the month of June that it was with a heavy heart that I left the mailbox empty-handed on the first day of July. Well, there was a bill and a boring car magazine I didn’t ask for. Today was better and made up for yesterday. For now, I’ll focus on the goodies that came in June. Some were sent to me for themed swaps. Others were sent for random happy mail swaps. Still others were sent “just because…”

“Second Line Jazz Band.”
New Orleans musicians perform on street corners. At funerals and celebrations alike, the audience frequently joins in to “second line, dancing as they follow the jazz band through the streets. Photo by Werner J. Bertsch

My “baby” sister sent the New Orleans postcard. She also sent one to my hubby and son. Isn’t she sweet?

While we’re on the subject of “tourist” postcards, here are others I received in June:

“Sail into the Harbour,” Port Elgin, Ontario.

“Saugeen Shores” came from swap-bot “Retiredartgal.” She writes that Port, Elgin, where she lives, Saugeen Township and Southhampton are known as Saugeen Shores which is located on Lake Huron and surrounded by fruit, corn, cattle farms and forests. 10,000 tourists arrive there each summer.

“Martha’s Vineyard, Massachussetts.” The popular island resort of is located approximately 6 miles off the coast of Cape Cod the island is approximately 25 miles long and 7 miles wide at its extreme width.

“Mamarochat” sent the “Martha’s Vineyard” postcard because I collect map cards. One of her goals is to visit all 351 towns in Massachussetts.

“The Virgin Islands.” Tropical isalnds located 1100 miles south from Miami, located in the eastern Caribbean.

One of my closest friends, Dee, went all the way home to St. Thomas and “all I got” was this postcard! Of course, I’m happier with it than I would have been with a T-shirt! 🙂 Thanks, Dee!

“Artybeth3” made our mailbox jump for joy with unexpected mail. She sent the four postcards below and a beautiful washi tape-decorated envelope filled with even more happy mail. She is so kind. She even sent a postcard to my little one–the Crater Lake one. Awesome, isn’t she?

“Crater Lake National Park, Oregon.” Crater Lake is widely known for its intense blue color and spectaucular views. During summer, vistors may navigate teh Rim Drive around teh lake, enjoy boart tours on eh lake surface, stay in the historic Crater Laek Lodge, camp at Mazama Village or hike some of the park’s various trails including Mount Scott at 8,929 feet. Photographer, Deitrich Stock Photo.

Mount Hood and the heart of downtown Portland, Oregon are framed by the beautify of WAshington Park’s Rose Test Gardens.

“The Bridges of Portland, Oregon.” The city of Portland has many nicknaems such as “City of Roses,” “Stumptown,” and “River City” Another nickname is “Bridgetwon” becuase of its many bridges linking east Portland to downtown. Each bridge is different and has its own personality. Painting by Paul A. Lanquist

“Ecola State Park, Oregon.” View of Cannon Beach. Lantern Press, Image #31026.

(Click each image for a closer look and more information).

“Denimblu14,” who graced my mailbox with the beautiful “Panda Comes to Tea,” featured in an earlier post, blessed my mailbox with another set of cute teddy bears.

“Teddy Bear Tea Party at the Beach”

Speaking of teddy bears, “Christy102194” made this A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E teddy bear ATC just for me–for the “Price of Happy Mail Swap” hosted by “Artybeth3.”

“My Teddy Bear.” Artist: Christy Turner. Medium: art pen and watercolor paint

“Pyropae” shared a lovely postcard she received from one of her penpals; she captured my love for purple and flowers all in one postcard.

It’s a good thing people send me lots of flower postcards and photos. I’m quickly learning that I’m allergic to practically every flower I meet, so this is a less “sneezy-itchy-scratchy” way for me to enjoy the beauty!

I joined a few “Children’s Book Illustration Swaps” in June. Here are the postcards I received so far:

“Miffy.” Illustration by Dick Bruna.

Johanna sent Miffy–Nijntje in Dutch–all the way from the Netherlands. She loved reading Miffy as a child and has the pleasure of enjoying the books again with her two small children.

Wonderful Jenny, from Oregon, sent the next two. Like me, she probably has a difficult time limiting the “verbage” to one postcard.

“The Snow Queen.” Illustration by Edmund Dulac. Stories from Hans Christian Andersen, 1911. From Once Upon a Time.

“Alice succeeded in getting her flamingo’s body tucked away, comfortably enough, under her arm, but generally just as she had got its neck nicely straightened out, it would twist itself round and look up into her face.” From Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.
Illustration by Margaret Tarrant.

I sent an Alice in Wonderland postcard to a partner who loves A-I-W. This one came from the Postcards from Puffin collection. Just in case you didn’t know, Puffin is the children’s imprint of Penguin Books (links to USA sites).

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Illustration by John Tenniel, Puffin, 1946

And here’s the postcard I received on the last postal day in June, sent to me by “eepy,” from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia. She sent this one because of my love for “bookish” postcards. I enjoy receiving eepy’s letters and postcards–she’s so engaging.

New Yorker. Cover by Arthur Getz, March 3, 1973

That’s just some of the postcards I received in June. I also received a number of photos.

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If you’ve been following the blog, you’ll recognize Dee Stead from an earlier post. She creates gorgeous photo cards and always sends warm letters and other goodies (like elegant stationery for my own use). Kate includes some of her photos in a meditation book she’s created. I received from Margie before, but I don’t think I’ve posted her work on the blog before. Interestingly, she and Kate are from the same town in North Carolina.

That’s it for now. There’s more to share, but I think I’ve given you enough visual pleasure for one post. See ya soon!