Trailblazing Women Printmakers by Elena Sarni is a wonderful and (I believe) the only book about the Folly Cove Designers. I recommend it for any VLB lovers out there.
I was just coming here to say, "E.B. Goodale recommended a book called Trailblazing Women Printmakers to me, and I got it out of the library, but am overwhelmed by how much excellent information it has, and now I'm going to buy it."
I was so, so excited when I walked in my favorite cafe/used bookstore today and saw a copy of The Little House, which I had never read before reading your post. I bought it immediately, ostensibly for my two-year-old, but obviously for me.
You're right about the Disney overlap. In fact, we of a certain age fondly recall the 6 minute animated short, "The Little House", narrated by the unmistakeable Sterling Holloway. This is the same story, Disney-ized. Listen in about 8:06.
I saw this Burton exhibit at the Carle some years ago (I thought it was a few years ago, but apparently it was more like 15 years ago): https://carlemuseum.org/explore-art/exhibitions/past-exhibition/those-telling-lines-art-virginia-lee-burton. I feel like I recall all that text being taped into place in the original art with scotch tape, and I remember that mostly because I was appalled that this tape was yellowing and disintegrating. I couldn’t believe they didn’t have these beautiful original pieces in some kind of vault or something where they wouldn’t deteriorate further. They had the images alongside some of the printings she did on fabric, which were amazing and had a lot of similarities to her picture book art (curving lines, hills, patterns, so many suns). I wish I could see that exhibit again.
This was great! I haven't thought about this book NEARLY enough until today--thank you both!
Laugh-snorted at, “They should probably keep an eye on some of the water rights, right, Daddy?”
Especially loved the discussion about house stakes (such a great pun) and how "you have to imagine how you would feel if you were a house," and I am seeing some overlap in my own process/thoughts (which so far, people seem to refer to as deadpan). Maybe deadpan should be called "imaginepan," and it's like panning for things that glimmer in the reader's own mind.
I'd love to know how many of the clever illustration tricks and layouts just came instinctively to her and how many were brainstormed and figured out over time, it's really fascinating. Will you ever do a deep dive on your own books?
Mac and Jon's discussions are treasures in themselves. I truly get immersed in how they look at picture books with seamless expertise and mutual respect for the other's thoughts. This education is deep and so enriching. Share, share, share, people!
I'd love to hear your thoughts on The Blue House by Phoebe Wahl in relation to The Little House. I think the juxtaposition epitomizes how the art form has grown, specifically when it comes to challenging children to sit with big emotions. Great post!
For a brief moment I thought this was going to be a deep dive into The Wild Little House by Irish author Eilís Dillon and illustrator V. H. Drummond (1955) and I got very excited because it's a favourite of mine. I hadn't heard of this beautiful little house book but enjoyed the deep dive immensely and loved discovering similarities between the two texts. In Dillons'/Drummonds' the house moves too but, things get a bit surreal and it goes walkabout of its own accord 😅! Have you come across this book? It was published in the US and I'm not sure it ever even reached Ireland despite Dillon being known as a prolific children's writer here. My own copy is an old library book from the US. Would love to hear your thoughts on it!
I love this, I absolutely love the close readings, they are my absolute favorites of all the emails to show up in my inbox ever. (More please!)
I love the Mary Anne the steam shovel cameo. Stealth marketing!
Trailblazing Women Printmakers by Elena Sarni is a wonderful and (I believe) the only book about the Folly Cove Designers. I recommend it for any VLB lovers out there.
I was just coming here to say, "E.B. Goodale recommended a book called Trailblazing Women Printmakers to me, and I got it out of the library, but am overwhelmed by how much excellent information it has, and now I'm going to buy it."
I was so, so excited when I walked in my favorite cafe/used bookstore today and saw a copy of The Little House, which I had never read before reading your post. I bought it immediately, ostensibly for my two-year-old, but obviously for me.
You're right about the Disney overlap. In fact, we of a certain age fondly recall the 6 minute animated short, "The Little House", narrated by the unmistakeable Sterling Holloway. This is the same story, Disney-ized. Listen in about 8:06.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD1G4y9DLwA
(Thanks to John Frame for this digitized audio version from 1959.)
I saw this Burton exhibit at the Carle some years ago (I thought it was a few years ago, but apparently it was more like 15 years ago): https://carlemuseum.org/explore-art/exhibitions/past-exhibition/those-telling-lines-art-virginia-lee-burton. I feel like I recall all that text being taped into place in the original art with scotch tape, and I remember that mostly because I was appalled that this tape was yellowing and disintegrating. I couldn’t believe they didn’t have these beautiful original pieces in some kind of vault or something where they wouldn’t deteriorate further. They had the images alongside some of the printings she did on fabric, which were amazing and had a lot of similarities to her picture book art (curving lines, hills, patterns, so many suns). I wish I could see that exhibit again.
As always, I loved reading this. I feel quite emotional … !
This was great! I haven't thought about this book NEARLY enough until today--thank you both!
Laugh-snorted at, “They should probably keep an eye on some of the water rights, right, Daddy?”
Especially loved the discussion about house stakes (such a great pun) and how "you have to imagine how you would feel if you were a house," and I am seeing some overlap in my own process/thoughts (which so far, people seem to refer to as deadpan). Maybe deadpan should be called "imaginepan," and it's like panning for things that glimmer in the reader's own mind.
Anyhoo. Thank you.
I'd love to know how many of the clever illustration tricks and layouts just came instinctively to her and how many were brainstormed and figured out over time, it's really fascinating. Will you ever do a deep dive on your own books?
Mac and Jon's discussions are treasures in themselves. I truly get immersed in how they look at picture books with seamless expertise and mutual respect for the other's thoughts. This education is deep and so enriching. Share, share, share, people!
Ridiculous.
I’m learning *so* much from these. Thank you!!
I'd love to hear your thoughts on The Blue House by Phoebe Wahl in relation to The Little House. I think the juxtaposition epitomizes how the art form has grown, specifically when it comes to challenging children to sit with big emotions. Great post!
For a brief moment I thought this was going to be a deep dive into The Wild Little House by Irish author Eilís Dillon and illustrator V. H. Drummond (1955) and I got very excited because it's a favourite of mine. I hadn't heard of this beautiful little house book but enjoyed the deep dive immensely and loved discovering similarities between the two texts. In Dillons'/Drummonds' the house moves too but, things get a bit surreal and it goes walkabout of its own accord 😅! Have you come across this book? It was published in the US and I'm not sure it ever even reached Ireland despite Dillon being known as a prolific children's writer here. My own copy is an old library book from the US. Would love to hear your thoughts on it!