Richard Scarry's Fun with Words

 How have I never posted a Richard Scarry book before now?!  Like any self-respecting reader/collector of children's books, we have a tidy little Scarry collection, some even from my own childhood.  Didn't we all imagine that the grown up world would be just as Scarry drew it?  

Richard Scarry's Fun With Words

Richard Scarry 1973

A glorified dictionary, Scarry's animals have such character as they go about their busy lives.  Our second hand copy has been through a lot!

Does anyone else appreciate the ridiculousness of the Pig family eating meat?!

Animalium and Botanicum

Some big beautiful Natural History books we love to display and look at....

Animalium

Jenny Broom

illustrations by Katie Scott 2017

Botanicum

Jenny Broom

illustrations by Katie Scott 2017

Balderdash!

Balderdash!

John Newberry and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books

Michelle Markel

illustrated by Nancy Carpenter 2017

How much we owe to John Newberry and his desire to provide enjoyable books for children.  He lived in an age when children's behavior was trained by physical punishment.  It was actually a revolutionary thought that children could be encouraged to learn through play and enjoyment!  Newberry, a publisher, managed to create a market for children's literature, publishing bright appealing books that could instruct in a fun way.  

This loose biography (with extra information at the end) celebrates his innovation with cheerful illustrations, word bubbles, and kinetic type font.  It's a fun book, just how Newberry would like it!

 

The Big Golden Book of Fairy Tales

Illustrator Beverlie Manson invokes the style of the Johnstone sisters in this Golden Book collection of fairy tales.  Eleven of the most well known stories are retold, but it's Manson's pictures that make this something special.  

The Big Golden Book of Fairy Tales

retold by Lornie Leete-Hodge

illustrated by Beverlie Manson 1981

Bruno Munari's ABC

Fantastic graphic Alphabet Book. I think I originally bought this at the thrift store with the idea of cutting it up to use for crafts.  But then I realized just how wonderful it was!  Bruno Munari was an incredibly creative Italian artist whose work spanned many fields.

Bruno Munari's ABC 1960

(look how fun these title pages are!)

I think this trumpet page is my favorite!