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anthropomorphism in
children’s literature
animals are us:
anthropomorphism in
children’s literature
GAME CHANGERS
Published almost two centuries apart, this book and board game reflect cultural shifts in publishing for children in different ways. Julián Is a Mermaid was groundbreaking in its imaginative and accessible celebration of gender nonconformity, while the dynamic visual concept of the Royal Game of the Dolphin was decades ahead of contemporary children’s literature in terms of scale and use of color. The colorful look of children’s literature was only made possible by radical advances in affordable color print technology in the second half of the nineteenth century. Today, the board game industry, like children’s book publishers, is beginning to address the lack of cultural representation in its products.
GAME CHANGERS
Published almost two centuries apart, this book and board game reflect cultural shifts in publishing for children in different ways. Julián Is a Mermaid was groundbreaking in its imaginative and accessible celebration of gender nonconformity, while the dynamic visual concept of the Royal Game of the Dolphin was decades ahead of contemporary children’s literature in terms of scale and use of color. The colorful look of children’s literature was only made possible by radical advances in affordable color print technology in the second half of the nineteenth century. Today, the board game industry, like children’s book publishers, is beginning to address the lack of cultural representation in its products.
celebrating the peter j. solomon collection
celebrating the peter j. solomon collection
On view September 1, 2021 - January 7, 2022
September 1: open to Harvard students, faculty, and staff (Harvard ID required); October 4: open to the general public.
LOCATION
Harvard University, Houghton Library, Edison and Newman Room
CONTACT
E-mail: houghton_library@harvard.edu
Web: https://library.harvard.edu/libraries/houghton
Tlf.: +1-617-495-2440
On view September 1, 2021 - January 7, 2022
September 1: open to Harvard students, faculty, and staff (Harvard ID required); October 4: open to the general public.
LOCATION
Harvard University, Houghton Library, Edison and Newman Room
CONTACT
E-mail: houghton_library@harvard.edu
Web: https://library.harvard.edu/libraries/houghton
Tlf.: +1-617-495-2440
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Final study for The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit, around 1906
Ink and watercolor on paper, 11 x 9 cm; 11 x 268 cm (open)
Having successfully published seven books in the format of the original Peter, Potter wanted to explore a new design. She turned to the accordion format for The Fierce Bad Rabbit, producing these original watercolor washes on view that determined the printed version. Potter created two other accordion books that year, and none succeeded commercially; booksellers, and perhaps children, found them too awkward to handle.
TypDr 905.P708.06f. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Final study for The Story of a Fierce Bad Rabbit, around 1906
Ink and watercolor on paper, 11 x 9 cm; 11 x 268 cm (open)
Having successfully published seven books in the format of the original Peter, Potter wanted to explore a new design. She turned to the accordion format for The Fierce Bad Rabbit, producing these original watercolor washes on view that determined the printed version. Potter created two other accordion books that year, and none succeeded commercially; booksellers, and perhaps children, found them too awkward to handle.
TypDr 905.P708.06f. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Who is the dominant figure in the picture? Not the lion, but the little girl, Dorothy, who admonishes the whimpering beast. Notice her silver slippers—not the ruby ones of Hollywood. The tin man in the background at left and the scarecrow in the right foreground create a strong diagonal axis; the scarecrow breaks the boundary of the frame, reinforcing this dynamic element. Likewise, the yellow brick road leads the eye forcefully toward the distant right.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Who is the dominant figure in the picture? Not the lion, but the little girl, Dorothy, who admonishes the whimpering beast. Notice her silver slippers—not the ruby ones of Hollywood. The tin man in the background at left and the scarecrow in the right foreground create a strong diagonal axis; the scarecrow breaks the boundary of the frame, reinforcing this dynamic element. Likewise, the yellow brick road leads the eye forcefully toward the distant right.
E. B. White (American, 1899–1985, author)
Garth Williams (American, 1912–1996, illustrator)
Charlotte’s Web
New York and Evanston: Harper & Row, Publishers, around 1970;
first published 1952
E. B. White incorporated personal experiences into his story about the triumphant rescue of a pig from slaughter by a wise, literate spider. White inserted the human character Fern late in his writing and resisted his publisher’s efforts to change Charlotte, the spider. While the animals in the story are fully anthropomorphic, illustrator Garth Williams wrestled with the depiction of Charlotte’s face and ultimately reverted to a more scientific depiction, leaving her human qualities to the reader’s imagination.
Typ 970.60.8775. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
E. B. White (American, 1899–1985, author)
Garth Williams (American, 1912–1996, illustrator)
Charlotte’s Web
New York and Evanston: Harper & Row, Publishers, around 1970;
first published 1952
E. B. White incorporated personal experiences into his story about the triumphant rescue of a pig from slaughter by a wise, literate spider. White inserted the human character Fern late in his writing and resisted his publisher’s efforts to change Charlotte, the spider. While the animals in the story are fully anthropomorphic, illustrator Garth Williams wrestled with the depiction of Charlotte’s face and ultimately reverted to a more scientific depiction, leaving her human qualities to the reader’s imagination.
Typ 970.60.8775. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
L. Frank Baum (American, 1856–1919, author);
W. W. Denslow (American, 1856–1915, illustrator)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Chicago, New York: G. M. Hill Co., 1900
Anthropomorphism in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz spans the animal (the Cowardly Lion), the vegetable (the Scarecrow), and the mineral (the Tin Woodman). Over fifty cinematic versions of the various Oz books exist, but the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland brought cult status to the original publication and its author. Recently, L. Frank Baum’s prominence in American literature has diminished due to his 1890s editorials advocating the genocide of all Native Americans. Whether his reputation suffers irrevocably has yet to be seen.
Typ 970.00.1950. Gift of Philip Hofer, no date.
L. Frank Baum (American, 1856–1919, author);
W. W. Denslow (American, 1856–1915, illustrator)
The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Chicago, New York: G. M. Hill Co., 1900
Anthropomorphism in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz spans the animal (the Cowardly Lion), the vegetable (the Scarecrow), and the mineral (the Tin Woodman). Over fifty cinematic versions of the various Oz books exist, but the 1939 movie starring Judy Garland brought cult status to the original publication and its author. Recently, L. Frank Baum’s prominence in American literature has diminished due to his 1890s editorials advocating the genocide of all Native Americans. Whether his reputation suffers irrevocably has yet to be seen.
Typ 970.00.1950. Gift of Philip Hofer, no date.
Sir John Tenniel (British, 1820–1914, illustrator)
Illustration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, “Lobster Quadrille,” around 1865
Graphite heightened with ink and Chinese white on paper, 26 x 20 cm
Carroll intended Alice to amuse the young reader while also satirizing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He enlisted anthropomorphic animals such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, March Hare and, displayed here, the star of the “Lobster Quadrille,” which alludes to human vanity, to enhance the narrative. These items offer various insights into both the author and the book: Carroll’s pocket watch that recalls the March Hare’s; a bound volume of Carroll’s drawings after Tenniel’s proofs, a gift for Alice Liddell; and the rare suppressed first printing, withdrawn for its poor-quality illustrations and typographical errors. Beginning in 1903, film adaptations kept the book in the public eye, with Disney’s animation in 1951 assuring its mass appeal.
MS Eng 718.6 (11). Gift of Gertrude Amory, 1927.
Sir John Tenniel (British, 1820–1914, illustrator)
Illustration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, “Lobster Quadrille,” around 1865
Graphite heightened with ink and Chinese white on paper, 26 x 20 cm
Carroll intended Alice to amuse the young reader while also satirizing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He enlisted anthropomorphic animals such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, March Hare and, displayed here, the star of the “Lobster Quadrille,” which alludes to human vanity, to enhance the narrative. These items offer various insights into both the author and the book: Carroll’s pocket watch that recalls the March Hare’s; a bound volume of Carroll’s drawings after Tenniel’s proofs, a gift for Alice Liddell; and the rare suppressed first printing, withdrawn for its poor-quality illustrations and typographical errors. Beginning in 1903, film adaptations kept the book in the public eye, with Disney’s animation in 1951 assuring its mass appeal.
MS Eng 718.6 (11). Gift of Gertrude Amory, 1927.
Lewis Carroll [Charles Dodgson] (British, 1832–1898, copyist)
Copies of woodcuts for Alice, the “Cheshire Cat” and the “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party,” around 1865
Brown ink on paper, 26 x 21 cm
Carroll intended Alice to amuse the young reader while also satirizing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He enlisted anthropomorphic animals such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, March Hare and, displayed here, the star of the “Lobster Quadrille,” which alludes to human vanity, to enhance the narrative. These items offer various insights into both the author and the book: Carroll’s pocket watch that recalls the March Hare’s; a bound volume of Carroll’s drawings after Tenniel’s proofs, a gift for Alice Liddell; and the rare suppressed first printing, withdrawn for its poor-quality illustrations and typographical errors. Beginning in 1903, film adaptations kept the book in the public eye, with Disney’s animation in 1951 assuring its mass appeal.
TypDr 805.C260.60o.
Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Lewis Carroll [Charles Dodgson] (British, 1832–1898, copyist)
Copies of woodcuts for Alice, the “Cheshire Cat” and the “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party,” around 1865
Brown ink on paper, 26 x 21 cm
Carroll intended Alice to amuse the young reader while also satirizing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He enlisted anthropomorphic animals such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, March Hare and, displayed here, the star of the “Lobster Quadrille,” which alludes to human vanity, to enhance the narrative. These items offer various insights into both the author and the book: Carroll’s pocket watch that recalls the March Hare’s; a bound volume of Carroll’s drawings after Tenniel’s proofs, a gift for Alice Liddell; and the rare suppressed first printing, withdrawn for its poor-quality illustrations and typographical errors. Beginning in 1903, film adaptations kept the book in the public eye, with Disney’s animation in 1951 assuring its mass appeal.
TypDr 805.C260.60o.
Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Carle creates a bold, eye-catching image underscored by the disparity in scale between the large leaf and the diminutive caterpillar. The leaf’s visual crescendo leads the eye to the right, continuing across the page with the caterpillar’s progress. Carle says that he doesn’t illustrate his books—rather, he designs them, and to this end he employs lots of white space to emphasize the importance of each narrative element.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Carle creates a bold, eye-catching image underscored by the disparity in scale between the large leaf and the diminutive caterpillar. The leaf’s visual crescendo leads the eye to the right, continuing across the page with the caterpillar’s progress. Carle says that he doesn’t illustrate his books—rather, he designs them, and to this end he employs lots of white space to emphasize the importance of each narrative element.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Color is central to this visual narrative. The viewer’s eye is drawn immediately to the blackbird with wings outstretched, highlighting his role as protagonist. Bryan’s medium of collage creates a specific visual effect. The undulating edges of the cut paper enhance a dynamic feeling of movement. While each page is viewed separately when read, the narrative is made cohesive by the horizontal bands running across the double-page spread delineating the flock, the blackbird in action, and the text.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Color is central to this visual narrative. The viewer’s eye is drawn immediately to the blackbird with wings outstretched, highlighting his role as protagonist. Bryan’s medium of collage creates a specific visual effect. The undulating edges of the cut paper enhance a dynamic feeling of movement. While each page is viewed separately when read, the narrative is made cohesive by the horizontal bands running across the double-page spread delineating the flock, the blackbird in action, and the text.
Helen Bannerman (British, 1862–1946, author-illustrator)
The Story of Little Black Sambo
London: Grant Richards, 1899
Children’s literature has always represented the viewpoints of dominant cultural groups. Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book (1894) upheld the subjugation of Indians under the British Raj, which included colorism. While living in British India, Helen Bannerman wrote this story to amuse her two daughters. The dark-skinned Indian boy named Sambo (a pejorative term for an African dating back to the eighteenth century) outwits a succession of vain tigers, who eventually chase themselves into buttery oblivion.
Typ 805.99.1915. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Helen Bannerman (British, 1862–1946, author-illustrator)
The Story of Little Black Sambo
London: Grant Richards, 1899
Children’s literature has always represented the viewpoints of dominant cultural groups. Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book (1894) upheld the subjugation of Indians under the British Raj, which included colorism. While living in British India, Helen Bannerman wrote this story to amuse her two daughters. The dark-skinned Indian boy named Sambo (a pejorative term for an African dating back to the eighteenth century) outwits a succession of vain tigers, who eventually chase themselves into buttery oblivion.
Typ 805.99.1915. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Ashley Bryan (American, born 1923, author-illustrator)
Beautiful Blackbird
New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ashley Bryan’s celebration of beauty through a Zambian folktale about a blackbird sharing his unique qualities with others is a significant example of contemporary children’s literature. Publishers are only slowly catching up to the imperative need for children’s literature to reflect the diversity of society, creating a positive framework to promote respect for all.
Typ 2070.03.2411. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Ashley Bryan (American, born 1923, author-illustrator)
Beautiful Blackbird
New York: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2003
Ashley Bryan’s celebration of beauty through a Zambian folktale about a blackbird sharing his unique qualities with others is a significant example of contemporary children’s literature. Publishers are only slowly catching up to the imperative need for children’s literature to reflect the diversity of society, creating a positive framework to promote respect for all.
Typ 2070.03.2411. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Julius Lester (American, 1939–2018, author);
Jerry Pinkney (American, born 1939, illustrator)
Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo
New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1996
After reclaiming Uncle Remus, Lester and Pinkney produced a radical makeover of Little Black Sambo, creating a utopian world where everyone is named “Sam,” and animals and humans coexist peacefully. Despite this harmony, Sam’s predicament endures, and the denouement echoes the original in highly entertaining dialogue. Lester believed the book transcended its stereotypes and admired its “truth of imagination.” Pinkney also inserted references to characters from Uncle Remus to discreetly connect the two controversial books.
Typ 970.96.5188. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Julius Lester (American, 1939–2018, author);
Jerry Pinkney (American, born 1939, illustrator)
Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo
New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1996
After reclaiming Uncle Remus, Lester and Pinkney produced a radical makeover of Little Black Sambo, creating a utopian world where everyone is named “Sam,” and animals and humans coexist peacefully. Despite this harmony, Sam’s predicament endures, and the denouement echoes the original in highly entertaining dialogue. Lester believed the book transcended its stereotypes and admired its “truth of imagination.” Pinkney also inserted references to characters from Uncle Remus to discreetly connect the two controversial books.
Typ 970.96.5188. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Lewis Carroll [Charles Dodgson] (British, 1832–1898, author);
John Tenniel (British, 1820–1914, illustrator)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
London: Macmillan and Co., 1865
Carroll intended Alice to amuse the young reader while also satirizing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He enlisted anthropomorphic animals such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, March Hare and, displayed here, the star of the “Lobster Quadrille,” which alludes to human vanity, to enhance the narrative. These items offer various insights into both the author and the book: Carroll’s pocket watch that recalls the March Hare’s; a bound volume of Carroll’s drawings after Tenniel’s proofs, a gift for Alice Liddell; and the rare suppressed first printing, withdrawn for its poor-quality illustrations and typographical errors. Beginning in 1903, film adaptations kept the book in the public eye, with Disney’s animation in 1951 assuring its mass appeal.
Typ 805.65.2607. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2018.
Lewis Carroll [Charles Dodgson] (British, 1832–1898, author);
John Tenniel (British, 1820–1914, illustrator)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
London: Macmillan and Co., 1865
Carroll intended Alice to amuse the young reader while also satirizing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He enlisted anthropomorphic animals such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, March Hare and, displayed here, the star of the “Lobster Quadrille,” which alludes to human vanity, to enhance the narrative. These items offer various insights into both the author and the book: Carroll’s pocket watch that recalls the March Hare’s; a bound volume of Carroll’s drawings after Tenniel’s proofs, a gift for Alice Liddell; and the rare suppressed first printing, withdrawn for its poor-quality illustrations and typographical errors. Beginning in 1903, film adaptations kept the book in the public eye, with Disney’s animation in 1951 assuring its mass appeal.
Typ 805.65.2607. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2018.
E. B. White (American, 1899–1985, author);
Garth Williams (American, 1912–1996, illustrator)
Stuart Little
New York & London:
Harper & Brothers, 1945
E. B. White’s fascination with mice eventually led to a literary controversy. Stuart Little began with a dream in the mid-1920s, with the book coming out in print in 1945. The red flag appeared in the opening sentence: mouse Stuart was described as being “born” into the human Little family, a phrase that caused widespread consternation. Significantly, the offending word was changed to “arrived” in later editions, and the 1999 movie opens in an orphanage.
Typ 970.45.8775.
Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
E. B. White (American, 1899–1985, author);
Garth Williams (American, 1912–1996, illustrator)
Stuart Little
New York & London:
Harper & Brothers, 1945
E. B. White’s fascination with mice eventually led to a literary controversy. Stuart Little began with a dream in the mid-1920s, with the book coming out in print in 1945. The red flag appeared in the opening sentence: mouse Stuart was described as being “born” into the human Little family, a phrase that caused widespread consternation. Significantly, the offending word was changed to “arrived” in later editions, and the 1999 movie opens in an orphanage.
Typ 970.45.8775.
Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
London: privately printed, 1901
The character Peter Rabbit first emerged in letter stories sent by Beatrix Potter to young friends. Potter was encouraged to develop her charming tales into books, but repeated attempts to secure a publisher failed. Undeterred, Potter opted to self-publish. The enduring appeal of the feisty little rabbit is enhanced by the small size of the book. Based on observations of her own pet rabbit, Peter Rabbit was first illustrated through simple line drawings that capture his independent spirit.
Typ 905.01.7087. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
London: privately printed, 1901
The character Peter Rabbit first emerged in letter stories sent by Beatrix Potter to young friends. Potter was encouraged to develop her charming tales into books, but repeated attempts to secure a publisher failed. Undeterred, Potter opted to self-publish. The enduring appeal of the feisty little rabbit is enhanced by the small size of the book. Based on observations of her own pet rabbit, Peter Rabbit was first illustrated through simple line drawings that capture his independent spirit.
Typ 905.01.7087. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Innosanto Nagara (Indonesian, born 1970, author-illustrator)
A Is for Activist
New York: Seven Stories Press, 2013
A is for Activist reflects the broadening content and cultural diversification of children’s literature. A primer on social activism in the United States, this early reader is a far cry from the simplistic model of “A is for Apple.” Nagara high-lights universal characteristics associated with animals across cultures and time: wisdom appears as the owl perched on the brash bull charging toward progress. First published in English, it is now also available in Spanish.
Typ 2070.13.5951.
Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Innosanto Nagara (Indonesian, born 1970, author-illustrator)
A Is for Activist
New York: Seven Stories Press, 2013
A is for Activist reflects the broadening content and cultural diversification of children’s literature. A primer on social activism in the United States, this early reader is a far cry from the simplistic model of “A is for Apple.” Nagara high-lights universal characteristics associated with animals across cultures and time: wisdom appears as the owl perched on the brash bull charging toward progress. First published in English, it is now also available in Spanish.
Typ 2070.13.5951.
Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Heinrich Hoffmann (German, 1809–1894, author-illustrator)
Lustige Geschichten und drollige Bilder: mit 15 schön kolorirten Tafeln für Kinder von 3–6 Jahren
Frankfurt: Literarische Anstalt (J. Rütten), 1845
This series of moralizing tales in rhyme, notable for its grisly elements, was penned and illustrated by Hoffmann, a psychiatrist who was disappointed by then-contemporary children’s literature. Created for his three-year-old son, these brightly colored illustrations and memorable content have amused and shocked generations of readers. Elements of Hoffmann’s tales have found their way into twentieth-century popular culture: the rabbit stealing the hunter’s gun and glasses may have inspired Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.
Typ 820.45.4545. Bequest of Philip Hofer, 1984.
Heinrich Hoffmann (German, 1809–1894, author-illustrator)
Lustige Geschichten und drollige Bilder: mit 15 schön kolorirten Tafeln für Kinder von 3–6 Jahren
Frankfurt: Literarische Anstalt (J. Rütten), 1845
This series of moralizing tales in rhyme, notable for its grisly elements, was penned and illustrated by Hoffmann, a psychiatrist who was disappointed by then-contemporary children’s literature. Created for his three-year-old son, these brightly colored illustrations and memorable content have amused and shocked generations of readers. Elements of Hoffmann’s tales have found their way into twentieth-century popular culture: the rabbit stealing the hunter’s gun and glasses may have inspired Bugs Bunny and Elmer Fudd.
Typ 820.45.4545. Bequest of Philip Hofer, 1984.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
This book cover, with its bold imagery, suggests the enticing world of a child’s imagination. Fantasy and reality collide, whether in a convincingly rendered cat playing a very accurate fiddle or a child costumed in a rabbit skin. This sense of the imaginary derives further reinforcement from the chalk-like drawings on the back wall of animated dishes and silverware. The exquisite tablecloth decorated with poppies comments on nature and the domestic realm of make-believe.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
This book cover, with its bold imagery, suggests the enticing world of a child’s imagination. Fantasy and reality collide, whether in a convincingly rendered cat playing a very accurate fiddle or a child costumed in a rabbit skin. This sense of the imaginary derives further reinforcement from the chalk-like drawings on the back wall of animated dishes and silverware. The exquisite tablecloth decorated with poppies comments on nature and the domestic realm of make-believe.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Two different visual interpretations of the “Tale of the Fox and the Raven,” a fable illustrating the pitfalls of flattery, are shown here. By flattering the raven into song, the fox snatches the food that drops from the bird’s beak. Chauveau depicts the satisfying moment of capture, whereas Frasconi adds drama by showing the tasty morsel falling down to the sly fox. Frasconi’s minimalist approach conveys the humor of the moment in a spare, lively composition.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Two different visual interpretations of the “Tale of the Fox and the Raven,” a fable illustrating the pitfalls of flattery, are shown here. By flattering the raven into song, the fox snatches the food that drops from the bird’s beak. Chauveau depicts the satisfying moment of capture, whereas Frasconi adds drama by showing the tasty morsel falling down to the sly fox. Frasconi’s minimalist approach conveys the humor of the moment in a spare, lively composition.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
You don’t need to be able to read to understand this story. The rabbit mocks the hunter, then makes off with his weapon while the hunter takes a nap. The rabbit’s childish gesture of mockery is an invitation to young readers to see themselves as the rabbit and to enjoy the power of role reversal. Seemingly loosely arranged, the images are carefully aligned with the separately printed text. Note how the hunter’s cap indents the text and his gun barrel points to the word “hunter.” The near-parallel lines of the guns frame the visual narrative.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
You don’t need to be able to read to understand this story. The rabbit mocks the hunter, then makes off with his weapon while the hunter takes a nap. The rabbit’s childish gesture of mockery is an invitation to young readers to see themselves as the rabbit and to enjoy the power of role reversal. Seemingly loosely arranged, the images are carefully aligned with the separately printed text. Note how the hunter’s cap indents the text and his gun barrel points to the word “hunter.” The near-parallel lines of the guns frame the visual narrative.
Edward Lear (British, 1812–1888, author-illustrator)
Autograph manuscript for a pictorial nonsense alphabet, 1857
33 x 21 cm
The whimsical writings and accompanying sketches of Edward Lear enlivened the often dull alphabet books available to children in the nineteenth century. He also contributed substantially to comical literature for adults. This manuscript for one of his many nonsense alphabets reveals that his concept evolved over time. Ultimately Lear’s cunning cat became a crafty one, and the published illustration was more menacing than the pen and ink sketch seen here.
MS Typ 1293. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Edward Lear (British, 1812–1888, author-illustrator)
Autograph manuscript for a pictorial nonsense alphabet, 1857
33 x 21 cm
The whimsical writings and accompanying sketches of Edward Lear enlivened the often dull alphabet books available to children in the nineteenth century. He also contributed substantially to comical literature for adults. This manuscript for one of his many nonsense alphabets reveals that his concept evolved over time. Ultimately Lear’s cunning cat became a crafty one, and the published illustration was more menacing than the pen and ink sketch seen here.
MS Typ 1293. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Thomas Bewick (British, 1753–1828, illustrator)
A New Lottery Book of Birds and Beasts for Children to Learn Their Letters by As Soon As They Can Speak
Newcastle: T(homas) Saint for W. Charnley, 1771
Thomas Bewick’s book appears to have been devised for toddlers, underscoring the long-held importance of early literacy. Small in format, ideally suited to small hands, and economical to produce, the book’s bold woodcut images are eye-catching. Most books of this type were serious in tone, but the representations of animals, both real and imagined, inject an element of fun and visual interest for the budding reader.
Typ 705.71.208 (B). Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Thomas Bewick (British, 1753–1828, illustrator)
A New Lottery Book of Birds and Beasts for Children to Learn Their Letters by As Soon As They Can Speak
Newcastle: T(homas) Saint for W. Charnley, 1771
Thomas Bewick’s book appears to have been devised for toddlers, underscoring the long-held importance of early literacy. Small in format, ideally suited to small hands, and economical to produce, the book’s bold woodcut images are eye-catching. Most books of this type were serious in tone, but the representations of animals, both real and imagined, inject an element of fun and visual interest for the budding reader.
Typ 705.71.208 (B). Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Dan Santat (American, born 1975, author-illustrator)
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again
New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2017
Like L. Frank Baum in 1897, Dan Santat used the traditional rhyme as a spring-board. He created a tale of birdwatching, a fall (from a wall), the repair (at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, where all the doctors seem to be men), an ensuing fear of heights, overcoming this fear, and ultimately the protagonist hatching and taking flight. The author crafted a deft narration from an anthropomorphic viewpoint culminating in a transition to a conventional state of nature.
PS3619.S26 A38 2017. The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2020.
Dan Santat (American, born 1975, author-illustrator)
After the Fall: How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again
New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2017
Like L. Frank Baum in 1897, Dan Santat used the traditional rhyme as a spring-board. He created a tale of birdwatching, a fall (from a wall), the repair (at Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn, where all the doctors seem to be men), an ensuing fear of heights, overcoming this fear, and ultimately the protagonist hatching and taking flight. The author crafted a deft narration from an anthropomorphic viewpoint culminating in a transition to a conventional state of nature.
PS3619.S26 A38 2017. The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2020.
Jean de la Fontaine (French, 1621–1695, author);
François Chauveau (French, 1613–1676, illustrator)
Fables Choisies, Mises en Vers
Paris: Denys Thierry, 1668
From 1668 onward, Jean de la Fontaine issued a series of fables that remain influential today. His first volume was dedicated to the young son of Louis XIV, but it was intended for an adult audience. La Fontaine’s compilations of fables drew on storytelling traditions from around the world, including his homeland, where these fables are still included in primary school curricula. The poetic presentation of the fables facilitates memorization, reinforcing the underlying moral message.
Typ 615.68.509 (B). Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Jean de la Fontaine (French, 1621–1695, author);
François Chauveau (French, 1613–1676, illustrator)
Fables Choisies, Mises en Vers
Paris: Denys Thierry, 1668
From 1668 onward, Jean de la Fontaine issued a series of fables that remain influential today. His first volume was dedicated to the young son of Louis XIV, but it was intended for an adult audience. La Fontaine’s compilations of fables drew on storytelling traditions from around the world, including his homeland, where these fables are still included in primary school curricula. The poetic presentation of the fables facilitates memorization, reinforcing the underlying moral message.
Typ 615.68.509 (B). Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Randolph Caldecott (British, 1846–1886, author-illustrator)
Hey Diddle Diddle and Baby Bunting
London: George Routledge & Sons, 1882
British illustrators Randolph Caldecott and Walter Crane pioneered the modern picture book. For this book, Caldecott adapted two spare texts, infusing them with innovative freedom and whimsy. The texts offer entertaining anthropomorphic elements, such as the cat playing a fiddle and the cow jumping over the moon. Caldecott rendered the animals convincingly, endowing them with persuasive human attributes and irresistible personalities. Conversely, Baby Bunting, by donning a rabbit skin, ambiguates the anthropomorphic process.
HEW 2.1.4. Bequest of Harry Elkins Widener, 1912.
Randolph Caldecott (British, 1846–1886, author-illustrator)
Hey Diddle Diddle and Baby Bunting
London: George Routledge & Sons, 1882
British illustrators Randolph Caldecott and Walter Crane pioneered the modern picture book. For this book, Caldecott adapted two spare texts, infusing them with innovative freedom and whimsy. The texts offer entertaining anthropomorphic elements, such as the cat playing a fiddle and the cow jumping over the moon. Caldecott rendered the animals convincingly, endowing them with persuasive human attributes and irresistible personalities. Conversely, Baby Bunting, by donning a rabbit skin, ambiguates the anthropomorphic process.
HEW 2.1.4. Bequest of Harry Elkins Widener, 1912.
Aesop (Greece, 620–564 BCE, author);
Glenway Wescott (American, 1901–1987, author);
Antonio Frasconi (Uruguayan-American, 1919–2013, illustrator)
12 Fables of Aesop
New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1964
Printmaker Antonio Frasconi credited the birth of his first son as the pivotal event that led him to children’s-book illustration. He recognized the power of children’s literature to “introduce a young mind to an understanding of our vast cultures.” First published in 1954, this selection of Aesop’s Fables was the first limited edition book published by MOMA, reinforcing the universal appeal of fables through a contemporary lens.
Typ 970.64.1242. Gift of Professor Paul A. Freund, 2001.
Aesop (Greece, 620–564 BCE, author);
Glenway Wescott (American, 1901–1987, author);
Antonio Frasconi (Uruguayan-American, 1919–2013, illustrator)
12 Fables of Aesop
New York: Museum of Modern Art, 1964
Printmaker Antonio Frasconi credited the birth of his first son as the pivotal event that led him to children’s-book illustration. He recognized the power of children’s literature to “introduce a young mind to an understanding of our vast cultures.” First published in 1954, this selection of Aesop’s Fables was the first limited edition book published by MOMA, reinforcing the universal appeal of fables through a contemporary lens.
Typ 970.64.1242. Gift of Professor Paul A. Freund, 2001.
L. Frank Baum (American, 1856–1919, author),
Maxfield Parrish (American, 1870–1966, illustrator)
Mother Goose in Prose
Chicago: Way and Williams, 1897
The collaboration of L. Frank Baum and Maxfield Parrish was brief but potent: an imaginative narrative coupled with superb illustrations. In this undertaking, Baum and Parrish embellished a compilation of Mother Goose rhymes with extended stories that complement the original rhymes. “Humpty Dumpty” commences with the well-known verse, and the ensuing picaresque prose relates the egg’s eventual demise. Parrish depicted him as fashionably dressed, thereby reinforcing the inherent anthropomorphism.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
L. Frank Baum (American, 1856–1919, author),
Maxfield Parrish (American, 1870–1966, illustrator)
Mother Goose in Prose
Chicago: Way and Williams, 1897
The collaboration of L. Frank Baum and Maxfield Parrish was brief but potent: an imaginative narrative coupled with superb illustrations. In this undertaking, Baum and Parrish embellished a compilation of Mother Goose rhymes with extended stories that complement the original rhymes. “Humpty Dumpty” commences with the well-known verse, and the ensuing picaresque prose relates the egg’s eventual demise. Parrish depicted him as fashionably dressed, thereby reinforcing the inherent anthropomorphism.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Pinkney’s illustrations emphasize the power dynamic between the lion and the mouse. The trapped lion’s head, straining against the net, fills the entire page to heighten the sense of confinement. While the lion is always bigger than the mouse, the latter is shown larger than life on the right to underscore its importance. Notice the white space around the mouse. This invisible frame heightens the impression of the mouse as small yet mighty.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
Pinkney’s illustrations emphasize the power dynamic between the lion and the mouse. The trapped lion’s head, straining against the net, fills the entire page to heighten the sense of confinement. While the lion is always bigger than the mouse, the latter is shown larger than life on the right to underscore its importance. Notice the white space around the mouse. This invisible frame heightens the impression of the mouse as small yet mighty.
Jerry Pinkney (American, born 1939, author-illustrator)
The Lion & the Mouse
New York; Boston: Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers, 2009
Pinkney’s wordless interpretation of Aesop’s “The Lion and the Mouse” is not without sound. While his animals don’t speak, their highly expressive faces are exceptionally convincing in their anthropomorphism. The connection between the mighty lion and the tiny mouse is expressed powerfully by their mutual gaze. Having once set the mouse free, the captive lion now depends on his former prey to help him escape.
Typ 2070.09.6945. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Jerry Pinkney (American, born 1939, author-illustrator)
The Lion & the Mouse
New York; Boston: Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers, 2009
Pinkney’s wordless interpretation of Aesop’s “The Lion and the Mouse” is not without sound. While his animals don’t speak, their highly expressive faces are exceptionally convincing in their anthropomorphism. The connection between the mighty lion and the tiny mouse is expressed powerfully by their mutual gaze. Having once set the mouse free, the captive lion now depends on his former prey to help him escape.
Typ 2070.09.6945. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Johann Amos Comenius (Czech, 1592–1670, author)
Alexander Anderson (American, 1775–1870, illustrator)
Charles Hoole (English, 1610–1667, translator)
Orbis sensualium pictus . . . or, A Nomenclature, and Pictures of All the Chief Things That Are in the World . . .
New York: T. & J. Swords, 1810
This is a later edition of the first illustrated book for teaching children, published in Europe in 1658. Comenius’s child-friendly approach, marrying word and image, was innovative for the time. The book enjoyed enormous success, and numerous translations rapidly followed. The page on view in the first US edition shows some of God’s inventory of the animal kingdom and the sounds they make. Humans and animals are integrated, and the latter demonstrate remarkably human attributes.
Educ 253.1.62.5*. By exchange, 1936.
Johann Amos Comenius (Czech, 1592–1670, author)
Alexander Anderson (American, 1775–1870, illustrator)
Charles Hoole (English, 1610–1667, translator)
Orbis sensualium pictus . . . or, A Nomenclature, and Pictures of All the Chief Things That Are in the World . . .
New York: T. & J. Swords, 1810
This is a later edition of the first illustrated book for teaching children, published in Europe in 1658. Comenius’s child-friendly approach, marrying word and image, was innovative for the time. The book enjoyed enormous success, and numerous translations rapidly followed. The page on view in the first US edition shows some of God’s inventory of the animal kingdom and the sounds they make. Humans and animals are integrated, and the latter demonstrate remarkably human attributes.
Educ 253.1.62.5*. By exchange, 1936.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
These finely wrought woodcuts are highly detailed to ensure accessible interpretation, and they are among the most elaborate images in the exhibition. The artist provided an extensive visual experience, since this was a primary form of entertainment before the existence of movies and television. The book itself is of modest size, an economic consideration necessitating dense, compressed pictorial compositions.
TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
These finely wrought woodcuts are highly detailed to ensure accessible interpretation, and they are among the most elaborate images in the exhibition. The artist provided an extensive visual experience, since this was a primary form of entertainment before the existence of movies and television. The book itself is of modest size, an economic consideration necessitating dense, compressed pictorial compositions.
Ovid (Roman, 43 BCE–17/18 CE, author);
Gabriele Simeoni (Italian, 1509–1575, translator);
Bernard Salomon (French, around 1506–1561, illustrator)
La Vita et Metamorfoseo d’Ovidio, Figurato & Abbreuiato in forma d’Epigrammi…
Lyon: Giovanni di Tornes, 1559
The Roman author Ovid’s best-known work is the Metamorphoses, which chronicles transformations in Greco-Roman mythology. This Italian adaptation proved extremely influential, less for the epigrammatic text than for the finely wrought woodcuts. “Diana and Acteon” tells of the deadly consequences of a hunter stumbling upon a goddess at her bath. Diana transforms Acteon into a deer to be torn apart by his own hounds, leaving him unable to call them off.
Typ 515.59.663. Gift of Ward M. and Miriam Canaday, 1954.
Ovid (Roman, 43 BCE–17/18 CE, author);
Gabriele Simeoni (Italian, 1509–1575, translator);
Bernard Salomon (French, around 1506–1561, illustrator)
La Vita et Metamorfoseo d’Ovidio, Figurato & Abbreuiato in forma d’Epigrammi…
Lyon: Giovanni di Tornes, 1559
The Roman author Ovid’s best-known work is the Metamorphoses, which chronicles transformations in Greco-Roman mythology. This Italian adaptation proved extremely influential, less for the epigrammatic text than for the finely wrought woodcuts. “Diana and Acteon” tells of the deadly consequences of a hunter stumbling upon a goddess at her bath. Diana transforms Acteon into a deer to be torn apart by his own hounds, leaving him unable to call them off.
Typ 515.59.663. Gift of Ward M. and Miriam Canaday, 1954.
Unknown author;
Gustav Sigismund Peters (American, 1793–1847, illustrator)
The Courtship, Marriage, &c. of Cock Robin & Jenny Wren
Harrisburg, PA: G. S. Peters, 1832
The origins of Jenny Wren and Cock Robin are murky. The story of the courtship, marriage, and accidental killing of Cock Robin at the birds’ wedding feast first appeared in 1744 in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book, the earliest known published compendium of nursery rhymes. By the early nineteenth century, this tragic rhyme enjoyed enormous popularity. Talking birds relate the story of romance and tragedy, conveying the most human of emotions: love and despair.
Typ 870.32.3017. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Unknown author;
Gustav Sigismund Peters (American, 1793–1847, illustrator)
The Courtship, Marriage, &c. of Cock Robin & Jenny Wren
Harrisburg, PA: G. S. Peters, 1832
The origins of Jenny Wren and Cock Robin are murky. The story of the courtship, marriage, and accidental killing of Cock Robin at the birds’ wedding feast first appeared in 1744 in Tommy Thumb’s Pretty Song Book, the earliest known published compendium of nursery rhymes. By the early nineteenth century, this tragic rhyme enjoyed enormous popularity. Talking birds relate the story of romance and tragedy, conveying the most human of emotions: love and despair.
Typ 870.32.3017. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Charles Perrault (French, 1628–1703 author);
Unknown illustrator
Histoire ou Contes du Temps Passé: avec des Moralitez
Paris: Chez Claude Barbin, 1697 (2nd edition)
Charles Perrault was not the first to publish fairy tales, but his were the most entertaining, ensuring longevity and influence. Le Chat Botte, or Puss in Boots, tells of an anthropomorphic cat who achieves power and wealth through manipulative trickery to arrange an advantageous marriage for his lowborn master. Perrault encourages boys to be heroic and witty despite their low social status. Using animals to convey such lessons became an important feature in future tales.
FC6.P4262.697hb2. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2019.
Charles Perrault (French, 1628–1703 author);
Unknown illustrator
Histoire ou Contes du Temps Passé: avec des Moralitez
Paris: Chez Claude Barbin, 1697 (2nd edition)
Charles Perrault was not the first to publish fairy tales, but his were the most entertaining, ensuring longevity and influence. Le Chat Botte, or Puss in Boots, tells of an anthropomorphic cat who achieves power and wealth through manipulative trickery to arrange an advantageous marriage for his lowborn master. Perrault encourages boys to be heroic and witty despite their low social status. Using animals to convey such lessons became an important feature in future tales.
FC6.P4262.697hb2. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2019.
Animals Are Us was made possible by the generous donation of Peter J. Solomon and Susan Solomon of their outstanding collection of children's literature to Houghton Library. Learn more about the Solomon collection in the accompanying exhibition catalog.
The exhibition was guest curated by H. Nichols B. Clark (Harvard Class of 1969), founding director and chief curator (emeritus) of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, and Meghan Melvin, Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Curator of Design in the Department of Prints and Drawings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Animals Are Us was made possible by the generous donation of Peter J. Solomon and Susan Solomon of their outstanding collection of children's literature to Houghton Library. Learn more about the Solomon collection in the accompanying exhibition catalog.
The exhibition was guest curated by H. Nichols B. Clark (Harvard Class of 1969), founding director and chief curator (emeritus) of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, and Meghan Melvin, Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf Curator of Design in the Department of Prints and Drawings at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Eric Carle (American, 1929-2021, author-illustrator)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
New York and Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, 1969
This beloved book addresses the young child’s first steps toward independence. Through the metamorphosis of the modest caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly, Carle introduces the days of the week, fruits, colors, and even the dangers of overindulgence. The book’s innovative design with stepped pages and punched holes necessitated its being printed in Japan. Shipping logistics delayed its US distribution; once available, it immediately enchanted children. To date, there are seventy translations, most recently Mongolian, Armenian, and several native Australian languages.
Typ 970.69.2604. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2020.
Eric Carle (American, 1929-2021, author-illustrator)
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
New York and Cleveland: The World Publishing Company, 1969
This beloved book addresses the young child’s first steps toward independence. Through the metamorphosis of the modest caterpillar into a beautiful butterfly, Carle introduces the days of the week, fruits, colors, and even the dangers of overindulgence. The book’s innovative design with stepped pages and punched holes necessitated its being printed in Japan. Shipping logistics delayed its US distribution; once available, it immediately enchanted children. To date, there are seventy translations, most recently Mongolian, Armenian, and several native Australian languages.
Typ 970.69.2604. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2020.
Lewis Carroll [Charles Dodgson] (British, 1832–1898, author)
Robert Sabuda (American, born 1965, paper engineer and illustrator)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
New York: Little Simon, around 2003
Robert Sabuda’s vulnerable, intricately constructed pop-up books are intended more for adults than children. Sabuda credits the volvelle, one of the earliest known paper formats with movable parts, and Cinderella by the Czech artist Wojtech Kustaba as formative influences. Like his other adaptations, notably The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Sabuda’s Alice is a tour de force. By bringing Tenniel’s illustrations into the third dimension, he reinforces their sense of life, making the anthropomorphic aspect even more convincing.
Typ 2070.03.7636. Gift of W. H. Bond, 2004.
Lewis Carroll [Charles Dodgson] (British, 1832–1898, author)
Robert Sabuda (American, born 1965, paper engineer and illustrator)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
New York: Little Simon, around 2003
Robert Sabuda’s vulnerable, intricately constructed pop-up books are intended more for adults than children. Sabuda credits the volvelle, one of the earliest known paper formats with movable parts, and Cinderella by the Czech artist Wojtech Kustaba as formative influences. Like his other adaptations, notably The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Sabuda’s Alice is a tour de force. By bringing Tenniel’s illustrations into the third dimension, he reinforces their sense of life, making the anthropomorphic aspect even more convincing.
Typ 2070.03.7636. Gift of W. H. Bond, 2004.
Park Benjamin Jr. (American, 1829–1922, author-illustrator)
“The Revenge of the Little Hippopotamus,” published in St. Nicholas Magazine IV, no. 12 (October 1877)
“The Revenge of the Little Hippopotamus” combines Benjamin’s talents as author and illustrator in comic verse to narrate a hippo’s revenge attempt upon a crocodile. Depicted rearing up on his hind legs—impossible in life—the hippo glares with intense rage, illustrating the biblical dictum of “an eye for an eye.” The story appeared in the Saint Nicholas Magazine, published by Scribner & Co. debuting in 1873 as an innovative periodical targeting children.
AP8.St8628. The Bayard Livingston Kilgour and Kate Gray Kilgour fund, the James Duncan Phillips Endowment fund, Books for Houghton fund, and unrestricted acquisitions funds, 2001.
Park Benjamin Jr. (American, 1829–1922, author-illustrator)
“The Revenge of the Little Hippopotamus,” published in St. Nicholas Magazine IV, no. 12 (October 1877)
“The Revenge of the Little Hippopotamus” combines Benjamin’s talents as author and illustrator in comic verse to narrate a hippo’s revenge attempt upon a crocodile. Depicted rearing up on his hind legs—impossible in life—the hippo glares with intense rage, illustrating the biblical dictum of “an eye for an eye.” The story appeared in the Saint Nicholas Magazine, published by Scribner & Co. debuting in 1873 as an innovative periodical targeting children.
AP8.St8628. The Bayard Livingston Kilgour and Kate Gray Kilgour fund, the James Duncan Phillips Endowment fund, Books for Houghton fund, and unrestricted acquisitions funds, 2001.
Virtual tour created by ikd office@i-k-design.com
Virtual tour created by ikd office@i-k-design.com
Why do we tell stories to children through and about animals? Are there reasons why we shouldn’t? Creative storytelling through word and image is one of the most effective forms of education, and stories and books for young readers abound with appealing anthropomorphic, or human-like, animals. Talking mice. A cat that wears boots. A spider that can spell. An owl that can’t.
Animals Are Us draws on the children’s literature collection of spouses Peter J. (Harvard College Class of 1960, MBA 1963) and Susan Solomon and the holdings of Houghton Library. Through a selection of exceptional illustrated European and American children’s books from the sixteenth century to the present day, the exhibition surveys influential historic examples of anthropomorphism in dialogue with contemporary books.
Traditionally, the children’s book industry has prioritized books (typically by male authors) with animals and white human characters over books featuring Black, Indigenous, and other characters of color. Librarians, teachers, and academics, particularly those of color, have long attributed the literary preference for animal anthropomorphism as a factor delaying diversification. Thanks to decades of their advocacy, children today are more likely to see the human mosaic reflected in characters. Through these highlights, you are invited to engage critically with animal anthropomorphism and delight in the artfulness of an enduring literary genre.
Why do we tell stories to children through and about animals? Are there reasons why we shouldn’t? Creative storytelling through word and image is one of the most effective forms of education, and stories and books for young readers abound with appealing anthropomorphic, or human-like, animals. Talking mice. A cat that wears boots. A spider that can spell. An owl that can’t.
Animals Are Us draws on the children’s literature collection of spouses Peter J. (Harvard College Class of 1960, MBA 1963) and Susan Solomon and the holdings of Houghton Library. Through a selection of exceptional illustrated European and American children’s books from the sixteenth century to the present day, the exhibition surveys influential historic examples of anthropomorphism in dialogue with contemporary books.
Traditionally, the children’s book industry has prioritized books (typically by male authors) with animals and white human characters over books featuring Black, Indigenous, and other characters of color. Librarians, teachers, and academics, particularly those of color, have long attributed the literary preference for animal anthropomorphism as a factor delaying diversification. Thanks to decades of their advocacy, children today are more likely to see the human mosaic reflected in characters. Through these highlights, you are invited to engage critically with animal anthropomorphism and delight in the artfulness of an enduring literary genre.
INNOVATION
Necessity, creativity, commerce, and emerging technologies were key components in the development of a broad spectrum of formats for children’s books. Through these innovations, anthropomorphism continually played a significant role. As artists strove to push creative boundaries, they needed to convince their publishers of financial returns. Whether Beatrix Potter’s accordion book, with a mischievous rabbit scampering across fourteen panels; Eric Carle’s die-cut book with a caterpillar progressing through holes in increasingly large pages; or David Wiesner’s crossing the digital divide with a ladybug descending electronically into various app-driven worlds, the bottom line was always a key determinant.
INNOVATION
Necessity, creativity, commerce, and emerging technologies were key components in the development of a broad spectrum of formats for children’s books. Through these innovations, anthropomorphism continually played a significant role. As artists strove to push creative boundaries, they needed to convince their publishers of financial returns. Whether Beatrix Potter’s accordion book, with a mischievous rabbit scampering across fourteen panels; Eric Carle’s die-cut book with a caterpillar progressing through holes in increasingly large pages; or David Wiesner’s crossing the digital divide with a ladybug descending electronically into various app-driven worlds, the bottom line was always a key determinant.
RESTORING DIGNITY
Indigenous peoples have a long history of disenfranchisement, including being described in stereotypical and demeaning terms. For too long, children’s books and games reinforced these indignities. Thanks to the work of Indigenous authors, illustrators, advocates, publishers, and scholars such as Dr. Debbie Reese, whose website discusses Native Americans in children’s literature, children’s books that allow the reader to experience North American history through the lens of Indigenous people are replacing traditional, racist narratives.
RESTORING DIGNITY
Indigenous peoples have a long history of disenfranchisement, including being described in stereotypical and demeaning terms. For too long, children’s books and games reinforced these indignities. Thanks to the work of Indigenous authors, illustrators, advocates, publishers, and scholars such as Dr. Debbie Reese, whose website discusses Native Americans in children’s literature, children’s books that allow the reader to experience North American history through the lens of Indigenous people are replacing traditional, racist narratives.
RESTORING DIGNITY
Indigenous peoples have a long history of disenfranchisement, including being described in stereotypical and demeaning terms. For too long, children’s books and games reinforced these indignities. Thanks to the work of Indigenous authors, illustrators, advocates, publishers, and scholars such as Dr. Debbie Reese, whose website discusses Native Americans in children’s literature, children’s books that allow the reader to experience North American history through the lens of Indigenous people are replacing traditional, racist narratives.
CONTROVERSY
The history of children’s literature is fraught. Some of the works in this case, such as Little Black Sambo and Uncle Remus, are known for racist and culturally insensitive representations. Certain authors in the exhibition, including L. Frank Baum, Dr. Seuss, and Roald Dahl, have also been criticized for their racist views. This case, while not comprehensive, examines a range of issues affecting children’s literature, including outsider status, cultural appropriation, racism, and religious proselytization.
CONTROVERSY
The history of children’s literature is fraught. Some of the works in this case, such as Little Black Sambo and Uncle Remus, are known for racist and culturally insensitive representations. Certain authors in the exhibition, including L. Frank Baum, Dr. Seuss, and Roald Dahl, have also been criticized for their racist views. This case, while not comprehensive, examines a range of issues affecting children’s literature, including outsider status, cultural appropriation, racism, and religious proselytization.
RHYMES
Fairy tales and the sing-song rhymes associated with the nursery and Mother Goose evolved out of oral traditions. “Mother Goose” has come to encompass the category of nursery rhymes. Theories abound about the term’s origins, but it was not until 1729 that “Mère de l’Oye” appeared in print as “Mother Goose.” In mid-eighteenth-century editions geared to younger audiences, anthropomorphized animals—from musical cats and fallen eggs to wooing frogs and knitting mice—played central roles in nursery rhymes. These characters heightened the stories’ sense of imagination and provided entertaining vehicles to convey an educational message.
RHYMES
Fairy tales and the sing-song rhymes associated with the nursery and Mother Goose evolved out of oral traditions. “Mother Goose” has come to encompass the category of nursery rhymes. Theories abound about the term’s origins, but it was not until 1729 that “Mère de l’Oye” appeared in print as “Mother Goose.” In mid-eighteenth-century editions geared to younger audiences, anthropomorphized animals—from musical cats and fallen eggs to wooing frogs and knitting mice—played central roles in nursery rhymes. These characters heightened the stories’ sense of imagination and provided entertaining vehicles to convey an educational message.
ENDURANCE
Why are these books still in print, some more than a century after their publication? This selection considers the enduring popularity of certain children’s books. Do familiarity and nostalgia override a desire in adults to read something new to the children in their life? What other factors influence the range of available literature? The business of publishing, historically dominated by men, shapes the impact and legacy of children’s literature. Consumers also play a significant role in determining what gets published and what doesn’t. The next time you buy a children’s book, what kind of book will you choose?
ENDURANCE
Why are these books still in print, some more than a century after their publication? This selection considers the enduring popularity of certain children’s books. Do familiarity and nostalgia override a desire in adults to read something new to the children in their life? What other factors influence the range of available literature? The business of publishing, historically dominated by men, shapes the impact and legacy of children’s literature. Consumers also play a significant role in determining what gets published and what doesn’t. The next time you buy a children’s book, what kind of book will you choose?
ADAPTATION
Books adapted to the screen have appeared ever since the early days of film. Films featuring animals comprise a significant element of this genre, and the books in question enjoyed commercial success in both arenas. From a white rabbit, a downtrodden yet dignified horse, and a cowardly lion to a bear of little brain, a pacifist bull, and mutant insects, these characters are beguiling celebrities with animal identities. By suspending disbelief, the viewer magically connects to the personalities of these anthropomorphized creatures. Each conveys traits with which we share, emulate, and identify.
ADAPTATION
Books adapted to the screen have appeared ever since the early days of film. Films featuring animals comprise a significant element of this genre, and the books in question enjoyed commercial success in both arenas. From a white rabbit, a downtrodden yet dignified horse, and a cowardly lion to a bear of little brain, a pacifist bull, and mutant insects, these characters are beguiling celebrities with animal identities. By suspending disbelief, the viewer magically connects to the personalities of these anthropomorphized creatures. Each conveys traits with which we share, emulate, and identify.
LITERACY
Mastering the letters of the alphabet is a critical step towards literacy. This learning process has long been made more engaging with clear visual aids. Children’s affinity with the natural world has resulted in the consistent use of animal imagery in alphabet books, ultimately contributing to the prevalence of animals and anthropomorphism in juvenile literature. These notable books for early readers have all enlivened the genre in unique and memorable ways.
LITERACY
Mastering the letters of the alphabet is a critical step towards literacy. This learning process has long been made more engaging with clear visual aids. Children’s affinity with the natural world has resulted in the consistent use of animal imagery in alphabet books, ultimately contributing to the prevalence of animals and anthropomorphism in juvenile literature. These notable books for early readers have all enlivened the genre in unique and memorable ways.
FABLES
Fables, tales with moral lessons typically conveyed through animal characters, represent an enduring literary format that engages readers of all ages. Philosopher John Locke (1632–1704) recommended Aesop’s Fables, ideally in illustrated editions, as the optimal medium for storytelling, as they were “apt to delight and entertain a child, may yet afford useful reflections to a grown man.” His endorsement of anthropomorphic storytelling that encouraged fun in learning proved fundamental for children’s literature. This selection of fables demonstrates an evolution from the influential work of Jean de La Fontaine to an imaginative, wordless interpretation by Jerry Pinkney.
FABLES
Fables, tales with moral lessons typically conveyed through animal characters, represent an enduring literary format that engages readers of all ages. Philosopher John Locke (1632–1704) recommended Aesop’s Fables, ideally in illustrated editions, as the optimal medium for storytelling, as they were “apt to delight and entertain a child, may yet afford useful reflections to a grown man.” His endorsement of anthropomorphic storytelling that encouraged fun in learning proved fundamental for children’s literature. This selection of fables demonstrates an evolution from the influential work of Jean de La Fontaine to an imaginative, wordless interpretation by Jerry Pinkney.
Why do we tell stories to children through and about animals? Are there reasons why we shouldn’t? Animals Are Us explores these questions and more through influential historic examples of anthropomorphism in dialogue with contemporary books drawn from the collection of Peter J. Solomon (Harvard College Class of 1960, MBA 1963) and the holdings of Houghton Library. The exhibition invites you to engage critically with animal anthropomorphism and delight in the artfulness of this enduring literary genre.
Highlights include:
• Original drawings for book illustrations, manuscripts and letters by Beatrix Potter, Edward Lear, John Tenniel, Lewis Carroll, Jean de Brunhoff, Garth Williams, Maurice Sendak, and Nancy Ekholm Burkert.
• The suppressed 1865 edition of Alice in Wonderland and Lewis Carroll's pocket watch that evokes the one consulted by the March Hare.
• Contemporary children's books by Ashley Bryan, Brenda Child, Lulu Delacre, Julie Flett, Jessica Love, Jerry Pinkney, and Dan Santat.
Why do we tell stories to children through and about animals? Are there reasons why we shouldn’t? Animals Are Us explores these questions and more through influential historic examples of anthropomorphism in dialogue with contemporary books drawn from the collection of Peter J. Solomon (Harvard College Class of 1960, MBA 1963) and the holdings of Houghton Library. The exhibition invites you to engage critically with animal anthropomorphism and delight in the artfulness of this enduring literary genre.
Highlights include:
• Original drawings for book illustrations, manuscripts and letters by Beatrix Potter, Edward Lear, John Tenniel, Lewis Carroll, Jean de Brunhoff, Garth Williams, Maurice Sendak, and Nancy Ekholm Burkert.
• The suppressed 1865 edition of Alice in Wonderland and Lewis Carroll's pocket watch that evokes the one consulted by the March Hare.
• Contemporary children's books by Ashley Bryan, Brenda Child, Lulu Delacre, Julie Flett, Jessica Love, Jerry Pinkney, and Dan Santat.
Brenda J. Child (Red Lake Ojibwe, born 1959, author);
Jonathan Thunder (Red Lake Ojibwe, born 1977, illustrator);
Gordon Jourdain (Lac La Croix First Nation, born 1960, translator)
Bowwow Powwow (Bagosenjige-niimi’idim)
Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2018
Dogs play the role of counterparts to the human protagonists in this indigenous story written in English and Ojibwe. The story chronicles the sharing of traditions throughout the powwow. A lyric from one of the tribal songs, “We are like dogs,” recognizes the important connection between humans and animals. The author, illustrator, and the translator are from Native American and First Nations communities, giving the book a dignified representation of indigenous culture that the Sendak Alphabet lacks.
E98.P86 C58 2018. The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2019.
Brenda J. Child (Red Lake Ojibwe, born 1959, author);
Jonathan Thunder (Red Lake Ojibwe, born 1977, illustrator);
Gordon Jourdain (Lac La Croix First Nation, born 1960, translator)
Bowwow Powwow (Bagosenjige-niimi’idim)
Saint Paul, MN: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 2018
Dogs play the role of counterparts to the human protagonists in this indigenous story written in English and Ojibwe. The story chronicles the sharing of traditions throughout the powwow. A lyric from one of the tribal songs, “We are like dogs,” recognizes the important connection between humans and animals. The author, illustrator, and the translator are from Native American and First Nations communities, giving the book a dignified representation of indigenous culture that the Sendak Alphabet lacks.
E98.P86 C58 2018. The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2019.
Nancy Ekholm Burkert (American, born 1933, illustrator)
Finished drawing for James and the Giant Peach, 1961
“James’s large frightened eyes traveled slowly around the room. The creatures, some sitting on chairs, others reclining on a sofa, were all watching him intently.”
Ink and graphite on illustration board, 36 x 27 cm
Burkert carefully researched her participants, studying specimens in entomology books on species that inhabited the story’s initial setting in the south of England. These renderings also reflect Burkert’s admiration for the anthropomorphic creatures of J. J. Grandville. They sit and lounge on equally accurate Chippendale and Sheraton furniture. This domestic environment further reinforces the credibility of their anthropomorphic identities.
TypDr 970.B247.61j (21) Sz 2.
The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust and Betty McAndrew funds, 1997.
Jessica Love (American, born 1982)
Julián Is a Mermaid
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2018
Jessica Love’s recent award-winning book about a boy and his grandmother, Latinx of African descent, taps into the imaginary worlds of children where they develop their sense of self and identity. Julián’s grandmother embraces his longing to be a fantastical creature and brings him to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. Love’s illustrations capture the joy of the gender-nonconforming boy whose daydream of personal transformation comes true. Picture books and young adult fiction representing LGBTQ persons are still relatively rare.
PS3612.O945 J95 2018.
The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2019.
Jessica Love (American, born 1982)
Julián Is a Mermaid
Somerville, MA: Candlewick Press, 2018
Jessica Love’s recent award-winning book about a boy and his grandmother, Latinx of African descent, taps into the imaginary worlds of children where they develop their sense of self and identity. Julián’s grandmother embraces his longing to be a fantastical creature and brings him to the Coney Island Mermaid Parade. Love’s illustrations capture the joy of the gender-nonconforming boy whose daydream of personal transformation comes true. Picture books and young adult fiction representing LGBTQ persons are still relatively rare.
PS3612.O945 J95 2018.
The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2019.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Letter with six original ink drawings to Margery Spicer,
January 25, 1903
Ink on paper, 41 x 34 cm
Beatrix Potter maintained an active correspondence with children; an illustrated letter of 1894 to the unwell son of her nanny was the catalyst for Peter Rabbit. In this letter, she engages her young correspondent with a discussion about bunnies, including charming independent visual vignettes of anthropomorphic bunnies and a squirrel holding a nut perched on a branch. The spontaneous medium of the written letter enabled Potter to create vivid portrayals of all the characters in her books.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Garth Williams (American, 1912–1996)
Preliminary cover for Charlotte’s Web, around 1951
Watercolor, 41 x 37 cm
Garth Williams’s delicate and engaging illustrations for Charlotte’s Web contributed significantly to the success of the book. This alternate version of the cover, possibly a preparatory study, reveals subtle differences. While it is more colorful than the published version, the most striking difference lies in the gaze of the animals.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Garth Williams (American, 1912–1996)
Preliminary cover for Charlotte’s Web, around 1951
Watercolor, 41 x 37 cm
Garth Williams’s delicate and engaging illustrations for Charlotte’s Web contributed significantly to the success of the book. This alternate version of the cover, possibly a preparatory study, reveals subtle differences. While it is more colorful than the published version, the most striking difference lies in the gaze of the animals.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Illustration for Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes
“I think if she lived / in a little shoe-house / That little old woman / was surely a mouse!”
London: Frederick Warne & Co., 1917
Watercolor and ink on paper, 31 x 25 cm
Potter built on her existing rough drafts to create this book, her shortest, consisting of seven rhymes. The drawings span her stylistic evolution, from the early faithful precision on view here to a mature painterly fluidity. The inspiration for casting the old woman in the shoe as a mouse dated back to 1893. Potter’s early desire to be a naturalist resulted in the creation of an extraordinary litany of anthropomorphic animal characters.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Illustration for Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes
“I think if she lived / in a little shoe-house / That little old woman / was surely a mouse!”
London: Frederick Warne & Co., 1917
Watercolor and ink on paper, 31 x 25 cm
Potter built on her existing rough drafts to create this book, her shortest, consisting of seven rhymes. The drawings span her stylistic evolution, from the early faithful precision on view here to a mature painterly fluidity. The inspiration for casting the old woman in the shoe as a mouse dated back to 1893. Potter’s early desire to be a naturalist resulted in the creation of an extraordinary litany of anthropomorphic animal characters.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Alexander Calder (American, 1898–1976, illustrator)
Drawing of a Lion
Published in Fables of Aesop According to Sir Roger L’Estrange
Paris: Harrison of Paris, 1931
Ink on paper, 46 x 36 cm
Calder successfully transposes the look of his wirework sculpture to line drawing; the simplicity of the swirling lines imbues the animal characters with a playful energy, creating a humorous counterpoint to the weighty moral messages. In this cover illustration to the fable “The Gnat Challenges a Lion,” it is difficult to discern the tiny insect on the lion’s nose that is more readily visible on the cover of the printed edition in the case behind you.
TypDr 970.C258.31a (4) Sz 2. Bequest of Frances L. Hofer, 1978.
Alexander Calder (American, 1898–1976, illustrator)
Drawing of a Lion
Published in Fables of Aesop According to Sir Roger L’Estrange
Paris: Harrison of Paris, 1931
Ink on paper, 46 x 36 cm
Calder successfully transposes the look of his wirework sculpture to line drawing; the simplicity of the swirling lines imbues the animal characters with a playful energy, creating a humorous counterpoint to the weighty moral messages. In this cover illustration to the fable “The Gnat Challenges a Lion,” it is difficult to discern the tiny insect on the lion’s nose that is more readily visible on the cover of the printed edition in the case behind you.
TypDr 970.C258.31a (4) Sz 2. Bequest of Frances L. Hofer, 1978.
Nancy Ekholm Burkert (American, born 1933, illustrator)
Finished drawing for James and the Giant Peach, 1961
“James’s large frightened eyes traveled slowly around the room. The creatures, some sitting on chairs, others reclining on a sofa, were all watching him intently.”
Ink and graphite on illustration board, 36 x 27 cm
Burkert carefully researched her participants, studying specimens in entomology books on species that inhabited the story’s initial setting in the south of England. These renderings also reflect Burkert’s admiration for the anthropomorphic creatures of J. J. Grandville. They sit and lounge on equally accurate Chippendale and Sheraton furniture. This domestic environment further reinforces the credibility of their anthropomorphic identities.
TypDr 970.B247.61j (21) Sz 2.
The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust and Betty McAndrew funds, 1997.
Maurice Sendak (American, 1928–2012, illustrator)
Study for poster Reading Is Fun-damental, around 1979
Graphite on paper, 66 x 53 cm
In his poster art for the nonprofit Reading is Fundamental, which works to put books into the hands of the underserved, Sendak enjoyed creating visual impact through the marriage of typography and image. In his iconic book Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak depicts Max reading in his wolf suit while the Wild Things (inspired by Sendak’s own family members) exhibit a less informed approach to literature. Zoomorphism and anthropomorphism converge to dominate the visual narrative.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon
Maurice Sendak (American, 1928–2012, illustrator)
Study for poster Reading Is Fun-damental, around 1979
Graphite on paper, 66 x 53 cm
In his poster art for the nonprofit Reading is Fundamental, which works to put books into the hands of the underserved, Sendak enjoyed creating visual impact through the marriage of typography and image. In his iconic book Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak depicts Max reading in his wolf suit while the Wild Things (inspired by Sendak’s own family members) exhibit a less informed approach to literature. Zoomorphism and anthropomorphism converge to dominate the visual narrative.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon
Charles H. Bennett (British, 1828–1867, author-illustrator)
Preparatory drawing for title page illustration for The Frog Who Would A-Wooing Go
London: Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, 1865
Ink, graphite, and watercolor on paper, 11 x 19 cm
The tale of the courtship of Frog and Mouse goes back to the mid-sixteenth century. The characters are humble animals depicted in human clothes with very human desires. Bennett reinforced the story in explicitly Darwinian terms: savage cats shatter the genteel civility of the courtship; Frog escapes, only to encounter a predatory duck. A prolific cartoonist, Bennett’s life was cut short at the age of thirty-eight by tuberculosis.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Charles H. Bennett (British, 1828–1867, author-illustrator)
Preparatory drawing for title page illustration for The Frog Who Would A-Wooing Go
London: Routledge, Warne, and Routledge, 1865
Ink, graphite, and watercolor on paper, 11 x 19 cm
The tale of the courtship of Frog and Mouse goes back to the mid-sixteenth century. The characters are humble animals depicted in human clothes with very human desires. Bennett reinforced the story in explicitly Darwinian terms: savage cats shatter the genteel civility of the courtship; Frog escapes, only to encounter a predatory duck. A prolific cartoonist, Bennett’s life was cut short at the age of thirty-eight by tuberculosis.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Letter from 1940, published in The Horn Book (May 1941)
Ink on paper, 33 x 20 cm
Potter wrote this letter for publication in The Horn Book, an American magazine dedicated to children’s literature, toward the end of her life to answer the perennial question about Peter’s origins. She suggested that her animals live their lives like humans, allowing young readers to identify with them as characters. The letter was published in the May 1941 issue.
TypZ 905.41.7088. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Letter from 1940, published in The Horn Book (May 1941)
Ink on paper, 33 x 20 cm
Potter wrote this letter for publication in The Horn Book, an American magazine dedicated to children’s literature, toward the end of her life to answer the perennial question about Peter’s origins. She suggested that her animals live their lives like humans, allowing young readers to identify with them as characters. The letter was published in the May 1941 issue.
TypZ 905.41.7088. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Garth Williams (American, 1912–1996)
Preliminary cover for Charlotte’s Web, around 1951
Watercolor, 41 x 37 cm
Garth Williams’s delicate and engaging illustrations for Charlotte’s Web contributed significantly to the success of the book. This alternate version of the cover, possibly a preparatory study, reveals subtle differences. While it is more colorful than the published version, the most striking difference lies in the gaze of the animals.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Jean-Baptiste Oudry (French, 1686–1755)
Illustration for Jean de La Fontaine’s fable “La chauve souris, le buisson, et le canard,” 1733
Ink, wash, and gouache, 31 x 26 cm
La Fontaine’s fables inspired artist Jean-Baptiste Oudry to create 276 highly finished ink, wash, and gouache illustrations over five years, a testament to the influence of the publication. Oudry’s independent compositions, notable for their depth and tonality, inspired an illustrated edition of La Fontaine’s fables in 1755. Here, Oudry eliminates any human element from the fable, representing only the three key figures of the bat, bush, and duck who failed in their collective business enterprise.
MS Typ 674. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1979.
Jean-Baptiste Oudry (French, 1686–1755)
Illustration for Jean de La Fontaine’s fable “La chauve souris, le buisson, et le canard,” 1733
Ink, wash, and gouache, 31 x 26 cm
La Fontaine’s fables inspired artist Jean-Baptiste Oudry to create 276 highly finished ink, wash, and gouache illustrations over five years, a testament to the influence of the publication. Oudry’s independent compositions, notable for their depth and tonality, inspired an illustrated edition of La Fontaine’s fables in 1755. Here, Oudry eliminates any human element from the fable, representing only the three key figures of the bat, bush, and duck who failed in their collective business enterprise.
MS Typ 674. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1979.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Letter with six original ink drawings to Margery Spicer,
January 25, 1903
Ink on paper, 41 x 34 cm
Beatrix Potter maintained an active correspondence with children; an illustrated letter of 1894 to the unwell son of her nanny was the catalyst for Peter Rabbit. In this letter, she engages her young correspondent with a discussion about bunnies, including charming independent visual vignettes of anthropomorphic bunnies and a squirrel holding a nut perched on a branch. The spontaneous medium of the written letter enabled Potter to create vivid portrayals of all the characters in her books.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Julius Lester (American, 1939–2018, author);
Jerry Pinkney (American, born 1939, illustrator)
Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo
New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1996
After reclaiming Uncle Remus, Lester and Pinkney produced a radical makeover of Little Black Sambo, creating a utopian world where everyone is named “Sam,” and animals and humans coexist peacefully. Despite this harmony, Sam’s predicament endures, and the denouement echoes the original in highly entertaining dialogue. Lester believed the book transcended its stereotypes and admired its “truth of imagination.” Pinkney also inserted references to characters from Uncle Remus to discreetly connect the two controversial books.
Typ 970.96.5188. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Julius Lester (American, 1939–2018, author);
Jerry Pinkney (American, born 1939, illustrator)
Sam and the Tigers: A New Telling of Little Black Sambo
New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1996
After reclaiming Uncle Remus, Lester and Pinkney produced a radical makeover of Little Black Sambo, creating a utopian world where everyone is named “Sam,” and animals and humans coexist peacefully. Despite this harmony, Sam’s predicament endures, and the denouement echoes the original in highly entertaining dialogue. Lester believed the book transcended its stereotypes and admired its “truth of imagination.” Pinkney also inserted references to characters from Uncle Remus to discreetly connect the two controversial books.
Typ 970.96.5188. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
David Wiesner (American, born 1956, author-illustrator)
SPOT
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015
Application and e-book
David Wiesner is a devoted advocate of wordless books tinged with the surreal, who pushes boundaries with his postmodern approach. Spot, like Carroll’s Alice, takes the reader down a digital rabbit hole, but this time the reader is led by a ladybug. The reader enters five worlds within worlds and encounters bugs, robots, fish, and aliens, all brimming with humanoid vitality. Due to his sales track record, publisher Houghton Mifflin took a chance on Wiesner’s technological experiment.
David Wiesner (American, born 1956, author-illustrator)
SPOT
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2015
Application and e-book
David Wiesner is a devoted advocate of wordless books tinged with the surreal, who pushes boundaries with his postmodern approach. Spot, like Carroll’s Alice, takes the reader down a digital rabbit hole, but this time the reader is led by a ladybug. The reader enters five worlds within worlds and encounters bugs, robots, fish, and aliens, all brimming with humanoid vitality. Due to his sales track record, publisher Houghton Mifflin took a chance on Wiesner’s technological experiment.
Roald Dahl (British, 1916–1990, author);
Nancy Ekholm Burkert (American, born 1933, illustrator)
James and the Giant Peach
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, around 1961
James and the Giant Peach constituted debuts for both Roald Dahl and Nancy Ekholm Burkert in children’s literature. Like Alice and Oz, the narrative employs the conceit of a journey or quest: James escapes his wicked aunts in a mutant peach inhabited by equally enormous insects. His journey takes him to New York and a ticker-tape parade. Dahl repeatedly declined overtures to translate his books into film; his widow authorized the first (1996) cinematic version of this book.
Typ 970.61.3155. The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2005.
Roald Dahl (British, 1916–1990, author);
Nancy Ekholm Burkert (American, born 1933, illustrator)
James and the Giant Peach
New York: Alfred A. Knopf, around 1961
James and the Giant Peach constituted debuts for both Roald Dahl and Nancy Ekholm Burkert in children’s literature. Like Alice and Oz, the narrative employs the conceit of a journey or quest: James escapes his wicked aunts in a mutant peach inhabited by equally enormous insects. His journey takes him to New York and a ticker-tape parade. Dahl repeatedly declined overtures to translate his books into film; his widow authorized the first (1996) cinematic version of this book.
Typ 970.61.3155. The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2005.
Unknown creator
The Royal Game of the Dolphin: An Elegant, Instructive, and Amusing Pastime
London: William Darton, 1821
9 hand-colored plates mounted on linen
The deep connections between education, literacy, and entertainment extend beyond the realm of literature. The title of this knowledge game spells out its merits, reinforcing fun in learning. Colorful board games centered on animals were a popular pastime, suited to a broad but necessarily literate audience, as indicated by the detailed accompanying instructions. Nominally scientific, the descriptions of the animals include some personal human-like qualities: the fidelity of a dove, the sagacity of an otter.
MS Eng 1749 (15). Unknown source and date of acquisition.
Unknown creator
The Royal Game of the Dolphin: An Elegant, Instructive, and Amusing Pastime
London: William Darton, 1821
9 hand-colored plates mounted on linen
The deep connections between education, literacy, and entertainment extend beyond the realm of literature. The title of this knowledge game spells out its merits, reinforcing fun in learning. Colorful board games centered on animals were a popular pastime, suited to a broad but necessarily literate audience, as indicated by the detailed accompanying instructions. Nominally scientific, the descriptions of the animals include some personal human-like qualities: the fidelity of a dove, the sagacity of an otter.
MS Eng 1749 (15). Unknown source and date of acquisition.
Maurice Sendak (American, 1928–2012, author-illustrator)
Alligators All Around: An Alphabet in Nutshell Library
New York: Harper & Row, 1962
Maurice Sendak is beloved as the most significant children’s book author and illustrator of the twentieth century. Cherished for decades, in recent years this book has been criticized for its stereotypical representation of Native Americans. Alligators All Around teaches the alphabet through letter-inspired activities with alligators full of personality and human behaviors. “I imitating Indians” reflects a long European-American tradition of appropriating Native American dress and “playing Indian.”
PS3569.E6 N88 1962. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2020.
Maurice Sendak (American, 1928–2012, author-illustrator)
Alligators All Around: An Alphabet in Nutshell Library
New York: Harper & Row, 1962
Maurice Sendak is beloved as the most significant children’s book author and illustrator of the twentieth century. Cherished for decades, in recent years this book has been criticized for its stereotypical representation of Native Americans. Alligators All Around teaches the alphabet through letter-inspired activities with alligators full of personality and human behaviors. “I imitating Indians” reflects a long European-American tradition of appropriating Native American dress and “playing Indian.”
PS3569.E6 N88 1962. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2020.
Julie Flett (Cree-Métis, born 1964, author-illustrator)
We All Count: A Book of Cree Numbers
Vancouver: Native Northwest, 2014
This bilingual (Cree and English) counting book is designed to help readers learn the Cree words for numbers one through ten. Being from the hands and mind of an indigenous illustrator, author, and artist, Flett’s board book provides an all-too-rare opportunity for readers to encounter and celebrate aspects of Cree culture through words and images. Flett’s subtle observations of animal and human behavior invite reflections on harmony in nature and the significance of community.
Typ 2077Ca.14.3977. Gift of Meghan C. Melvin, 2020.
Julie Flett (Cree-Métis, born 1964, author-illustrator)
We All Count: A Book of Cree Numbers
Vancouver: Native Northwest, 2014
This bilingual (Cree and English) counting book is designed to help readers learn the Cree words for numbers one through ten. Being from the hands and mind of an indigenous illustrator, author, and artist, Flett’s board book provides an all-too-rare opportunity for readers to encounter and celebrate aspects of Cree culture through words and images. Flett’s subtle observations of animal and human behavior invite reflections on harmony in nature and the significance of community.
Typ 2077Ca.14.3977. Gift of Meghan C. Melvin, 2020.
Munro Leaf (American, 1905–1976, author);
Robert Lawson (American, 1892–1957, illustrator)
The Story of Ferdinand
New York: The Viking Press, 1936
To provide an opportunity for his impoverished friend Robert Lawson, Munro Leaf created a benign bull who would rather smell flowers than fight in the bullring, thereby avoiding the convention of dogs, cats, and horses. Published in the era of civil war in Spain and Nazism in Germany, the book was condemned by Franco and Hitler for criticizing fascism. Ferdinand enjoyed increased popularity as Walt Disney’s 1938 Oscar-winning animated film. Ferdinand’s humanity continues to resonate.
Typ 970.36.5138. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Munro Leaf (American, 1905–1976, author);
Robert Lawson (American, 1892–1957, illustrator)
The Story of Ferdinand
New York: The Viking Press, 1936
To provide an opportunity for his impoverished friend Robert Lawson, Munro Leaf created a benign bull who would rather smell flowers than fight in the bullring, thereby avoiding the convention of dogs, cats, and horses. Published in the era of civil war in Spain and Nazism in Germany, the book was condemned by Franco and Hitler for criticizing fascism. Ferdinand enjoyed increased popularity as Walt Disney’s 1938 Oscar-winning animated film. Ferdinand’s humanity continues to resonate.
Typ 970.36.5138. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Julie Flett (Cree-Métis, born 1964, author-illustrator)
We All Count: A Book of Cree Numbers
Vancouver: Native Northwest, 2014
This bilingual (Cree and English) counting book is designed to help readers learn the Cree words for numbers one through ten. Being from the hands and mind of an indigenous illustrator, author, and artist, Flett’s board book provides an all-too-rare opportunity for readers to encounter and celebrate aspects of Cree culture through words and images. Flett’s subtle observations of animal and human behavior invite reflections on harmony in nature and the significance of community.
Typ 2077Ca.14.3977. Gift of Meghan C. Melvin, 2020.
Julie Flett (Cree-Métis, born 1964, author-illustrator)
We All Count: A Book of Cree Numbers
Vancouver: Native Northwest, 2014
This bilingual (Cree and English) counting book is designed to help readers learn the Cree words for numbers one through ten. Being from the hands and mind of an indigenous illustrator, author, and artist, Flett’s board book provides an all-too-rare opportunity for readers to encounter and celebrate aspects of Cree culture through words and images. Flett’s subtle observations of animal and human behavior invite reflections on harmony in nature and the significance of community.
Typ 2077Ca.14.3977. Gift of Meghan C. Melvin, 2020.
Kenneth Grahame (British, 1859–1932, author);
W. Graham Robertson (British, 1866-1948, illustrator)
The Wind in the Willows
London: Methuen and Co., 1908
Grahame’s tales of the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad were first recounted in stories and letters to his young son. The adventures of these thinly disguised gentlemen friends were intended as amusing life lessons for a privileged boy. This first edition had one frontispiece illustration; the wild antics of Toad were only hinted at through his depiction in motoring attire on the spine. The 1931 edition illustrated by E. H. Shepard of Winnie-the-Pooh fame contributed significantly to the book’s popularity.
EC9.G7607.908w. Bequest of William B. Osgood Field, 1957.
Kenneth Grahame (British, 1859–1932, author);
W. Graham Robertson (British, 1866-1948, illustrator)
The Wind in the Willows
London: Methuen and Co., 1908
Grahame’s tales of the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad were first recounted in stories and letters to his young son. The adventures of these thinly disguised gentlemen friends were intended as amusing life lessons for a privileged boy. This first edition had one frontispiece illustration; the wild antics of Toad were only hinted at through his depiction in motoring attire on the spine. The 1931 edition illustrated by E. H. Shepard of Winnie-the-Pooh fame contributed significantly to the book’s popularity.
EC9.G7607.908w. Bequest of William B. Osgood Field, 1957.
Kenneth Grahame (British, 1859–1932, author);
W. Graham Robertson (British, 1866-1948, illustrator)
The Wind in the Willows
London: Methuen and Co., 1908
Grahame’s tales of the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad were first recounted in stories and letters to his young son. The adventures of these thinly disguised gentlemen friends were intended as amusing life lessons for a privileged boy. This first edition had one frontispiece illustration; the wild antics of Toad were only hinted at through his depiction in motoring attire on the spine. The 1931 edition illustrated by E. H. Shepard of Winnie-the-Pooh fame contributed significantly to the book’s popularity.
EC9.G7607.908w. Bequest of William B. Osgood Field, 1957.
Kenneth Grahame (British, 1859–1932, author);
W. Graham Robertson (British, 1866-1948, illustrator)
The Wind in the Willows
London: Methuen and Co., 1908
Grahame’s tales of the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad were first recounted in stories and letters to his young son. The adventures of these thinly disguised gentlemen friends were intended as amusing life lessons for a privileged boy. This first edition had one frontispiece illustration; the wild antics of Toad were only hinted at through his depiction in motoring attire on the spine. The 1931 edition illustrated by E. H. Shepard of Winnie-the-Pooh fame contributed significantly to the book’s popularity.
EC9.G7607.908w. Bequest of William B. Osgood Field, 1957.
Robert McCloskey (American, 1914–2003, author-illustrator)
Make Way for Ducklings
New York: The Viking Press, 1941
This humorous tale about the challenges of raising a family of ducks in Boston remains one of the most popular children’s books ever published, particularly in New England. The success of McCloskey’s imaginary take on urban family life is rooted in careful observations of the city where he studied art and the extensive life drawing of ducklings he kept in his bathroom.
AC9.M1326.941m. Gift of William B. Osgood Field, 1944.
Robert McCloskey (American, 1914–2003, author-illustrator)
Make Way for Ducklings
New York: The Viking Press, 1941
This humorous tale about the challenges of raising a family of ducks in Boston remains one of the most popular children’s books ever published, particularly in New England. The success of McCloskey’s imaginary take on urban family life is rooted in careful observations of the city where he studied art and the extensive life drawing of ducklings he kept in his bathroom.
AC9.M1326.941m. Gift of William B. Osgood Field, 1944.
Silver pocket watch belonging to Charles Dodgson
[Lewis Carroll]
Loan from Peter J. Solomon
Carroll intended Alice to amuse the young reader while also satirizing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He enlisted anthropomorphic animals such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and March Hare to enhance the narrative. The author’s pocket watch, though hallmarked three years after Alice’s publication, evokes the one the March Hare consults at the book’s outset, and suggests an animal’s ability to tell time and acknowledge tardiness. Tenniel’s drawing of “The Lobster Quadrille,” a song recited by the Mock Turtle, underscores the anthropomorphic sentiments in the quatrain where the lobster, inspecting himself vainly, turns out his toes.
The other two items offer insights into the book’s earlyhistory. John Tenniel insisted that the first printing be withdrawn due to the poor quality of the illustrations and typographical errors. This is one of just twenty-three copies known to have survived from a print run of 2000. Carroll copied the woodcuts for Alice Liddell by hand as a preview of the illustrations in the book written for her. His adept drawings were mistaken for the Tenniel originals until the 1980s. Beginning in 1903, a parade of film adaptations (themselves a testament to its popularity) kept the book in the public eye, with Disney’s animation in 1951 cementing its mass appeal.
Silver pocket watch belonging to Charles Dodgson
[Lewis Carroll]
Loan from Peter J. Solomon
Carroll intended Alice to amuse the young reader while also satirizing Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He enlisted anthropomorphic animals such as the Cheshire Cat, Mad Hatter, and March Hare to enhance the narrative. The author’s pocket watch, though hallmarked three years after Alice’s publication, evokes the one the March Hare consults at the book’s outset, and suggests an animal’s ability to tell time and acknowledge tardiness. Tenniel’s drawing of “The Lobster Quadrille,” a song recited by the Mock Turtle, underscores the anthropomorphic sentiments in the quatrain where the lobster, inspecting himself vainly, turns out his toes.
The other two items offer insights into the book’s earlyhistory. John Tenniel insisted that the first printing be withdrawn due to the poor quality of the illustrations and typographical errors. This is one of just twenty-three copies known to have survived from a print run of 2000. Carroll copied the woodcuts for Alice Liddell by hand as a preview of the illustrations in the book written for her. His adept drawings were mistaken for the Tenniel originals until the 1980s. Beginning in 1903, a parade of film adaptations (themselves a testament to its popularity) kept the book in the public eye, with Disney’s animation in 1951 cementing its mass appeal.
A. A. Milne (British, 1882–1956, author);
Ernest H. Shepard (British, 1879–1976, illustrator)
Winnie-the-Pooh
London: Methuen & Co., Ltd., 1926
Milne was inspired by the stuffed animals of his son Christopher Robin to weave this beloved narrative. Stuffed animals universally embody a young child’s tenuous distinction between fact and fantasy, and the bonds between Christopher Robin and Pooh are powerful and endearing. Disney expressed interest in acquiring the rights as early as 1938 but didn’t succeed until 1961. The first animated Pooh film appeared in 1966, and a host of them have followed.
EC9.M6357.926wa. Gift of William B. Osgood Field, 1944.
A. A. Milne (British, 1882–1956, author);
Ernest H. Shepard (British, 1879–1976, illustrator)
Winnie-the-Pooh
London: Methuen & Co., Ltd., 1926
Milne was inspired by the stuffed animals of his son Christopher Robin to weave this beloved narrative. Stuffed animals universally embody a young child’s tenuous distinction between fact and fantasy, and the bonds between Christopher Robin and Pooh are powerful and endearing. Disney expressed interest in acquiring the rights as early as 1938 but didn’t succeed until 1961. The first animated Pooh film appeared in 1966, and a host of them have followed.
EC9.M6357.926wa. Gift of William B. Osgood Field, 1944.
Anna Sewell (British, 1820–1878, author);
C. Hewitt (British, life dates unknown, illustrator)
Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions. The Autobiography of a Horse. Translated from the Original Equine
London: Jarrold and Sons, 1877
This book appeared during an upsurge in animal welfare advocacy. Beauty, as narrator, relates the story of his life under different owners—good and bad—and establishes a close bond with the reader. The anticruelty message resonated deeply with Victorian audiences. The bearing rein, which painfully constricted a horse’s head, was never outlawed, but Sewell’s narrative curtailed its use. There have been over nine film adaptations of Black Beauty, the first with sound in 1946.
Typ 805.77.7826. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Anna Sewell (British, 1820–1878, author);
C. Hewitt (British, life dates unknown, illustrator)
Black Beauty: His Grooms and Companions. The Autobiography of a Horse. Translated from the Original Equine
London: Jarrold and Sons, 1877
This book appeared during an upsurge in animal welfare advocacy. Beauty, as narrator, relates the story of his life under different owners—good and bad—and establishes a close bond with the reader. The anticruelty message resonated deeply with Victorian audiences. The bearing rein, which painfully constricted a horse’s head, was never outlawed, but Sewell’s narrative curtailed its use. There have been over nine film adaptations of Black Beauty, the first with sound in 1946.
Typ 805.77.7826. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Julius Lester (American, 1939–2018, author);
Jerry Pinkney (American, born 1939, illustrator)
The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit
New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1987
Augusta Baker, a pioneering African American librarian who advocated for greater dignity in literature for children of color, wrote the introduction to Lester and Pinkney’s Tales of Uncle Remus. Here, Pinkney’s frontispiece depicts a dignified Uncle Remus conversing with Brer Rabbit. This interpretation constituted a profound departure from Burdett Frost’s scene of Uncle Remus sharing the stories with his white master’s young son, a scene long criticized for its antiquated depiction of Black subservience.
Typ 970.87.5188. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Julius Lester (American, 1939–2018, author);
Jerry Pinkney (American, born 1939, illustrator)
The Tales of Uncle Remus: The Adventures of Brer Rabbit
New York: Dial Books for Young Readers, 1987
Augusta Baker, a pioneering African American librarian who advocated for greater dignity in literature for children of color, wrote the introduction to Lester and Pinkney’s Tales of Uncle Remus. Here, Pinkney’s frontispiece depicts a dignified Uncle Remus conversing with Brer Rabbit. This interpretation constituted a profound departure from Burdett Frost’s scene of Uncle Remus sharing the stories with his white master’s young son, a scene long criticized for its antiquated depiction of Black subservience.
Typ 970.87.5188. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2019.
Jean de Brunhoff (French, 1899–1937, author-illustrator)
Preliminary sketches and cover study for L’ABC de Babar, 1934
Graphite on paper, 12 x 9 cm; gouache on paper, 13 x 12 cm
This book for early readers was published with a cover showing Babar writing the title on a blackboard with a piece of chalk in his trunk. These preliminary sketches reveal Brunhoff’s early thinking about the project. Ultimately his illus-trations became more complex, packed with visual references to each letter of the alphabet. Are the stories of dapper Babar an endorsement of French colonialism that perpetuates demeaning stereotypes, or are they satires of imperial propaganda—and can a child tell the difference? The lasting impact of children’s literature, no matter how young the reader or however entertaining the subject, is not to be underestimated. Books expand a child’s vision of the world beyond their home. What is the world you want them to see?
MS Typ 1186 (1, 7). Bayard Livingston Kilgour and Kate Gray Kilgour fundand The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2015.
Jean de Brunhoff (French, 1899–1937, author-illustrator)
Preliminary sketches and cover study for L’ABC de Babar, 1934
Graphite on paper, 12 x 9 cm; gouache on paper, 13 x 12 cm
This book for early readers was published with a cover showing Babar writing the title on a blackboard with a piece of chalk in his trunk. These preliminary sketches reveal Brunhoff’s early thinking about the project. Ultimately his illus-trations became more complex, packed with visual references to each letter of the alphabet. Are the stories of dapper Babar an endorsement of French colonialism that perpetuates demeaning stereotypes, or are they satires of imperial propaganda—and can a child tell the difference? The lasting impact of children’s literature, no matter how young the reader or however entertaining the subject, is not to be underestimated. Books expand a child’s vision of the world beyond their home. What is the world you want them to see?
MS Typ 1186 (1, 7). Bayard Livingston Kilgour and Kate Gray Kilgour fundand The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2015.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Dr. Seuss [Theodor Geisel] (American, 1904–1991, author-illustrator)
The Cat in the Hat
New York: Random House, 1957
To counter the tedium of early reader books, Dr. Seuss created an engaging and pioneering book using just 236 different words. The Cat in the Hat appeared to great acclaim, celebrating the mischief and mayhem wrought by an anthropomorphic feline. Recently, however, scholars have drawn attention to its use of racist imagery and stereotypes, pointing out that the Cat’s outfit was inspired by blackface minstrelsy as well as the smile and the white gloves of an identifiable woman of color, Houghton Mifflin elevator operator Annie Williams.
Typ 970.57.7827. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2020.
Dr. Seuss [Theodor Geisel] (American, 1904–1991, author-illustrator)
The Cat in the Hat
New York: Random House, 1957
To counter the tedium of early reader books, Dr. Seuss created an engaging and pioneering book using just 236 different words. The Cat in the Hat appeared to great acclaim, celebrating the mischief and mayhem wrought by an anthropomorphic feline. Recently, however, scholars have drawn attention to its use of racist imagery and stereotypes, pointing out that the Cat’s outfit was inspired by blackface minstrelsy as well as the smile and the white gloves of an identifiable woman of color, Houghton Mifflin elevator operator Annie Williams.
Typ 970.57.7827. Gift of H. Nichols B. Clark, 2020.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Wanda Gág (American, 1893–1946, author-illustrator)
Millions of Cats
New York: Coward-McCann Inc., 1928
Author-illustrator Wanda Gág was a successful contemporary artist invited to pursue a children’s literary project. Her somewhat surreal creation about a lonely couple who long for a cat represents a turning point in the graphic design of children’s literature. Note how the illustration evolves across the two pages. Gág’s book paired innovative design with traditional elements of children’s literature (love of animals, rhyming repetition, and a happy ending for the protagonists), with immediate influence.
Typ 970.28.4150. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Wanda Gág (American, 1893–1946, author-illustrator)
Millions of Cats
New York: Coward-McCann Inc., 1928
Author-illustrator Wanda Gág was a successful contemporary artist invited to pursue a children’s literary project. Her somewhat surreal creation about a lonely couple who long for a cat represents a turning point in the graphic design of children’s literature. Note how the illustration evolves across the two pages. Gág’s book paired innovative design with traditional elements of children’s literature (love of animals, rhyming repetition, and a happy ending for the protagonists), with immediate influence.
Typ 970.28.4150. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
C. S. Lewis (British, 1898–1963, author);
Pauline Baynes (British, 1922–2008, illustrator)
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
New York: The Macmillan Company, 1950
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe featured masses of talking animals overshadowed by a larger-than-life lion, Aslan, who suggests a Christ figure—a prevailing force of good over evil. Literary scholars have criticized the book for its not-so-subtle exhortation of Christian values, while schools have banned it on the grounds of graphic violence and mysticism. In one case, the state of Florida was subsequently challenged for overstepping the divide between church and state.
Typ 970.50.5196. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
C. S. Lewis (British, 1898–1963, author);
Pauline Baynes (British, 1922–2008, illustrator)
The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe
New York: The Macmillan Company, 1950
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe featured masses of talking animals overshadowed by a larger-than-life lion, Aslan, who suggests a Christ figure—a prevailing force of good over evil. Literary scholars have criticized the book for its not-so-subtle exhortation of Christian values, while schools have banned it on the grounds of graphic violence and mysticism. In one case, the state of Florida was subsequently challenged for overstepping the divide between church and state.
Typ 970.50.5196. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Joel Chandler Harris (American, 1848–1908, author);
Arthur Burdett Frost (American, 1851–1928, illustrator)
Uncle Remus, His Songs and His Sayings
New York: D. Appleton and Co., 1895
Recent critical assessment of Uncle Remus ranges from adulation to condemnation. Some consider these adaptations, which were handed down orally by enslaved African Americans, to be revolutionary in their use of dialect. Their animal personages, whose vibrant personalities explore the full measure of human foibles, allow the reader or listener to connect directly. However, others see the Uncle Remus stories as harmful cultural appropriations by Joel Chandler Harris, whose attitudes toward slavery were often contradictory.
Typ 870.95.4472. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Photograph of Beatrix Potter as a child seated and holding her dog, October 1880
Albumen print, 16 x 10 cm
The Solomon collection holds rare personal effects of celebrated author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, including this childhood photograph with her pet springer spaniel, a tangible reflection of her love of animals from a young age.
TypPh 805.80.7087. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Photograph of Beatrix Potter as a child seated and holding her dog, October 1880
Albumen print, 16 x 10 cm
The Solomon collection holds rare personal effects of celebrated author and illustrator Beatrix Potter, including this childhood photograph with her pet springer spaniel, a tangible reflection of her love of animals from a young age.
TypPh 805.80.7087. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Kenneth Grahame (British, 1859–1932, author);
W. Graham Robertson (British, 1866-1948, illustrator)
The Wind in the Willows
London: Methuen and Co., 1908
Grahame’s tales of the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad were first recounted in stories and letters to his young son. The adventures of these thinly disguised gentlemen friends were intended as amusing life lessons for a privileged boy. This first edition had one frontispiece illustration; the wild antics of Toad were only hinted at through his depiction in motoring attire on the spine. The 1931 edition illustrated by E. H. Shepard of Winnie-the-Pooh fame contributed significantly to the book’s popularity.
EC9.G7607.908w. Bequest of William B. Osgood Field, 1957.
Kenneth Grahame (British, 1859–1932, author);
W. Graham Robertson (British, 1866-1948, illustrator)
The Wind in the Willows
London: Methuen and Co., 1908
Grahame’s tales of the adventures of Rat, Mole, Badger, and Toad were first recounted in stories and letters to his young son. The adventures of these thinly disguised gentlemen friends were intended as amusing life lessons for a privileged boy. This first edition had one frontispiece illustration; the wild antics of Toad were only hinted at through his depiction in motoring attire on the spine. The 1931 edition illustrated by E. H. Shepard of Winnie-the-Pooh fame contributed significantly to the book’s popularity.
EC9.G7607.908w. Bequest of William B. Osgood Field, 1957.
Willy Pogány (Hungarian, 1882–1955, author-illustrator)
Mother Goose
New York: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1928
Willy Pogány enjoyed considerable success as a book illustrator. The art for his 1915 edition of Mother Goose Rhymes echoed Victorian imagery, while his celebrated 1928 version reflected the current Art Deco style. The typography was as important as the illustrations. The Mother Goose on the cover is simply a goose with no hint of anthropomorphism, and the surrounding art suggests the Pennsylvania Dutch “Fraktur” painting whose folk-art quality was fashionable at the time.
Typ 970.28.8784. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Willy Pogány (Hungarian, 1882–1955, author-illustrator)
Mother Goose
New York: Thomas Nelson & Sons, 1928
Willy Pogány enjoyed considerable success as a book illustrator. The art for his 1915 edition of Mother Goose Rhymes echoed Victorian imagery, while his celebrated 1928 version reflected the current Art Deco style. The typography was as important as the illustrations. The Mother Goose on the cover is simply a goose with no hint of anthropomorphism, and the surrounding art suggests the Pennsylvania Dutch “Fraktur” painting whose folk-art quality was fashionable at the time.
Typ 970.28.8784. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
RESTORING DIGNITY
Indigenous peoples have a long history of disenfranchisement, including being described in stereotypical and demeaning terms. For too long, children’s books and games reinforced these indignities. Thanks to the work of Indigenous authors, illustrators, advocates, publishers, and scholars such as Dr. Debbie Reese, whose website discusses Native Americans in children’s literature, children’s books that allow the reader to experience North American history through the lens of Indigenous people are replacing traditional, racist narratives.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes
London: Frederick Warne & Co., 1917
Beatrix Potter enjoyed rhymes, especially those of her childhood favorite Randolph Caldecott, with his prominent placement of animals. Here, she selected the old woman who lived in a shoe. While her original vision was for a large-format, elaborately decorated volume like those of Walter Crane, her publisher argued that her pocket-sized prose stories about animals would be more commercially successful. Ultimately, this book (written in 1904) was published to stave off her publisher’s financial crisis.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Beatrix Potter (British, 1866–1943, author-illustrator)
Appley Dapply’s Nursery Rhymes
London: Frederick Warne & Co., 1917
Beatrix Potter enjoyed rhymes, especially those of her childhood favorite Randolph Caldecott, with his prominent placement of animals. Here, she selected the old woman who lived in a shoe. While her original vision was for a large-format, elaborately decorated volume like those of Walter Crane, her publisher argued that her pocket-sized prose stories about animals would be more commercially successful. Ultimately, this book (written in 1904) was published to stave off her publisher’s financial crisis.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Attributed to Oliver Goldsmith (Irish, 1728–1774, compiler)
Mother Goose’s Melody; or Sonnets for the Cradle
Boston: S. Hall, 1800
By the mid-eighteenth century, Mother Goose had achieved widespread renown with a shifting focus from fairy tales to nursery rhymes. In 1786, American publisher Isaiah Thomas introduced John Newbery’s pioneering Mother Goose book, in a child-friendly size, to the American market to great success. This version provides new illustrations, infusing a greater degree of active and visually complex anthropomorphism; the human physiognomy of the moon and the cat’s fiddle performance underscore their human attributes.
Typ 870.00.5815. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Attributed to Oliver Goldsmith (Irish, 1728–1774, compiler)
Mother Goose’s Melody; or Sonnets for the Cradle
Boston: S. Hall, 1800
By the mid-eighteenth century, Mother Goose had achieved widespread renown with a shifting focus from fairy tales to nursery rhymes. In 1786, American publisher Isaiah Thomas introduced John Newbery’s pioneering Mother Goose book, in a child-friendly size, to the American market to great success. This version provides new illustrations, infusing a greater degree of active and visually complex anthropomorphism; the human physiognomy of the moon and the cat’s fiddle performance underscore their human attributes.
Typ 870.00.5815. Gift of the Peter and Susan Solomon Family Foundation, 2020.
Charles Addams (American, 1912–1988, illustrator)
The Charles Addams Mother Goose
New York: Windmill Books, 1967
A purveyor of the dark and macabre, cartoonist Charles Addams did not disappoint with his Mother Goose rhymes. He remained true to the gruesome details of the beloved texts. In this send-up of “Three Blind Mice,” the couple replicates the figures from Grant Wood’s American Gothic (1930), but Addams substitutes a modern electric knife for amputating the mice’s tails. The albino mice (perhaps from a lab?) wear round, opaque, wire-rimmed glasses to indicate their blindness.
Typ 970.67.5810. Gift of Daniel Myerson in honor of Melvin R. Seiden, Class of 1952, 1995.
Charles Addams (American, 1912–1988, illustrator)
The Charles Addams Mother Goose
New York: Windmill Books, 1967
A purveyor of the dark and macabre, cartoonist Charles Addams did not disappoint with his Mother Goose rhymes. He remained true to the gruesome details of the beloved texts. In this send-up of “Three Blind Mice,” the couple replicates the figures from Grant Wood’s American Gothic (1930), but Addams substitutes a modern electric knife for amputating the mice’s tails. The albino mice (perhaps from a lab?) wear round, opaque, wire-rimmed glasses to indicate their blindness.
Typ 970.67.5810. Gift of Daniel Myerson in honor of Melvin R. Seiden, Class of 1952, 1995.
William Steig (American, 1907–2003, author-illustrator)
CDB!
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1968
Steig’s unusual book dispenses with convention by reducing the text to the bare minimum to highly comic effect for budding and fluent readers alike. This page captures a particular element of anthropomorphism: the dog owner speaks to his pet about the differences between animals and humans while assuming comprehension by his pet. While the book is based on a witty literary concept, its text and images relating to Roma and Native Americans now read as culturally insensitive.
Typ 970.68.8084. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
William Steig (American, 1907–2003, author-illustrator)
CDB!
New York: Simon and Schuster, 1968
Steig’s unusual book dispenses with convention by reducing the text to the bare minimum to highly comic effect for budding and fluent readers alike. This page captures a particular element of anthropomorphism: the dog owner speaks to his pet about the differences between animals and humans while assuming comprehension by his pet. While the book is based on a witty literary concept, its text and images relating to Roma and Native Americans now read as culturally insensitive.
Typ 970.68.8084. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Lulu Delacre (American, born 1957, author-illustrator)
¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z! Descubriendo el Bosque Nublado (Olinguito, from A to Z!: Unveiling the Cloud Forest)
New York: Children’s Book Press, 2016
Dual-language early readers are being published with greater frequency as the lifelong benefits of bilingualism and biliteracy are increasingly recognized. Broadening the range of bilingual children’s literature is now seen as an imperative. Delacre’s celebration of the natural world largely avoids anthropomorphism, yet the gaze of the crab who appears to have scuttled to the edge of the page to lock eyes with the reader creates an immediate sense of connection.
MS Typ 1186 (1, 7). Bayard Livingston Kilgour and Kate Gray Kilgour fund and The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2015.
Lulu Delacre (American, born 1957, author-illustrator)
¡Olinguito, de la A a la Z! Descubriendo el Bosque Nublado (Olinguito, from A to Z!: Unveiling the Cloud Forest)
New York: Children’s Book Press, 2016
Dual-language early readers are being published with greater frequency as the lifelong benefits of bilingualism and biliteracy are increasingly recognized. Broadening the range of bilingual children’s literature is now seen as an imperative. Delacre’s celebration of the natural world largely avoids anthropomorphism, yet the gaze of the crab who appears to have scuttled to the edge of the page to lock eyes with the reader creates an immediate sense of connection.
MS Typ 1186 (1, 7). Bayard Livingston Kilgour and Kate Gray Kilgour fund and The Philip Hofer Charitable Trust, 2015.
J. J. Grandville (French, 1803–1847, illustrator);
Taxile Delord (French, 1815–1877, [anonymous] author)
Un Autre Monde: Transformations, Visions, Incarnations...
et Autres Choses
Paris: H. Fournier, 1844
The caricaturist Grandville’s career was defined by his psychological portraits of animals with decidedly human expressions and gestures. Invariably they carried biting social and political commentary. “Masked Ball” depicts a curious menagerie of animals, some evoking a seamless anthropomorphism while others are transformed by the wearing of human masks, reminiscent of Carnival in their troubling ambiguity.
Typ 815.44.4380. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
J. J. Grandville (French, 1803–1847, illustrator);
Taxile Delord (French, 1815–1877, [anonymous] author)
Un Autre Monde: Transformations, Visions, Incarnations...
et Autres Choses
Paris: H. Fournier, 1844
The caricaturist Grandville’s career was defined by his psychological portraits of animals with decidedly human expressions and gestures. Invariably they carried biting social and political commentary. “Masked Ball” depicts a curious menagerie of animals, some evoking a seamless anthropomorphism while others are transformed by the wearing of human masks, reminiscent of Carnival in their troubling ambiguity.
Typ 815.44.4380. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Sir Roger L’Estrange (English, 1616–1704, author);
Alexander Calder (American, 1898–1976, illustrator)
Fables of Aesop According to Sir Roger L’Estrange with Fifty Drawings by Alexander Calder
Paris: Harrison of Paris, 1931
Roger L’Estrange’s fables, first published in 1692, included some of La Fontaine’s tales, reflecting the international resonance of the Fables choisies within years of their publication. This playful but esoteric limited edition, illustrated by avant-garde sculptor Alexander Calder, is a reminder that children’s literature is nearly entirely shaped by adults.
Typ 915.31.1241. Gift of John McAndrew, 1959.
Sir Roger L’Estrange (English, 1616–1704, author);
Alexander Calder (American, 1898–1976, illustrator)
Fables of Aesop According to Sir Roger L’Estrange with Fifty Drawings by Alexander Calder
Paris: Harrison of Paris, 1931
Roger L’Estrange’s fables, first published in 1692, included some of La Fontaine’s tales, reflecting the international resonance of the Fables choisies within years of their publication. This playful but esoteric limited edition, illustrated by avant-garde sculptor Alexander Calder, is a reminder that children’s literature is nearly entirely shaped by adults.
Typ 915.31.1241. Gift of John McAndrew, 1959.
Sarah Catherine Martin (British, 1768–1826, author-illustrator)
The Comic Adventures of Mother Hubbard and Her Dog
London: J. Harris, 1805
Sarah Martin did not invent this story, but she augmented three existing verses, embellishing them with illustrations. Speaking to the strong bond between person and pet, Martin endowed the dog with amusing activities ranging from reading the paper to spinning yarn. The adept marketing skills of John Harris—successor to John Newbery, pioneering publisher of children’s books—created an instant bestseller of “Old Mother Hubbard.” Harris recognized that playful books outsold evangelical tracts.
Typ 805.05.5607. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Sarah Catherine Martin (British, 1768–1826, author-illustrator)
The Comic Adventures of Mother Hubbard and Her Dog
London: J. Harris, 1805
Sarah Martin did not invent this story, but she augmented three existing verses, embellishing them with illustrations. Speaking to the strong bond between person and pet, Martin endowed the dog with amusing activities ranging from reading the paper to spinning yarn. The adept marketing skills of John Harris—successor to John Newbery, pioneering publisher of children’s books—created an instant bestseller of “Old Mother Hubbard.” Harris recognized that playful books outsold evangelical tracts.
Typ 805.05.5607. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Rudyard Kipling (British, 1865–1936, author);
Kornei Chukovskii (Russian, 1882–1969, translator);
Vladimir Vasil´evich Lebedev (Russian, 1891–1967, illustrator)
Slonenok (The Elephant’s Child)
Petrograd: Epokha, 1922
Lebedev’s illustration of Kipling’s The Elephant’s Child depicts the key moment of the tale, his flattened perspective dramatizing the stretching of the trunk by a crocodile. Lebedev contributed substantially to the modernization of children’s literature, with his illustrations reflecting avant-garde contemporary art in the context of the internationally popular work of Kipling.
Typ 958.22.486. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Rudyard Kipling (British, 1865–1936, author);
Kornei Chukovskii (Russian, 1882–1969, translator);
Vladimir Vasil´evich Lebedev (Russian, 1891–1967, illustrator)
Slonenok (The Elephant’s Child)
Petrograd: Epokha, 1922
Lebedev’s illustration of Kipling’s The Elephant’s Child depicts the key moment of the tale, his flattened perspective dramatizing the stretching of the trunk by a crocodile. Lebedev contributed substantially to the modernization of children’s literature, with his illustrations reflecting avant-garde contemporary art in the context of the internationally popular work of Kipling.
Typ 958.22.486. Gift of Philip Hofer, 1942.
Jacob Grimm (German, 1785–1863, author);
Wilhelm Grimm (German, 1786–1859, author);
George Cruikshank (British, 1792–1878, illustrator)
German Popular Stories, translated from the Kinder- und Hausmärchen
London: C. Baldwyn, 1823
The Brothers Grimm came of age in the decades following the unification of Germany and enthusiastically contributed to the mission of creating a national identity by gathering folktales celebrating the vernacular past. “The Bremen Town Musicians” captures the moment when four different sentient talking animals, unified by adversity, attack and overcome four sleeping robbers to gain their comfortable lodgings. The defining message of overcoming hardship through cooperation also had national implications.
Typ 805.23.4360. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Jacob Grimm (German, 1785–1863, author);
Wilhelm Grimm (German, 1786–1859, author);
George Cruikshank (British, 1792–1878, illustrator)
German Popular Stories, translated from the Kinder- und Hausmärchen
London: C. Baldwyn, 1823
The Brothers Grimm came of age in the decades following the unification of Germany and enthusiastically contributed to the mission of creating a national identity by gathering folktales celebrating the vernacular past. “The Bremen Town Musicians” captures the moment when four different sentient talking animals, unified by adversity, attack and overcome four sleeping robbers to gain their comfortable lodgings. The defining message of overcoming hardship through cooperation also had national implications.
Typ 805.23.4360. Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Rudyard Kipling (British, 1865–1936, author-illustrator)
Just So Stories
London: Macmillan & Co., 1902
Kipling’s creation fables were first told to his daughter Effie (1892–1899), who wanted them recounted in a certain way, that is, “just so.” They are notable for capturing children’s manner of speech and thought via the animals portrayed, but Kipling’s colonialist viewpoint and reliance on cultural appropriation is problematic. The cover depicts his illustration for “The Elephant’s Child, or How the Elephant Got his Trunk,” with the snake rippling to the elephant’s rescue.
Typ 905.02.4860 (B). Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Rudyard Kipling (British, 1865–1936, author-illustrator)
Just So Stories
London: Macmillan & Co., 1902
Kipling’s creation fables were first told to his daughter Effie (1892–1899), who wanted them recounted in a certain way, that is, “just so.” They are notable for capturing children’s manner of speech and thought via the animals portrayed, but Kipling’s colonialist viewpoint and reliance on cultural appropriation is problematic. The cover depicts his illustration for “The Elephant’s Child, or How the Elephant Got his Trunk,” with the snake rippling to the elephant’s rescue.
Typ 905.02.4860 (B). Gift of Peter J. Solomon, 2020.
Johannes Goedaert (Dutch, 1617–1668, author-illustrator)
Metamorphosis Naturalis
Middelburg (Netherlands): Jaques Fierens, around 1662–1669
Entomology, or the scientific study of insects, emerged as a serious field in the late sixteenth-century Netherlands. Johannes Goedaert’s Metamorphosis was the first book on the subject to use the precision of engraving to illustrate his specimens in black and white. His meticulous observations—possibly enhanced by recent advances in the microscope—were significant, as they focused on heretofore neglected species and examined all growth phases, including metamorphosis.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
Johannes Goedaert (Dutch, 1617–1668, author-illustrator)
Metamorphosis Naturalis
Middelburg (Netherlands): Jaques Fierens, around 1662–1669
Entomology, or the scientific study of insects, emerged as a serious field in the late sixteenth-century Netherlands. Johannes Goedaert’s Metamorphosis was the first book on the subject to use the precision of engraving to illustrate his specimens in black and white. His meticulous observations—possibly enhanced by recent advances in the microscope—were significant, as they focused on heretofore neglected species and examined all growth phases, including metamorphosis.
Loan from Peter J. Solomon.
BEGINNINGS
Children’s literature as a genre began in the eighteenth century. Animal anthropomorphism was a feature of these books from the beginning, drawing on a long oral tradition of animalbased fables and myths. Additionally, new scientific studies of the animal kingdom played a role. This contains influential works not intended for children as well as examples of early anthropomorphic books made just for them.
BEGINNINGS
Children’s literature as a genre began in the eighteenth century. Animal anthropomorphism was a feature of these books from the beginning, drawing on a long oral tradition of animalbased fables and myths. Additionally, new scientific studies of the animal kingdom played a role. This contains influential works not intended for children as well as examples of early anthropomorphic books made just for them.