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July 2020: Picture Books from the 1930s
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message 51:
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QNPoohBear
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Jul 21, 2020 02:47PM
The original U.S. publisher seems to be A. Whitman in Chicago. If you can track down those editions, that will be the original date. The LoC has Flicka, Ricka, Dicka Go to Market as 1958 in brackets which I think means the date isn't listed in the book.
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In my haste, I simply went through the library catalog placing holds for relevant years for some authors/illustrators of interest and didn't realize that Walter the Lazy Mouse is actually a heavily illustrated chapter book so I'm not sure if I'll get to it, but it does look interesting. I will definitely read her Angus book, though. Also up are Barkis by Newberry and Noodle by Munro Leaf. I'll report back next week.
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“Among the many...picture books of this season, Angus and the Ducks stands out for good and sufficient reasons. It is good to look at, it is delightful to read aloud...and above all it has an inner and outer harmony...There is every prospect that Angus and the Ducks can lay claim to a kind of permanence.” ―Books, 1930
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This picture book from the 1930s is absolutely charming in is vintage illustrations yet I think it would also appeal to children today who are interested in cars and/or the nuances of how things go and the activities that adults do.
Mr. Small owns a little red auto. One day, he decides to take it for a drive. This is the story of that drive, and all the things he does (like pump the tires and fill the radiator with water, drive through town, stop at stop lights, drive up a hill and down a hill, etc.) The storytelling isn't especially inspired, yet I think I would have been fascinated with the little auto when I was a kid. It's so similar to our cars today--yet so different! The illustrations make things like stopping a red light seem interesting and important. I love all the little nuances, the changes of expression on Mr. Small's face, and the period details.
My version has only the black-and-white (with some red) illustrations, not the full color ones another edition has. I have a feeling the full-color ones are an updated version and I think I would prefer the original
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Most modern children will think it's too young for them (if they're 'just turned 9) or too long (if they're getting picturebooks read to them). But I would have loved it when I was little. Nothing much happens, but a little slice of life is captured perfectly, and the sentimental drawings are adorable.
I don't remember Noodle, except that I did read it at some point. I have an unhelpful review here on GR. I don't think I liked the 'magic' element, iirc. Too bad it's not on openlibrary.
I will try to get Walter the Lazy Mouse... it's on openlibrary but checked out to another patron and currently their waitlist feature is not available (no idea why).
I love Angus! He captures the terrier spirit. My mom and uncle liked Mr. Small in the 50s. My uncle had Cowboy Small. I'm surprised my mom didn't track down the car/truck ones for the grandboys when they were younger. She got Cowboy Small for her brother's grandkids.
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:-) I've never had the good fortune to meet a terrier in real life, but I feel like I "know" the terrier spirit thanks to Angus.
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Most modern children will think it's too young for them (if they're 'just turned 9) or too long (if they're getting picturebooks read to them). But I woul..."
I agree, it's a bit of a puzzle to place this for today's young audience but it is a delightful slice of life, as you say, and the illustrations are wonderful. You just feel that you know these kids and these animals so well even though you are just dropped in the middle of things. I thought it was wonderful.
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One of my friends had a little black female Scottish terrier, who was very sweet.
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One of my friends had a little black female Scotti..."
Awww! :-)
Kathryn wrote: ":-) I've never had the good fortune to meet a terrier in real life, but I feel like I "know" the terrier spirit thanks to Angus."
I'm sorry to hear that. Terriers are the BEST (or the worst, depending on your point-of-view). Ours was bossy, demanding, loving and crazy. She was always up for adventure, constantly announcing her presence to the world and staking her claim on her territory. Angus's sense of adventure and confident attitude exemplify the terrier spirit.
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:-) I've never had the good fortune to meet a terrier in real life, but I feel like I "know" the terrier spirit thanks to Angus."
I'm sorry to hear that. Terriers are the BEST (o..."
From what I have read about terriers they appear to one of most intelligent species of dogs, period. My grandma had both a terrier and a dachshund and the two of them together were holy terrors and really enjoyed biting my father in the back of his calves every time he visited his mother.
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Manybooks wrote: "From what I have read about terriers they appear to one of most intelligent species of dogs, period.""
Yes but not D-O-G! That's an insulting term LOL! Ours got miffed if you referred to her as an inferior species. SHE was a mighty ferocious warrior! In her mind she could take on a Rottweiler and win, she was superior in every way especially to those drooly, sit, stay obey creatures and vastly superior to the two-leggers she had well-trained. Angus seems to like to run away, chase and bark at things- pretty typical of a terrier. The breed standard for Scotties like Angus says they "openly feel superior to their owner."
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"Pilot Small decides to make a right turn. He pushes the stick to the right. This lowers the aileron on the left wing and raises the aileron on the right wing. At the same time, he presses on the rudder bar with his right foot, turning the rudder to the right. The plane banks and turns to the right. Then he straightens the rudder and puts the stick back in neutral, to come out of the turn. He continues on a straight course."
I would absolutely recommend it to any young readers today with an interest in airplanes.
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Children are naturally inquisitive. Too bad schools too often tend to treat learning as a chore. I hope some parents become home-schoolers, or at least become more motivated to do enrichment activities, because of trying to help their kids stay productive during this pandemic.
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Oh, yay! I'm so glad. How special with that extra personal connection. Happily, it is still in print so it should be easy to find a copy of your own :-)
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:-) It makes me so happy that you and your son have the type of relationship where you can gift him that book even though he's "all grown up" :-)
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So true! I realize it is such a hard situation for most families to just be thrown into homeschooling, work-from-home (or not), plus all the other angst the COVID situation is causing. It wasn't a good situation for everyone. But I do hope that it was ultimately a positive experience for many families and that parents could see that it can actually be so fun and rewarding to do educational activities with their children. As you say, at least continuing to do some enrichment type activities together even if the kids go back to school. It can be such a wonderful (and fun!) bonding experience to learn and share together in that way.
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:-) It makes me so happy that you and your son have the type of relationship where you can gift him that book even though he's "all grown u..."
I agree! My parents and especially my father would probably be freaking out if they knew that I often read picture book and enjoy reading children’s literature.
message 81:
by
Cheryl, Host of Miscellaneous and Newbery Clubs
(last edited Aug 23, 2020 02:46PM)
(new)
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I'm so lucky in so many ways.
They were born in 1942. I should ask them if they remember what they read when they were little, for this thread and the next, the one that will cover the 40s.
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That is definitely fortunate.
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One aspect of the ending was a bit of a surprise and left me with a big smile.
I admit that I was not a huge fan of the illustrations, though I can appreciate them. The animals are darling but a few of the illustrations of the dolls and children were just not at all aesthetically appealing to me. In any case, very cool that this was a mother-daughter book (Pamela Bianco being Margery's daughter).
Highly recommended to those interested this type of story.
Excerpts from opening chapters:
The little wooden doll had lived so long in the attic that no one even knew she was there. [...] All about her, the spiders spun their webs, and the little mice scampered to and fro over the attic floor, and there was a pleasant smell of dust and dry rot.
The little wooden doll was seldom lonely, for there was always some one to talk to. The mice in particular were great gossips; they knew all that went on in the house, for they ran everywhere. They knew where the nuts were stored, and how many cakes the cook baked, and why the last lot of preserves went wrong. [...] Nothing happened that the mice did not know about; they were natural busybodies, and all their news they brought to the little doll.
The spiders, too, were good company, but they were included to be narrow-minded, and dwelt too much in their own affairs. The old, old spider, who had his web just over the doll's head, was a philosopher; he had poked into all the old books that lay on the floor, and for that he was considered eccentric.
On summer days, when the sun shone, a beam of light came through the attic window. Golden dust motes danced in the beam, and it was beautiful to see. Sometimes, then, a bumblebee would blunder in, or a great, spotted butterfly, or sometimes a swallow would perch at the open window, and all these had news to bring of the outside world. [...] And sometimes, at night, when the moonlight lay on the attic floor, the mice would give parties, and to these the little wooden doll was always invited. Those were gay evenings. All the baby mice were allowed to sit up late, the rickets brought their fiddles to play the dance music, and even the old, fat spider up in the corner would stretch his legs and nod and become quite cheerful.
On the whole the little wooden doll had a pleasant life. Only sometimes, toward dusk, when the mice were busied with their own affairs, when the spiders dozed in their hammocks, and only the little gray moths fluttered to and fro, a feeling of sadness came over her. For dolls are made for children and deep in every doll's heart there is a longing to be loved by a child. And at times, when the rain beat on the shingles and the smell of wet earth came up through the attic window, something stirred in the little doll's memory. She recalled dimly a time when some one had really loved her, some one who had carried her about and put her to bed at night, and on rainy days like these played with her on the nursery floor. It was so long ago that the little wooden doll could not remember very clearly, but she knew that these things had once happened, and she thought that if only some little child would come again to the attic, and play with her, she would be quite happy.
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:smiles: lovely
I love stories about dolls and I'm not sure I've read The Little Wooden Doll. I may have because I wrote my younger niece a story explaining why her beloved new to her American Girl doll didn't come with a box (She doesn't know Santa's helper found her Alice at a thrift store for $3 in lightly played with but musty condition). Not that she noticed her doll was used but it was a story about a lonely doll asking Santa to help her find a new home where she would be loved and played with. I think Alice is almost ready for another new home but I hope that new home will be with me and not a stranger until my niece is older and can decide if she wants to save and pass on her beloved "short sister."
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Awww *heart* That's so sweet of you to keep the doll as a treasure for the next generation to love.
Kathryn wrote: "Awww *heart* That's so sweet of you to keep the doll as a treasure for the next generation to love.."Oh no... I'm motivated by self-interest in wanting the doll (and her sisters) for my own collection if she doesn't really want them LOL! I did that to my sister and she never asked for her doll back, not even when her daughter asked for a "big girl dollie. a "bwekable" dollie like [QNPoohBear's]." I suspect my nieces aren't QUITE ready to let their children/sisters go yet.
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