Deceptively Simple Vintage Children's Books

Sometimes simple things are the best. Like scrambled eggs and butter toast,

a tomato sandwich or a cup of soup, simply designed illustrations can be just what is needed. But simple is a misnomer here. While the illustrations below may look simple, a lot of time, planning and expertise went into the final product.

image via Etsy seller Thebeezkneezvintage

Henri's Walk to Paris by Saul Bass

image via Stickers and Stuff

From Sparkle And Spin by Paul Rand

image via brain pickings

I Can Count by Dick Bruna

image via Kids Book Review

From Monsieur Bussy, The Celebrated Hamster, 

Illustrated by Annick Delhumeau

image via The Art of Children's Picture Books

From I Want to Be a Coal Miner

image via Gentle Pure Space

Little Oleg by Margaret and John Court

image via Draw! Pilgrim

A Cat Can't Count by Blossom Budney, illustrated by William Wondriska

image via Vintage Children's Books

space alphabet by Irene Zacks, pictures by Peter P. Plasencia

images via Wardomatic on Flickr

Vintage Children's Picture Books: The Butterfly Ball And The Grasshoppers' Feast Part Two

Here we are with Part Two of The Butterfly Ball And The Grasshopper's Feast

by Alan Aldridge and William Plomer. Aldridge received the Whitbread Children's Book Award for this book in 1973. The Whitbread awards, started in 1971, are given to authors based in Great Britain or Ireland. (Since 2005 they have been called the Costa Book Awards, when Costa Coffee, a subsidary of Whitbread, took over the sponsorship.) These awards, given in five different categories, are for high literary merit but also for works that are enjoyable reading to the widest possible audience. 

More illustrations from the book: 

"Punchinello"

"Toad in Bed"

"Miss Money Spider"

"Froggy"

Alan Aldridge (1943 -) like William Roscoe also hails from England. He started his career working for The Sunday Times Magazine as an illustrator. Aldridge was hired by Penguin Books in 1965 as an art director after doing some freelance book covers for them. There he developed his style and created over 100 modern book covers that were in sync with the time. 

In 1968 Aldridge started his own graphic design firm, INK. He became a graphic design star to iconic rock bands such as the Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who and Elton John, designing many album covers that set the pace for graphic style in the 60's and 70's. He was referred to as the "Graphic Entertainer" and a contemporary Aubrey Beardsley.  John Lennon called him "His Royal Master of Images." Aldridge nicknamed himself "The Man With Kaleidoscope Eyes" after a song by the Beatles. In 2008 his book of this title was published, to view it: Thames & Hudson

To read more about Alan Aldridge: 

MR MUSICHEAD

HI FRUCTOSE

ALAN ALDRIDGE

Captain Fantastic Album Cover

Image via Chart Stats

Album Cover, A Quick One, for The Who

Image via super groovy delicious bite

The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics,

Image via debut art

Stay tuned for Part Three!  

Vintage Children's Book: The Butterfly Ball And The Grasshopper's Feast, Part One

Today's vintage children's book, The Butterfly Ball And The Grasshopper's Feast, by Alan Aldridge and William Plommer, has some interesting history behind it. First of all, the book is based on a poem written by William Roscoe in 1807. The poem is about a highly anticipated party attended by insects and small animals.

But first, let's take a look at the original book. (Images are from The Project Gutenberg)

A short bio on Roscoe: William Roscoe (1753-1831) was born in Liverpool. A smart fellow, he left school at the tender age of 12, having learned all the schoolmaster could teach him. He then helped his father, a market gardener, studying and reading in his free time. This was a happy period in his life and gardening and agriculture were lifelong interests. 

Roscoe studied law, became a lawyer, married and had 10 children. He was also a writer, well liked and an expert in the language and literature of Italy. To read more about Roscoe go to this link.

Here is a later version of The Butterflys' Ball, published around 1886. (All images are from the Ball State University Digital Media Repository.)

Aldridge and Plomer's spin on Roscoe's poem resulted in elaborate and highly detailed illustrations and a much expanded and lengthy poem. Here are some of the characters in the book.

"Harold The Herald"

"Mrs. Dormouse"

"Old Blind Mole"

"Esmeralda, Seraphina and Camilla"

"Harlequin Hare"

"Major Nathaniel Gnat"

"Happy-Go-Lucky Grasshopper"

To be continued...