FROM NEWBERY TO SCIESZKA: T he E volution of C hildren’ s Books
Stephanie Podmore
FROM NEWBERY TO SCIESZKA
FROM NEWBERY TO SCIESZKA: T he E volution of C hildren’ s Books
Stephanie Podmore
O
nce upon a time, adults told stories to children. For awhile, these stories came straight from the adults’ heads. Then, slowly, other adults began writing–and later printing–stories and information on materials they could bind together into a book. The adults could read these books over and over, and even share them with their children. Unfortunately, the books were not designed with children in mind: there were far too many words for their young minds and nothing visual to hold their interest.
Then, in 1774, a London man na med John Newbery changed everything. He created the first book made specially for ch ildren, inspiring a great line of men and women after him to do the same. As technology and cu lture evolved, these books for children change d for the better. The biggest of these deve lopments came nearly 200 years later. Howeve r, when adults and children look at their colle ction of books today they’ll see that as much as things have changed, perhaps more has sta yed the same. Mr. Newbery was born in 1713 . He was originally from a land calle d Berkshire, England, but he later moved to London. As a boy, he loved reading. His family was in the
publishing business, and at the age of sixteen, he entered into it as well. After spending several years printing newspapers, Mr. Newbery began writing and selling books made for children. This was the first time anyone had tried this. He found success because he saw a need for educational and entertaining materials for kids. In 1774, he published A Little Pretty Pocket Book (“John Newbery�). Though the book may look old and plain to us now, it was groundbreaking in its time. The book contained several games, and each page featured a letter of the alphabet. With each copy, little boys received a ball and little girls got a pincushion. Parents appreciated a tool that was both amusing and educational for their children (Hellier).
A
lmost 100 years later, a man named Edmund Evans introduced beautiful colors to the world of children’s books. He started using a process called colored wood engraving, which led to the start of “toy books.” These books were more affordable so more kids could have their own. They also featured only one story in every book just like we have today. Mr. Evans valued high artistic quality and searched for the best writers and illustrators to help create his books (“Toy Books”). The work he did with these artists paved the way for the illustrations we see today. One of his illustrators was Kate Greenaway (“Picture Book Timeline” [“PBT”]).
M
s. Greenaway also lived in London. The paintings she included in her books “set fashion trends in her time” (“PBT”). Under the Window was the first book she wrote, though she illustrated over thirty beforehand. Ms. Greenaway’s drawings and paintings included vibrant flowers and happy children to go along with her rhymes and songs (Carswell). Under the Window is a good example of one of the early layouts used for picture books. This “boxed” illustration has straight edges, often accompanied by a frame. The picture “sits within the confines of the page, so there is a gap between the image and the trim.” These illustrations usually depict an entire scene and include a balanced composition (Shelley).
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dmund Evans had the keen eye to spot another true talent. This man’s name was
Randolph Caldecott. Though Mr. Caldecott drew pictures his entire life, he didn’t team up with Mr. Evans and begin working on children’s books until 1877. The very first picture book he illustrated was called The House that Jack Built. Children loved them so much, Mr. Caldecott continued to print two every year until he died (“Who Was”). Many of his illustrations were inspired by his travels and his hobbies, including horseback riding. Because he was the first man to use the pictures in his books as part of the storytelling—instead of just decoration—he is considered the “father of the modern picture book” (“PBT”) (Popova).
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after Mr. Caldecott’s publishing career began, a lady in a different part of London wrote and illustrated The Tale of Peter Rabbit. ot too long
Beatrix Potter spent her youth in nature and out of the classroom. She used these experiences to write the Peter Rabbit series. Some people consider them the first true picture books since Ms. Potter had kids in mind the whole time. She “insisted that the book remain small, so that it would be easy for children to hold” (“Biography”).
All of these innovative men and women laid the
wonderful foundation for children’s books as we know them. However, the advancing technology and changing attitudes towards children that
came with the twentieth century brought out the golden age of picture books
(Popova)
.
Millions of Cats , published in 1928 by Wanda Gág, is considered to be the first “modern” picture book. The books was one of the first to span
illustrations across both pages and brought the children’s book industry to America
(“PBT”)
.
The year 1937 introduced readers to another groundbreaking picture-book writer and illustrator:
Dr. Seuss. He wasn’t, however, welcomed into publishing without hesitation. His first book, And to Think That
I Saw It on Mulberry Street , was rejected by twenty-seven publishers before getting the magical go-ahead. No one
was sure if the world was ready for his off-the-wall pictures and stories (“PBT�). But it turns out they were.
While Dr. Seuss was one of the first to push the envelope, he was possibly ahead of his time. As he was getting started, classic tales like Babar and Curious George were going strong.
A couple, H.A. and Margret Rey, wrote and illustrated the stories about a nosey monkey always finding himself in trouble—and they did so in a way that has stood the test of time. They’re drawings showcase another timeless picture book style: the vignette.
“Vignettes are illustrations with faded or loosely defined edges. The loose edges incorporate the white of the surrounding page to give the image space, lightness, and to draw the viewer into the scene” (Shelley). However, as much of the world prepared for war, many people began to shy away from these classics, instead favoring brighter and wilder books that helped them escape (Popova). Still, it would be a few years before this new style would really take off.
Around this time, a lady named Dorothy Kunhardt had a new demographic in mind: babies.
She wrote PAT THE BUNNY for the youngest audience
and introduced a new form of picture book (“PBT”).
Though widely popular in the 1940s, high-quality picture books were still too expensive for many families. Because of this, Simon & Schuster set out to create affordable books “especially suited to beginning readers between the ages of three and ” (“Little Golden Books”). They called them
Little Golden Books. These sturdy but inexpensive books were designed for a mass
market and were the first of their kind to be sold in grocery and department stores (“PBT�).
As the 40 s rolled in were on to the 50 the foref s, big de ron hundreds of years, t of picture book velopments d meticulou th sly plann ese children’s bo esign. For ed and c reated b oks were y writers and illustrators, often with the help of editors and educators. However, as the overall culture began to shift, so did the industry. “The line between artist and author started to blur, and ers set n g i s e d c hi ous grap e picture books m a f f o t a crop d illustra ual thinking” n a e t i r out to w f exploring vis o as a way ). (Popova
One of these fresh-thinkers was a man named Paul Rand. Mr. Rand wa s already known for being a spectacular gr aphic designer, influenced by European avant-garde movements. He spent much of his career designing some of the most recog nizable logos and branding (Won Chuh). nd of ten a , n r e d bold, mo n’s book page. is h t h g u he bro childre , e 7 h 5 t eatively 9 r o c 1 t s n s I d n r ig o s bout W ural de architect d Spin: A Book a ophisticated n ds ts Sparkle a ed “a playful bu hip between wor at ns demonstr ing of the relatio and thoughts,” s, nd understa s, shapes, sound re and pictu
e h t g n i lead way for a new trend in pict ure
s k o bo
.
a) pov
(Po
During that same year, Else Holmelund Minarik and Maurice Sendak began creating the Little Bear books. These books, though not cutting-edge in a design sense, did fulfill a need. They were some of the
first early-reader books to be considered great literature (“PBT”). Their layout—a large illustration on nearly every page, accompanied by anywhere from one sentence to a paragraph of text—is still used with new books today.
While these early readers were getting a boost in quality, a great man named Leo Leoni started playing with new materials to illustrate his books. Little Blue and Little Yellow was his first picture book, made using collaged paper. He was the first to do this,
but he definitely wasn’t the last. A more well-known name—Eric Carle—became quite famous for his simple, patterned collage books. His first, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What do You See? came out ten years after Mr. Leoni’s book about colors and dots (“PBT”).
The 1960s brought a new wave of paint and color. Art was changing everywhere, including inside picture books.
At the start of the decade, a man named Miroslav Sasek from Prague, Czechoslovakia, published his first book in a vibrant series that takes the reader to cities all around the world (“PBT�).
This is Paris—and the other locations that came after, including New York— featured around-the-town illustrations that show everything from famous monuments to day-to-day happenings of the locals.
Like some of the artists that came before him, Mr. Sasek used his training as an architect to create his picture books (“Biography”).
On the heels of Mr. Sasek’s This is... series, Maurice Sendak began publishing his finest work, including Where the Wild Things Are. Children and adults loved this book so much some people called it “the perfect picture book” (“PBT”). This could be, in part, due to his expert use of layout throughout the book. Mr. Sendak was careful when choosing how to display his imaginative illustrations. The book begins and ends with small photos and vignettes.
However, once we’re in the wild world--and the main action of the story--the pictures open up to bleed off the page. It’s more common now to see picture books with “full bleeds” on every page, however, “it’s particularly effective when suddenly brought into play for the most dramatic and panoramic images” (Shelley). This was what Mr. Sendak did best.
Writers and illustrators began playing with their designs in the late 60s to bring a “third story” to life within the pages. Rosie’s Walk by Pat Hutchins
did it first. The book features a straightforward story, yet the contradictory images add another level for the reader to discover (“PBT�).
During the next couple decades, artists continued experimenting with designs and materials. Many books used the graphic techniques introduced in the 50s, while others featured new ideas, such as using photographs instead of drawings or paintings. In 1983, a more abstract idea was brought into play. Round Trip was made up of stark, black-and-white pictures that took the reader along a journey.
However, unlike all previous books, this one continued after the child reached the last page. Ann Jonas designed the book to be flipped over, revealing the second half of the trip going the other direction. Her incredible illustrations transformed into something new. Ms. Jonas explained she was “trying to explore various ways of stretching children’s imaginations [and] designing books that involved some sort of visual play” (“Artist Profile”).
duced the o tr in o ls a ry The 90s revolutiona r e th o n a world to reator: JON c k o o b ’s n childre first book, is H . A K Z SCIES Y OF THE R O T S E U THE TR IGS, turned P E L T T I L THREE tale upside y ir a f s u o the fam cieszka was S r. M e il h down. W d adults see n a n e r d il h , making c s differently ie r to s ic s s these cla them see g in k a m o a he was als in general in SE s k o o b e r EE pictu STINKY CH Y E H T . y a w new HER FAIRL T O D N us A N MA ecame famo b S E L A T STUPID the parts g n ti c u tr s n for deco become e ’v e w s k o o his of picture b (“PBT”). T g in e e s to accustomed ossible, however, if ep wouldn’t b he foundations laid not for t f years hundreds o JOHN before by and NEWBERY r his vision fo creating a r book just fo children.
NOT UNLIKE MR. NEWBERY,
MR. SCIESZKA SAW MORE POTENTIAL IN CHILDREN THAN OTHERS OF HIS spending a few TIME. After years teaching nearly
every grade, he figured out just how smart children really are. He knew he could make them laugh by challenging the traditional forms. When he was introduced to an imaginative illustrator named LANE SMITH, the two set off to shake up the picture book world (“Jon’s Bio”). They not only introduced children to new versions of classic stories, but also to new ideas of books can be. They’ve also inspired countless writers, illustrators, and designers to do the same. Still, as different as these children’s books may seem, boys and girls still flock to them the same way they did hundreds of years ago; they hold them the same way and flip through the pages to read the words and study the images; and when they get ready for bed they hand it to the adults in their life to read out loud.
THE END.
References “Artist Profile: Ann Jonas.” National Center for Children’s Illustrated Literature. Last viewed on February 24, 2015. http://nccil.org/experience/artists/crewsfam/ ajonas.htm. “Biography.” This is M. Sasek, 2009. http://www.miroslavsasek.com/biography/ index.html. “Biography Beatrix Potter.” Biography Online. Last viewed February 24, 2015. http://www.biographyonline.net/writers/beatrix-potter.html. Carswell, Beth. “Sweetness and Style: Kate Greenaway’s Children.” AbeBooks. com, 2015. http://www.abebooks.com/books/RareBooks/illustration-underwindow-medal/Kate-Greenaway.shtml. Hellier, Cathy. “Mr. Newbery’s Little Pretty Pocket Book.” Colonial Williamsburg. 2015. http://www.history.org/history/teaching/enewsletter/ volume2/june04/pocketbook.cfm. “John Newbery.” Encyclopedia of World Biography. 2004. Retrieved February 25, 2015 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/ doc/1G2-3404704736.html. “Jon’s Bio.” Jon Scieszka Worldwide, 2007. http://www.jsworldwide.com/just_ the_facts.html. “Little Golden Books.” Smithsonian National Museum of American History, January 2014. http://americanhistory. si.edu/documentsgallery/exhibitions/goldenbooks/.
Won Chuh, Seung. “Paul Rand.” 2003. http://people. artcenter.edu/~chuh/SP03web/WRITING/Paul%20 Rand.html. “Picture Book Timeline.” Picturing Books; 2015. http://www.picturingbooks.com/slides/picture-book-timeline.html. Popova, Maria. “A Brief History of Children’s Picture Books and the Art of Visual Storytelling.” Brain Pickings. last viewed February 24, 2014. http:// www.brainpickings.org/2012/02/24/childrens-picturebooks/ Shelley, John. “Picture Book Basics—Sketches and Layout.” Words and Pictures. August, 2013. http://www.wordsandpics.org/2013/08/picturebook-basics-sketches-and-layout.html. “Toy Books and Early Modern Picture Books.” Children’s Books in the Victorian Era. The International Library of Children’s Literature, 2013. http://www.kodomo.go.jp/ingram/e/section5/writers.html. “Who Was Randolph Caldecott?” Randolph Caldecott Society UK, October, 2013. http://www.randolphcaldecott.org.uk/who.htm.
Book Photos
(in order of appearance) Newbery, John. A Little Pretty Pocket Book. London, 1774. Greenaway, Kate. Under the Window: Pictures and Rhymes for Children. London, 1879. Caldecott, Randolph. The House that Jack Built. Frederick Warne & Co Ltd, 1910. Potter, Beatrix. The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Frederick Warne & Co, 1902 Gag, Wanda. Millions of Cats. Coward-McCann, 1928. Dr. Seuss. And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. Vanguard Press, 1937. Rey, H.A., Margret Rey, and Martha Weston. Curious George Takes a Train. HMH Books, 1941. Kunhardt, Dorothy. Pat the Bunny. Golden Books, 1940. Masha. Three Little Kittens. Little Golden Books, 1943. Rand, Ann and Paul. Sparkle and Spin: A Book about Words. Collins, 1957. Holmelund Minarik, Else. Father Bear Comes Home. HarperCollins, 1959. Lionni, Leo. Little Blue and Little Yellow. HarperCollins, 1959. Sasek, Miroslav. This is New York. MacMillan, 1960.
Sendack, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are. Harper & Row, 1963. Hutchins, Pat. Rosie’s Walk. Aladdin, 1971. Hoben, Tana. More than One. William Morrow and Company, 1981. Crews, Donald. Freight Train. Greenwillow Books, 1978. Jonas, Ann. Round Trip. Harcourt School Publishers, 1983. Scieszca, Jon. The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. Viking Press, 1992. Walsh, Vivian. Mr. Lunch Takes a Plane Ride. Viking Juvenile, 1993. Arbuthnot, May Hill and William S. Gray. Fun with Dick and Jane. Scott, Foresman and Company, 1946. Dahl, Roald and Quentin Blake. Matilda. Jonathan Cape, 1988.