The Attic Bookstore

I have a long, on-going interest in books--in handling them, reading them, and, of course, enjoying the illustrations. Children's literature in particular has a wide place in my heart and has been with me for at least 35 years.

In this section you will find all manner of books I have in my own library, or Attic Bookstore as I like to call it, set apart as special for one reason or another, or for many reasons and to share with you. To me these books have the look and read of true art, books that stand the test of time and have sat gladly on my bookshelf for years and years to be read and read again.

Whether you are a child or an adult in need of the comfort of good words, this is a good place to start today's search.

Not all books are equal. Remember that.

"The Happy Man and His Dump Truck"

I first ran into this children's book when my grown daughter brought a copy home for her 2 year old son. It was released in 1947 by the Little Golden Book publishing company and is still in print.

I was immediately drawn to the vintage illustrations and their wonderful colors, and to the book's plain language.

Little Golden Books began publication in 1942 as an affordable, durable book for children. We've all seen them and most of us either have one or more in our homes now or remember reading them as a child.

The first printing was released simultaneously as a series of twelve for 25 cents each, which was bumped up to 29 cents in 1962. Three printings totaling 1.5 million books sold out within five months of that first publication series--a phenomenal response! The 8th book in that first series of 12, "The Pokey Little Puppy," is still the best-selling children's book of all time in the United States.

Many of those early writers and illustrators went on to become well known in the world of children's literature: Margaret Wise Brown, Gustaf Tenggren, Richard Scary, Garth Williams.

With all that history to rest upon, a Little Golden Book is not just a child's story anymore. It's all those things we've grown to love about them, and about reading one to a child who's just discovering his or her first Little Golden Book. It's the illustrations, the logo of dancing characters on the back, the gold ornate spine, the cardboard front and back--and so many memories. Its nostalgia is hard to match in other books.

Over 2000 titles have been published to date under the Little Golden format. "The Happy Man and His Dump Truck" is one of my favorites. I love the round, smiling face of the farmer and the look of fear mixed with delight on the animals' faces as they slide across the bed of his truck. All the way from the cover picture to the cheerful ending, "The Happy Man and His Dump Truck" calms a weary heart and tells us not to worry, everything will be fine.

That's a book that deserves a round of applause.

Here is a list of the first twelve Little Golden Books published in 1942, and their authors:

1. Three Little Kittens by Marie Simchow Stern

2. Bedtime Stories, illust. by Gustaf Tenggren

3. Mother Goose by Phyllis Fraser, illust. by Gertrude E. Espenscheid

4. Prayers for Children by Rachel Taft Dixon

5. The Little Red Hen, illust. by Rudolph Freund

6. Nursery Songs by Leah Gale, illust. by Corinne Malvern

7. The Alphabet from A to Z by Leah Gale, illust. by Vivienne Blake and Richard Peck

8. The Pokey Little Puppy by Janette Sebring Lowrey, illust. by Gustaf Tenggren

9. The Golden Book of Fairy Tales by Winfred Scott Hoskins

10. Baby's Book of Objects

11. The Animals of Farmer Jones by Leah Gale, illust. by Richard Scary

12. This Little Piggy and Other Counting Rhymes by Phyllis Cerf Wagner, illust. by Roberta Harris Pfafflin Petty

Don't forget to bee happy,

The Head Rabbit

Little Bear

Once upon a time I knew almost nothing about children's literature--only that when I worked at the public library during college, I loved putting the children's books neatly back on their shelves in the far right corner of the library. It was quieter there, and the books were full of wonderful illustrations!

Years later, not long after the birth of my first child, I passed by a local bookstore on a shopping trip. On a table out front were several selections of children's books--a colorful display of illustrated animals, children, trucks and trees.

One in particular caught my eye. It was called "Little Bear," and I was taken by the gentle words and the pen and ink illustrations by an artist named Maurice Sendak. It looked important, even elegant--so I bought a copy and took it home to read to our son.

"I'm going to fly to the moon," said Little Bear. "Fly!" said Mother Bear. "You can't fly."

"Little Bear" by Else Holmelund Minarik, illustrated by Maurice Sendak

The new book turned out to be for me as much as for our first child. From my very first reading, I knew I wanted to be like mother bear, but I also was starkly aware that I was not. I had a new toddler and very little wisdom for such things. Mother bear, on the other hand, was gentle and unhurried, so reasonable and so patient. To this day, when an issue comes up between my now grown daughter and one of her sons, we occasionally find ourselves saying, "what would mother bear do? "

In the space of 61 short, simple pages, mother bear left her character on us through Else Holmelund Minarik's clear, direct prose, and Maurice Sendak's poignant pen and ink drawings.

Although I didn't know it at the time, "Little Bear," would go on to sell millions of copies to several generations of children, and is still in print. It was originally published in 1957 and was the very first "I Can Read Book." Minarik and Sendak collaborated on a total of five books: "Little Bear", "Father Bear Comes Home", "Little Bear's Friend", "Little Bear's Visit", and "A Kiss for Little Bear".

It was also the beginning of my passion for children's literature. I wouldn't be surprised if it did the same for you.

Don't forget to bee patient,

The Head Rabbit

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Holly Rabbitat

Not all books are equal. Remember that.