The Ageless Story
By Lauren Ford
1940 Caldecott Honor Winner
Bio from: http://campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/poetry/xmasp.html
Lauren Ford was born in New York City in 1891. Her mother was Julia Ellsworth Ford, "the author of many books and plays for children." Her father was Simeon Ford, owner of the Grand Union Hotel, a man of famous wit, and a popular public speaker. According to Julia Ford, Lauren began to draw at age four. Lauren studied art with George Bridgman and Frank V. du Mond. In 1973, Lauren Ford passed away at the age of eighty-two. During her life, Ford painted many works of a religious nature.
During her life, Ford published three books: Our Lady's Book, The Ageless Story, and Lauren Ford's Christmas Book. In each of these books, Ford combined her artwork with her own lyric prose to interpret the Marian aspects of the Bible and the Christian tradition.
Book Summary
This is a religious book about “The Ageless Story.” I had to ask myself, what is the ageless story? Then once I opened the book I got it! Do you know what the Ageless Story is? If you are at all religious I think you do! Take guess let me know what you think.
The interesting fact about this book is the setting. It takes the characters from the Ageless Story and sets them in modern Connecticut Countryside. Very interesting to think about. It also shows the Main Character growing up. Something that is not depicted often. Again do you know the story?
Illustrations: These illustrations really make the book for me. Because most of the book is in a different language/form, not sure what to call it, Gregorian Chant is what the book calls it. The chants, along with the music, is on the left hand side and then there are pictures on the right side. There is a border around the entire page on both sides. In the border there is Gold! Well it looks as if it is gold, shiny and everything. I can totally see how this book won this honor. Take a look, but finding a copy is going to be the challenge. I got the Pierce County Library to get a copy of the book from me, it came from Gellert Library St. Patrick’s Seminary in California. When I looked on Amazon for this book the price was over $150.00. So yes I think this book is stunning! Not only because of the price but Lauren Ford took a mix of something so strong and traditional (the chants) and put them with modern depictions of Characters we all know. Why am I not telling you? I want to you seek the answer.
Art Medium: “Lauren Ford was a painter, etcher and writer/illustrator of children's books whose subjects were children and Christian themes in present-day settings. She often used her farm in Connecticut as the background of her paintings. "The Little Book About God," 1934, and "The Ageless Story," 1939, are two of her books for children. "Life" magazine published her paintings of religious scenes and Christ's boyhood in 1938 and 1944 in their Christmas issues.” From http://www.askart.com/askart/f/lauren_miss_ford/lauren_miss_ford.aspx
Final Thoughts:1. Would this be a book I would pick up again? Perhaps
2. Would I recommend it to others to search out and take a look at? Yes, but it will be a challenge!!! Remember I had to get the Library to borrow it for me.
3. Would I spend my hard earned money on the book? No, it costs to much for me!
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