1943 Winner: The Little House
By Virginia Lee Burton
Virginia Lee Burton (August 30, 1909, in Newton Centre, Massachusetts – October 15, 1968) was an American illustrator and children's book author. Burton wrote and illustrated seven self-illustrated children's books, including the Caldecott Medal winning The Little House. Also known by her married name Virginia Demetrios. She died in 1968 of lung cancer. Virginia Lee Burton's books are notable for their swirling, stylized illustrations and her stories concerning technological change. Characters are apt to be buildings or machines. Bio from WikipediaBook Summary
This story is so classic. I have memories of this book and was eager to pick it up again. The Little House begins with the setting in the beautiful country side. From a far distance there are city lights and the Little House begins to ponder what it may be like to be part of the city. Over time The Little House begins to see the city move closer and closer until finally it has arrived. Then the Little House longs to be back to the country. The story ends in a very happy way where you feel good and complete. The text compliments the illustrations. You can see the seasons change as well as the date and time of technology change. Ms. Burton specialized in this. She often made her characters inatment objects that she gave faces and personalities. One of her most famous books is Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel.
Illustrations:
“My subject matter, with a few exceptions such as Calico, I draw directly from life, and I literally draw my books first and write down the text after. . . . I pin the sketched pages in sequences on the walls of my studio so I can see the book as a whole. Then I make a rough dummy and then final drawings, and at last when I can put it off no longer, I type out the text and paste it in the dummy.”
These illustrations are darling and sweet. Often the text is formatted to work around, in and with the illustrations. The soft effect of watercolors make me feel warm and sweet about the content. To show time moving it seems to me that Virgina always had things swaying or moving. The tops of the trees are round and leaning, the roads are curvy. The concept that things are always changing come across not only the words but also in the illustrations. An example of this is found on the book cover insert. 
From this image along we can see how technology changes. Brilliant! Small changes over time lead to bigger ones! Yet The Little House remains the same!
The Walt Disney Company made a short film based off of The Little House. It is very different from the book but portrays the same concept.
Art Medium: Watercolor
Final Thoughts:1. Would this be a book I would pick up again? Yes
2. Would I recommend it to others to search out and take a look at? Yes
3. Would I spend my hard earned money on the book? Yes
4. Where did I get the book? Pierce County Library
More info:
http://www.virginialeeburtonthefilm.com/
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