Make Way for Ducklings! LOVE IT!!!!!

1942 Caldecott Winner: Make Way for Ducklings

Story and Pictures by Robert McCloskey

Robert McCloskey (September 14, 1914 – June 30, 2003) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. McCloskey wrote and illustrated eight books, two of which won the Caldecott Medal, the American Library Association's annual award of distinction for children's book illustration. Many of McCloskey's books were set on the Maine coast, including One Morning in Maine and Burt Dow, Deep Water-man.  Born on September 14, 1914, in Hamilton, Ohio, McCloskey arrived in Boston in 1932 after being awarded a scholarship to the Vesper George Art School. He then moved to New York to study at the National Academy of Design. In 1940, he married Margaret (Peggy) Durand, daughter of children's author Ruth Sawyer. They had two daughters, Sarah and Jane, and settled in New York City, spending summers on Scott Island, Maine. That was the setting for his Caldecott Honor book, Blueberries for Sal, whose characters little Sal and her mother are reputed to be based on McCloskey's wife and eldest daughter Sarah.  McCloskey's wife Peggy died in 1991. Twelve years later, in 2003, McCloskey died at his home in Deer Isle, Maine. He was survived by his two daughters and by two grandchildren, Samantha and Seth.

A bronze statue of the ducklings by Nancy Schön is a popular attraction in Boston Public Garden. A replica installed in Moscow was a gift from United States First Lady Barbara Bush to Soviet First Lady Raisa Gorbachev.

Make Way for Ducklings was the 1942 Caldecott Medal winner. The book tells of a mallard family that comes to live in a pond in the Public Garden in the center of Boston, Massachusetts and how a friendly policeman stops traffic when the mother takes her eight ducklings across the street. This story has become an institution in Boston, and in 2003, it was named the official children's book of Massachusetts. In 1987, sculptor Nancy Schön created a bronze version of Mrs. Mallard and the ducklings in the Public Garden, which are climbed on by thousands of children every year. The park is also the site of an annual Make Way for Ducklings Mother's Day parade, featuring hundreds of children dressed in the costumes of their favorite characters.

Above information from Wikipedia

Illustrations: Front matter, Full-page and double-page spreads, all in brown

All of the studying and time that McCloskey spent learning about ducks really paid off.  The illustrations are just perfect.  The perspective is from the mother duck. We are looking up at things and then at times looking down on things as if we were flying thru the air.  The shading is outstanding!  Just gorgeous!  McCloskey not only spent countless days and months studying ducks but he also spent time studying the buildings and parks in Boston.  Attention to detail was very evident in the book. It is a no brainer to understand why this book took the Caldecott Award!

Art Medium:  Lithographic Crayon on Stone

Final Thoughts:
1. Would this be a book I would pick up again? Yup!
2. Would I recommend it to others to search out and take a look at? If you want a cute sweet story!  Yes!
3. Would I spend my hard earned money on the book? YUP!
4. Where did I get the book? Pierce County Library
Want more?  Here you go!
http://www.orrt.org/mccloskey/

Illustrator influences New Mexico State Flag

1942 Caldecott Honor: In My Mothers’ House

Illustrations by Velino Herrera

Velino Herrera was born in Zia Pueblo, New Mexico in 1902 and died in Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1973.

Herrera attended school in Santa Fe and was started in art by Dr. Edgar L. Hewett. He began painting about 1917 and had a successful studio in Santa Fe in 1932. He was a painting instructor at the Albuquerque Indian School in 1936. Herrera was a part of the "San Ildefonso movement" in the Rio Grande area that established the trends in art for the pueblos. His "Buffalo Dancer" is a much copied work.
Herrera painted under the sponsorship of the School of American Research,and in the late 1930s Herrera taught painting at the Albuquerque Indian School. In 1939 he was commissioned to create a series of murals for the Department of the Interior building in Washington, D.C. In the late 1940s the Koshare Indian Dancers commissioned Velino to do ten murals for the Koshare Kiva in La Junta, Colorado.

Velino was also known by his Indian name of Ma Pe Wi (Oriole, or Red Bird) and nicknamed the "singing artist" because as he drew, he would sing songs appropriate for the ceremony he was depicting. Ma Pe Wi is the name by which he signed paintings.
Herrera gave permission to the state of New Mexico to adapt his design of the Zia sun symbol for use as the state logo. He was accused of betraying his tribe for giving a sacred design to non-Natives and excommunicated from the pueblo. Zia Pueblo has made repeated attempts to remove the sacred symbol from the state's flag. 

 This is a picture of the New Mexico Flag.

Velino ceased painting in 1950 following a disabling auto accident. He spent much of his life as a rancher and cowboy, until his death in 1973.

Bio from http://kosharehistory.org/museum/herrera.html

Book Summary

The poems are told from the perspective of a young Native American Boy.  We learn what life is like from a Native American Perspective.  The content ranges from housing to food to clothing to entertainment.  The book is written in poems. Each poem is a different aspect of life for the young Native American Boy.

Illustrations:

The illustrations are simple but purposeful.  There is no over indulging here.  Which is a reflection of the  message often portrayed in Native American Books.  I am curious as to why some of the pictures are done with ink and pen and others are done in full color.  I did enjoy looking at the illustrations after reading the poems often times the illustrations gave me a deeper understanding of what the words were telling me.  Hey isn’t this a good thing!  Isn’t this why the book is one that I am reading?  Yup sure is.

Art Medium:  unknown, pen-and-ink and color drawings

Final Thoughts:
1. Would this be a book I would pick up again? No
2. Would I recommend it to others to search out and take a look at? Just not my style but it could be yours.
3. Would I spend my hard earned money on the book?  no
4. Where did I get the book? Pierce County Library

Abraham Lincoln wins in 1940.

This is the book I was waiting for.  And I still am.  Read on and you will see why!

Abraham Lincoln

1940 Caldecott Winner

Story and Pictures by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire

Edgar Parin, originally of Swiss citizenship, was born in Munich, Germany to the noted Italian portrait painter Gino Parin (1867–1944) and Ella Auler, a talented artist and musician who had moved from St. Louis to Paris. Edgar Parin took his mother's maiden name when she changed it to d'Aulaire. At about the same time he became a sought-after artist in his own right. Edgar, a pupil of Henri Matisse,^[1] illustrated many books in Germany from 1922 to 1926 and painted frescoes in Norway from 1926 to 1927.
Ingri Mortenson was born in Kongsberg, Norway. When she was 15, the renowned Norwegian painter Harriet Backer encouraged her to pursue art as a career. Ingri later studied at art schools in Norway, Germany, and France.
Ingri and Edgar met in Munich. They were married in 1925. A modest insurance settlement following a near-fatal bus-trolley collision in Paris provided the seed money to send Edgar to the United States, steerage class, to scout for opportunities. He garnered enough commissions illustrating books to send for Ingri. They initially took up residence in a cold-water walk-up flat in Brooklyn, NY in 1929.
At first, the couple pursued separate careers. Edgar concentrated on illustrating books using wood block engravings and stone lithography; Ingri garnered commissions to paint portraits of prominent businessmen.
Their work caught the eye of the director of the New York Public Library. Acting on her suggestion, the d'Aulaires decided to turn their talents to children's books. They collaborated on the first of many to come, The Magic Rug in 1931. Shortly thereafter they took up United States citizenship. The d'Aulaires lived and worked in Wilton, Connecticut, from 1941 until their deaths in the 1980s.

Bio for Wikepedia

Book Summary

                This book is the life story of Abraham Lincoln.  It begins with Abraham as a very young child and follows him until he becomes the President of the United States.

I found this book to be a delight!  I am learning more and more about myself as I continue on this quest and one observation I have made about myself is that I am a History Moron! No Joke.  I learned so much from this story and things that I have heard about so many times in my life but never really understood them.  This is the method I would prefer to learn history, in a children’s book.  The interesting thing about Abraham Lincoln is that although it is a children’s book it is full of information.  The authors did not water it down.  I appreciate that.  I also enjoyed learning about Abraham Lincoln before he became the 16^th President.   Okay remember I said I was a History Moron.  Here is a good solid example of this!  I asked my 7 year old son what he knew about Abraham Lincoln and he said I know he was the 16^th President and that he was a Lawyer.  Okay I knew he was the 16^th President but I did not know he was a Lawyer.  How in the world does my 7 year old know more about Abraham Lincoln than I?  Time for me to brush up on some things!  He he

                One of my favorite parts of the book was when Abraham Lincoln learned he was now the new President of the United States.

“Late one evening Lincoln got the message that he had been elected President of the United States.  He went home to his wife, and said:  “Mary, we were elected.”  And Mary rejoiced.  Her dream had come true.  Abe sold his horse and buggy and cow, and made ready to leave his home.  And he grew a beard on his chin.  He knew he wasn’t handsome, and he thought a beard might make him look nicer. On a drizzling morning he tied up his trunks.  Then he went to the train at the station.”

Wow times have changed!  I thought this was so interesting to see that an American Icon had to sell his livestock before he could go to Washington to become the President!

Art Medium:  Believe it or not I can’t comment on this one yet.  When I was researching this book I discovered that the illustrations that won the award is different than the ones I was looking at.  Publishers had Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire redo the illustrations in 1957 to help with production costs.  I have requested a copy of the book that was produced prior to this change and will comment on illustrations when I have both in front of me!

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? If you are a history buff I think this would be an interesting read for you
3. Would I spend my hard earned money on the book? yes
4. Where did I get the book from?  The Pierce County Library System 

1942 Honor by Wanda Gag: Nothing At All

1942 Caldecott Honor: Nothing At All

Story and Pictures by Wanda Gag

Previous Years of Honor: 1939 for Snow White (Caldecott) Honor 

I will refer you to the previous post for Snow White if you want to review Wanda Gag’s bio.  I thought that this time I would share with you another book I read, Wanda Gag: The Girl Who Loved to Draw.  If you like Wanda Gag as do I then this is a book worth looking at.  It is biography of her life in a children’s book.  We learn that art was always a part of her life.  She used to watch her father paint.  Just a fun book to take a look at.  I got a copy from the Pierce County Library.

Book Summary

                “Once upon a time there were little orphan dogs.  They were brothers.  They lived in a far forgotten corner of an old forgotten farm in three forgotten kennels which stood there in a row.”

Then one day two children arrive at the forgotten farm and find two of the brothers, and take them home.  The Third Dog, Nothing At All” misses his brothers and begins on an adventure to reunite with them.

Illustrations: Wanda Gag has quickly become one of my favorite author/illustrators.  I love her style of art and his fun descriptions.  In Nothing At All Wanda has illustrated a dog that is, “nothing at all, in other words invisible.  I find it very interesting to show nothing with something.  Wanda was able to take a white fuzzy ball and create an entire character out of it.  I love it!  I love to share these type of illustrations with children who think they can’t draw.  I say just look a white fuzzy circle became the main character!  It has personality and interest.  It makes you want to read more.

                Another piece of the illustrations that I enjoyed were the lines.  Yeah I know here I go again with lines.  But hear me out.  There are three dogs with the names Pointy, Curly and then of course Nothing at All.  When Wanda Gag goes to introduce each dot they have corresponding dog houses, which is cute but then she takes it to the next level, the grass in front of each dog house also reflects the dog, the bushes behind each dog house also match. This is done is such an effortless way that I didn’t even notice until after I had read the book thru and was on my second look.  What a delightful detail.

Art Medium: Lithograph

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.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Wanda_Gág

1942-WWII in full swing and the Diary of Ann Frank begins!

All History Facts from Wikipedia!

January

• January 10 – WWII: The last German air-raid on Liverpool destroys the home of William Patrick Hitler, Adolf Hitler's nephew. After his house is destroyed, William Hitler goes to the USA and joins the navy to fight against his uncle.
• January 13
• Sikorsky R-4 first flies, in the USA; it will become the first mass-produced helicopter.
• Heinkel test pilot Helmut Schenk becomes the first person to escape from a stricken aircraft with an ejection seat.
• January 26 – WWII: The first American forces arrive in Europe, landing in Northern Ireland.

 February

• February 2 – WWII: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signs an executive order directing the internment of Japanese Americans and the seizure of their property.
• February 8-Daylight saving time goes into effect in the United States.
• February 10 – In the early hours of the morning the SS Normandie capsizes at pier 88 in New York City.
• February 19 – WWII:
• Japanese warplanes attack Darwin, Australia.
• President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs executive order 9066 allowing the United States military to define areas as exclusionary zones. These zones affect the Japanese on the West Coast, and Germans and Italians primarily on the East Coast.
• February 24 – the SS Struma, which carried Jewish refugees from Axis-allied Romania to British-controlled Palestine, was torpedoed and sunk by the Soviet submarine Shch 213, killing 768 men, women and children, with only one survivor, a 19 year old man, making it the largest exclusively civilian naval disaster of the war.^[1]
• February 24 – Propaganda: The Voice of America begins broadcasting.

 March

• March – Construction begins on the Badger Army Ammunition Plant (the largest in the United States during WWII).
• March 17 – Holocaust: the Nazi German extermination camp Bełżec opens in occupied Poland about 1 km south of the local railroad station of Bełżec in the Lublin district of the General Government. Between March and December 1942, at least 434,508 people are killed there.

 April

• April – Holocaust: the Nazi German extermination camp Sobibor opens in occupied Poland on the outskirts of the town of Sobibór. Between April 1942 and October 1943, at least 160,000 people are killed in the camp.
• Spring – Holocaust: the Nazi German extermination camp Treblinka II opens in occupied Poland near the village of Treblinka. Between July 1942 and October 1943, around 850,000 people were killed there,^[2] more than 800,000 of whom were Jews.^[3]
• April 13 – The FCC's minimum programming time required of TV stations is cut from 15 hours to 4 hours a week during the war.
• April 27 – The Jewish Star of David is required wearing for all Jews in the Netherlands and Belgium. Other Jews in Nazi countries had been wearing it for longer.

 May

• May 15 – WWII: In the United States, a bill creating the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps (WAAC) is signed into law.
• May 20 – The first African-American seamen are taken into the United States Navy.
• May 31 – June 1 – WWII – Attack on Sydney Harbour: Japanese submarines infiltrate Sydney Harbour in an attempt to attack Allied warships.

June

• June 7 – WWII: Japanese forces invade the Aleutian Islands (the first invasion of American soil in 128 years).
• June 8 – WWII: Attack on Sydney Harbour: The Australian cities of Sydney and Newcastle are shelled by Japanese submarines. The eastern suburbs of both cities are damaged and the east coast is blacked out.
• June 12 – Holocaust: On her 13th birthday, Anne Frank makes the first entry in her new diary.

 July

• July 6 – Holocaust: Anne Frank's family goes into hiding in an attic above her father's office in an Amsterdam warehouse.
• July 22 – Holocaust: The systematic deportation of Jews from the Warsaw Ghetto begins.
• July 30 – Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES).

 August

• August 13 – Movie Bambi is released.
• August 16- Polish-Jewish teacher Janusz Korczak follows a group of Jewish children into the Treblinka death camp.

 September

• September 3 – WWII: A German attempt to liquidate the Jewish ghetto in Lakhva leads to an uprising.
• September 10 – Women's Auxiliary Ferrying Squadron (WAFS) begins operation.
• September 24 – Andrée Borrel and Lise de Baissac become the first female SOE agents to be parachuted into occupied France.

 October

• October 2 – The British cruiser Curaçao collides with the liner Queen Mary off the coast of Donegal and sinks; 338 drown.
• October 3 – The first A-4 rocket is successfully launched from Test Stand VII at Peenemünde, Germany. The rocket flies 147 kilometres wide and reaches a height of 84.5 kilometres, becoming the first man-made object to reach space.
• October 29 – Holocaust: In the United Kingdom, leading clergymen and political figures hold a public meeting to register outrage over Nazi Germany's persecution of Jews.

November

• November 26 – The movie Casablanca premières at the Hollywood Theater in New York City.

December

• December 1 – Gasoline rationing begins in the United States.
• December 4
• Holocaust: In Warsaw, 2 women, Zofia Kossak and Wanda Filipowicz, risk their lives by setting up the Council for the Assistance of the Jews.

 Date unknown

• The Grand Coulee Dam is finished in the Columbia River.
• DDT is first used as a pesticide.
• Lions become extinct in Iran.

Family and History! Something I am all about!

They Were Strong and Good

1941 Caldecott Winner

Story and Pictures by Robert Lawson

Side Note: Robert Lawson also won a Caldecott Honor in 1938 for Four and Twenty Blackbirds, yup that is two years in a row for Mr. Lawson!  Way to go!

Robert Lawson (October 4, 1892 – May 27, 1957) was an American author and illustrator of children's books. During World War I, he also served as a camouflage artist.  After the war, Lawson resumed his work as an artist, and in 1922, illustrated his first children's book, The Wonderful Adventures of Little Prince Toofat. Subsequently he illustrated dozens of children's books by other authors, including such well-known titles as The Story of Ferdinand the Bull by Munro Leaf (which later became an animated film by the Walt Disney Studios) and Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. In total, he illustrated as many as forty books by other authors, and another seventeen books that he himself was author of, including Ben and Me: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin By His Good Mouse Amos and Rabbit Hill. His work was widely admired, and he became the first person to be given both the Caldecott Medal (They Were Strong and Good, 1941) and the Newbery Medal (Rabbit Hill, 1945).

Bio from Wikipedia

Book Summary

                “None of them were great or famous, but they were strong and good.  They worked hard and had many children.  They all helped to make the United States the great nation that it now is.  Let us be proud of them and guard well the heritage they have left us.” –From the story

“Robert Lawson introduces us to his forefathers and with them we brave Caribbean storms, travel to the wharf markets of New York, and fight in the Civil War.  Amidst these adventures Lawson’s grandparents meet, marry and raise a family, and later his parents follow the same cycle of life.  But this book is more than just the story of one family, it’s a social history of our country,  It reminds us to be proud of our ancestor-who they were, what they did, and the effect that they had on the nation we live in today.” –Summary from the book jacket.

Controversy Note:  The illustrations and text depict things that are no longer socially acceptable but were part of that time period.  I always think that it is important that we recognize the past and learn from it.  I don’t feel it is good to hide it.  If you want to more take a look at the link from Wikipedia. (found at the end of this post)

Illustrations: Robert Lawson was obviously a man who was highly respected in the industry.  He won Honors in 1938, for Four and Twenty Blackbirds and in 1939 for Wee Gillis.  But 1941 was his year to win the top honor!  These pictures are very similar to the other ones, he knew his style.  Clean and precise.  Lines are very important!  Yet these lines can display a huge range of emotion and detail.  Each picture is on the right hand side with text on the left. 

Art Medium: Etching

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? If you are a history buff I think this would be an interesting read for you
3. Would I spend my hard earned money on the book? Perhaps
4. Where did I get the book from?  The Pierce County Library System 
More info: 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Were_Strong_and_Good