Customer Reviews

Illustrators of Children's Books, 1744-1945

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This review covers specifically the 1947 edition of this essential work, published by The Horn Book Inc., Boston.

Needless to say, this work has been around for quite sometime now and this edition, along with a supplement that brings the reader and researcher 1956 and 1966 can be and are now available. I call this work essential due to the fact that it is one of the best books I know of that directly gives the reader and researcher direct information; well researched information, along with examples of many of the illustrator's work and wonderful background information as to early illustration's for children's books.

This work begins with a chapter devoted to illustrated books for children before 1800. Hit highlights books published from around the world. It goes on to addresses the graphic process and developments of the 20th century.

Most importantly though, this book gives us very nice little bibliographies on all known artists; well known and not so well known. While these little sketches certainly do not tell the artists complete life story, they do let the reader know of their primary work, where and when it was published, artist's birth place and birthday and death. It is a great starting point for further research....hey, you've got to start somewhere.

The text is well written and precise and the example illustrations are, especially when you consider when this book was published, quite well done, both in execution and clarity.

For those interested in children's literature, the history of that literature and the relationship between author's and illustrators, then this book can almost be called a must. There is a lot of extremely valuable information here folks!

This is a large, oversized book and consists of 517 pages. I have my own copy but note that our library has a more recent edition which can be found in the reference section of the library where they are loath to let it be check out of the library proper.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks