sparkle and spin

i'm happy to share this iconic book sparkle and spin by ann (not to be confused with ayn) and paul rand. to me, this is more of a celebration of bold, eye-catching and interesting graphics. particularly graphics that are interesting to children who shy away from the fairy tale, dreamy sort of pictures a lot of children books are headed towards. it is simply wonderful!

sparkle and spin by ann & paul rand
first edition, 1957, harcourt, brace and world, new york

dolls of japan

this book is wonderful for so many reasons...the pictures are lovely and it also included a kimono pattern, which is good for me since i like to sew things and make dolls as well. this book isn't mainly a guide to make dolls though, it also has some great information on styles of japanese dolls, their costumes and inspirations.

dolls of japan: a guide to the creation and appreciation of japanese dolls in all their colorful splendor by satako ozawa (who also created the dolls pictured)
first edition, 1957, toto shuppan company ltd., tokyo

collections

i love daphne du maurier...she's one of those authors that i can read everything she has ever written (wilkie collins is another)...i thought that theo made a great companion for the scapegoat. a "sprightly" love story and a story of a doppelgänger who tries to right the wrongs of the other.
isn't that 'scapegoat' font fantastic ?!

theo: a sprightly love story by frances hodgson burnett
1877, f.m. lupton publishing co., new york

the scapegoat by daphne du maurier
1957, doubleday & co., new york

the lonely doll

this is one of the most wonderful, and albeit a bit bizarre of children's books. it's rather iconic, i think. i discovered it years ago through a friend and have been enamored of dare wright since. she was apparently an unusual character, there is even a biography which you can find here. i love the lenci doll she used and the stories are really fantastic (in the true meaning of the word). a must for a collection. i was lucky enough to find this first edition, even though it's seen better days. she's written 10 others in this series too.

the lonely doll by dare wright
first edition, 1957, doubleday & inc., new york
photographs also by dare wright

when we go to church

i love the halftone illustrations in this cute book...the book only utilizes 5 colors: green, light green, red, light red and black...very effective and has that wonderful '50s-esque everything is sunshine and roses vibe...also a nice contrast to the full color cover. i was kind of surprised seeing as this is a religious book...but i think even if you're not into the content, you can certainly enjoy the pretty pictures.

when we go to church by elizabeth b. jones
the warner press, 1957, gospel trumpet co., anderson, indiana
pictures by vera gohman

lettering simplified: a manual for beginners

look at that type...i love it. i'm always on the watch for interesting fonts and type and this cover embodies what appeals to me. i incorporate a lot of handwritten type into my illustration and a book like this really inspires me. it's more of an instruction manual for beginners (and when he says beginners he means it...it's kind of elementary) about writing clearly, aesthetically speaking. i like the addition of the different serifed fonts at the end for reference. garamond is one of my favorite.

lettering simplified: a manual for beginners by rand holub
bonanza books, 1957, watson-guptill publishers, inc., new york