Good, Old Books

One of my simple pleasures is, while at the local public library, browsing over the little store there where they sell off old library copies (weeded from the collection) and donations brought in from patrons. Bits of money made here go into the library cause. All in good fun.

I have picked up some uber choice pic books and illustrated mid-grade stuff in my days doing this. (None of which ever cost over a buck.) Including these fine specimens:

An edition of CHITTY that is insanely, awesomely illustrated by my #1 dude, John Burningham.

Ungerer, well he's also in the top slots for me.

 And, of course, who can be without one of these?

I came across this weird '66 semi-scientific oddity, all fun facts regarding hair (learned quite a bit here, truthfully). Superb 60's Ed Emberley accompaniment. (wrongfully uncredited on cover!) And, hey, that IS silkscreen on the case cover.

Most recently, came across this absolute gem. Some straight up vintage, prime Arnold Lobel. 

It's 1963, and Harper, so perhaps Ursula Nordstom had her hand in this, but I couldn't sleuth it out. Mildred Myrick... great name. Was this her only published work? I could not tell. Probably not...

At any rate, the illustrator's hand (in art and design) is top notch here and could easily stand just as tall today as any day before it. Character designs, drawing, composition, color, lettering all are tight as a drum. (One kid wears a dang colander/helmet on his head. Why? We never quite know, other than that's what awesome kids do.)

Here are a few sample pages and spreads that knock my socks off. Good ol' Lobel.

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P.S. All of these books have that smell. You know the one.

P.P.S. May we always have libraries. May we always have books. (Of course, I mean print.)