Tag: 1970s

Vintage Friday: Nice Little Girls By Levy & Gerstein

While I was reading and reviewing What Are Little Girls Made Of? this book kept coming to mind. It’s a vintage gem of a book about gender stereotypes, friendships, and silly ideas. It is a surprising book, very different from the usual picture book fare, with a funny and thoughtful jab at the strange boxes society places around gender. Take a look for this vintage Friday at Nice Little Girls by Elizabeth Levy, illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein, 1974.

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Review: May I Visit? By Zolotow & Blegvad

Mother’s Day weekend is upon us! I have a special post set for Sunday – a mesh of a lot of favorite mother scenes from a variety of picture books – so come back for that. And I will never top my best Mother’s Day post of all time – How To Be An Excellent Mother, learning life lessons from one of my all-time favorite mother characters in the Little Bear books. But while I was making Sunday’s toast to mothers, I was reminded of this vintage gem. It’s a small paperback by a classic author and fantastic illustrator. It is dripping of 1970s fashion and decor, but timeless in its sweetness and mother-daughter bond. A story about a little girl who wonders if she can visit her mother when she grows up, if she stops making all the mistakes and messes she makes currently. Have a smile, perhaps choke up a bit, and then go call your own mother and decide on your next visit. Celebrate motherhood from the thoughts of a child with May I Visit? by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by Erik Blegvad, 1976.

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Review: Tight Times By Shook Hazen & Schart Hyman

I think we’re all tired of hearing that it’s been a difficult, weird, hard, strange, unprecedented [insert over-used adjective here] year. Even more so, we’re all tired of living it. While I continue to prep posts about new and newish books (I have so many!); I also love the classics, vintage, obscure older books that speak to timeless issues. They can be so comforting, surprising, and reminders of days past – a reminder that we’ll get through this too.

Today I wanted to drop in with a book I’ve thought about often over this year. I collected it years ago as it is one of my favorite children’s book illustrators ever. I am incredibly drawn to her style and choices and lines – but I’m getting ahead of myself. Join me in this lovely, difficult, emotional, and yet so perfectly childlike book about rough economic times in a city family. Check out Tight Times by Barbara Shook Hazen, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, 1979.

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25 Days – Book 25: An Edwardian Christmas

Merry Christmas! We made it! It is always such a thrill to fulfill my goal of a post a day for nearly a whole month. And it adds to my celebrations and preparations for this joyous holiday. As I fully expect and sincerely hope that no one will be reading this today on such a big holiday, I am simply going to share a new vintage find from the ever amazing Goodall. May your homes be filled with the happy occasion and celebrations like this lovely book: An Edwardian Christmas by John S. Goodall, 1978.

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25 Days – Book 20: Babar’s Christmas Tree

Day 20 brings an old, tiny book from the Babar series. I really love tiny books. While I appreciate picture books in all their forms, I really think there is something special about tiny books. They match their audience perfectly – little hands, little books. I think Beatrix Potter really knew what she was doing with her classic, small books. I have a slowly building collection of tiny books, and while I would love to keep them pristine and precious; I really love to share them with my girls. They adore them. They carry them around, read them to their stuffed toys and dolls, collect them in bags… tiny books are so delightful.

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