Children’s literature has had an unarguably interesting history, and it’s no doubt that today’s popular books for kids often have little resemblance to their ancestors from days gone by. When I think of old school literature, Goodnight Moon and Pat the Bunny come to mind- modest and gentle books from a simpler time. But that image was shattered as I read Welleran Poltarnees’ new book Weird & Wonderful: Discoveries from the Mysterious World of Forgotten Children’s Books.
Honestly, I’m still a little flabbergasted after reading this book once straight through, and flipping back through it several times in the last few days. Odd, bizarre and just plain weird are most definitely words that can be used to describe the illustrations and texts from the late 19th and early 20th centuries that Poltarnees has collected and shared here. The visuals alone truly make this book a must read for anyone with even a passing interest in children’s literature– like the ink drawing from 1890 of the “This Little Piggy” rhyme that we all know and love, that depicts each fingertip adorned with a realistic hog partaking in its respective activity. My personal favorite is the 1938 selection by Munro Leaf from The Watchbirds, which shows a figure drawn completely in wavy lines with this passage:
Squirmers never sit still. They wriggle and wiggle and twist and turn until you wonder why they don’t fall apart. This one in the picture squirmed so much we couldn’t tell whether it was a boy or girl. Squirmers are terrible at the table or in the barber-shop.
Oh my, oh my. Even seventy or so years ago, there were hyperactive children, which is nice to know!
Depicting illustrative styles that have long since gone out of fashion, a perusal of Weird & Wonderful provides a step back in time and makes for a wonderful conversation piece- it can find a comfortable place on many a coffee table. It’s difficult to convey strongly enough how unique this collection is– but if you have a children’s literature enthusiast in your life, you’ve just been informed of the best gift for his or her next birthday!
Dawn has a whole lot of weirdness and wonder in her own life, much of which is chronicled on her blog, my thoughts exactly.
That sounds really interesting. It seems like a cool way to interest children in both reading and writing children’s books.
Thanks for your comment Petula! One clarification, though- I wouldn’t qualify this as a children’s book itself, even though it’s about children’s literature. I’d call it more a nonfiction book about the subject for adults who are interested in the topic.