childrens books

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Book, "A day at the New York World's Fair with Peter and Wendy"
1964: I was there…in my Orange and Blue
This post was originally published on April 22, 2014. The Cooper-Hewitt Library has a large collection of over 2,000 World’s fair catalogues and books. Some are children’s souvenirs and stories. A day at the New York World’s Fair with Peter and Wendy brings back memories of certain things I remember from visiting the world’s fair.....
Image feature two drawings on one page. In the upper left corner, an alligator sits in a coal bucket, facing towards the right. In the lower right, a little girl, seen from behind, reaches for the top shelf of a bookcase, rising on her toes. Please scroll down to read the blog post about this object.
Little April Fool
The collection at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum includes nearly 500 drawings from the estate of illustrator Florence Choate. Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in 1878, Choate studied at the Art Students League in New York where she was awarded scholarships in portrait and figure drawing.  There, she met fellow student Elizabeth A. Curtis, who...
Image shows a page spread from the pop-up book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. On a colorful ground, an arch of playing cards looms over a small girl with blonde hair in a purple-blue dress. Please scroll down to read the blog post about this object.
Paper, Glue, and Wonder
In celebration of World Pride, June Object of the Day posts highlight LGBTQ+ designers and design in the collection. This post has been excerpted and adapted from “Celebrating Pride Month with Paper Engineers,” originally published on Unbound, the blog of Smithsonian Libraries. The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library includes more than 2,000 pop-up and movable books dating from the sixteenth century to the present day—one of...
Cooper Hewitt Short Stories: Sarah & Eleanor, Elizabeth & Lucy
In last month’s Short Story, Josephine Rodgers introduced us to the pastel masterpieces of Carroll Beckwith, as well as his friendship with the Hewitt sisters, through a drawing of a mysterious young woman. This month, Nilda Lopez, Library Technician at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Library, illustrates another Hewitt friend, Elizabeth d’Hauteville Kean, through her donations...
Image features book cover showing a colorful flying bug on a fuchsia background. Please scroll down to read the blog post about this object.
Colorful Pop-Ups!
Design comes in many forms and the elaborate paper constructions developed in the world of pop-up books still amaze and surprise children and adults alike. Combining both color and senses, the Cooper Hewitt Library houses several of these gems–most notably works by David A. Carter. A master paper engineer, he has created over 90 books,...
Learning to Sign
Well known for its collection of children’s books, the Cooper Hewitt Library holds a rare 19th Century illustrated German nursery rhyme children’s book titled Paradiesfibel, written and illustrated to teach sign language.
WALTER CRANE’S THE ABSURD A.B.C.
One of the most creative periods in the history of children’s books took place in the second half of the nineteenth century. “Father of the illustrated children’s book”, Walter Crane, (1845-1915) was not only one of the most prolific illustrators in the Victorian era, but was also an artist and decorative designer in the fields...
A Paper Menagerie
Puss in Boots, hero of the English fairy tale of the same name, is one of ten storybook characters in a boxed set of Jointed Storybook Animals.  These articulated paper dolls were created by Bess Bruce Cleaveland (1876-1966), a children’s illustrator whose books, postcards, teaching materials, and educational toys were popular in the 1910s-1930s.  The...
Illustrated Children’s Books from the Cooper-Hewitt Collection
  Over the past several weeks, I explored the Cooper-Hewitt Museum Design Museum Library’s collection of illustrated children’s books as part of the Arts Intern program through Studio in a School. During my time in the Library, I have discovered seemingly endless treasures in the children’s book collection, including a vast range of illustrative styles,...