American children’s books | Cotsen Children’s Library

The passing of Maurice Sendak this week prompted a review of Cotsen’s holdings for a few special things to share with his many admirers.

A Kiss for Little Bear. New York: Harper & Row, [1968]. (Cotsen 28534)

The artist at work. Else Holmelund Minarik. A Kiss for Little Bear. Pictures by Maurice Sendak. New York: Harper & Row, 1968. (An I Can Read Book).

In the Night Kitchen. [New York]: Harper & Row, c1970. (Cotsen 11308)

The half title of the Cotsen copy of the In the Night Kitchen Coloring Book (New York: Harper & Row, 1970) has a jolly drawing of the baker staring up at Mickey.

This pencil drawing of Jenny, Sendak’s beloved dog, guarantees the anxious book collector that this copy of Higgeldy Piggeldy Pop! (New York: Harper & Row, 1967) is the true first edition.

Ten Little Rabbits. [Philadelphia: The Philip H. & A. S. W. Rosenbach Foundation, c1970]. (Cotsen 5470)

Here’s a tiny counting book, Ten Little Rabbits, that was published by the Rosenbach Foundation in 1970. Sendak inscribed this copy to Mr. Cotsen’s brood of four children.

We Are All in the Dumps with Jack and Guy. [New York]: HarperCollins, 1993. (Cotsen 16450)

A sketch of the ragamuffin Jack personalizes this copy of We Are All in the Dumps with Jack and Guy (New York: Michael di Capua Books, Harper Collins, 1993).

Outside over there
I saw Esau
In the Night Kitchen
Eating chicken soup with rice!

***

What do you say, dear?
I DON’T CARE!
There must be more to life
Where the Wild Things are…
That’s just right.
Let’s read.

No Fighting, no Biting! New York: Harper & Brothers, c1958. (Cotsen 39050)

(Cotsen 39050)

Else Holmelund Minarik. No Fighting, No Biting! Pictures by Maurice Sendak. (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1958).

Maurice Sendak. Higgeldy Piggeldy Pop! Or There Must Be More to Life. New York: Harper & Row, 1967. (Cotsen 9673)

The chef. Aunt Jo and Uncle George. Kritters of the Kitchen Kingdom. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co., 1922). (Cotsen 4083)

Described in the text as “Mister Murphy, the cook from France,” this character is clearly a forerunner of Mr. Potato Head. The exhaustive site dedicated to the history and collecting of this beloved toy does not mention the inventor’s George Lerner’s forebearers, Aunt Jo and Uncle George…

“No dessert for you, young lady, until you eat those Brussel sprouts!” (Cotsen 4083)

Next we have what appears to be what today’s foodies call a heritage breed of bird without the modern factory-farm turkey’s huge breast (it’s actually a wild turkey). According to the plate’s explanatory text, the turkey was brought from America to Europe by Jesuit missionaries in 1524 and was named after the country of Turkey from whence so many luxuries were imported:

The carnivore’s pièce de resistance. Illustrated Book of Natural History. Part I. Printed in oil colors by Henry B. Ashmead. (Philadelphia: American Sunday School Union, 1858). (Cotsen 15558)

This recipe (or directions for constructing a simple food sculpture) shows that Joost Elfers, Saxton Freyman, and Johannes van Dam were real Johnny-come-latelies when it comes to the art of playing with food. Check out this vegetarian alternative to the traditional turkey:

Elizabeth and Louise Bache. When Mother Lets Us Make Candy. New York: Moffat, Yard and Company, 1915. (Cotsen 93315)

What about the kitchen where the feast is prepared? Here’s Cinderella toiling in a state-of-the-art facility from the turn of the nineteenth century…

Other people use Chinet at Thanksgiving when there is a crowd...

Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper (London: J. Harris, 180 ).

Or here is Dame Trot peeking in while her clever cat is hard at work.

It’s time to uncork the wine and carve the bird!

With any luck, there will still be some stuffing left for later…

Grace Kasson Tin Tan Tales. Illustrated by E. Tsandre. (London: Ernest Nister/ New York: E. P. Dutton, [not after 1912, c1897]). (Cotsen 8979)

Our apologies to the authors and illustrators of these children’s books from whence these images have been wrested and placed in not entirely appropriate contexts!

Have a happy holiday weekend from Team Cotsen!

Aaron Pickett, Andrea Immel, Dana Sheridan, and Jeff Barton

Abbie N. Smith, King Gobbler, Boston : Educational Publishing Company, c1906 (Cotsen 75427)

Cotsen Children’s Library

Princeton University

Category Archives: American children’s books

Maurice Sendak’s Drawings in His Own Books

Thanksgiving Kitchen Capers For Foodies!