Robin Gibson, Thesis Supervisor Robin Gibson, Thesis Supervisor Jerrold Warren Maddox, Thesis Honors Advisor
Keywords:
printmaking bookmaking
Abstract:
Children’s literature, in the form of picture and storybooks, introduce a child to one of the most important tools needed to succeed in life: the ability to read. With the availability of affordable books in the 18th century, due to the introduction of new mechanization, individuals had the ability to improve their lives and widen their worlds. In the 19th century, writers of fiction began to specialize in literature for children. In the 20th century, books for children, with beautiful, colorful illustrations, became a common gift for children. The relatively rapid progression from moralistic small pamphlets on cheap paper with crude woodcuts to the world of Berenstain Bears, colorful Golden Books, and the tongue-twisters of Dr. Seuss is an intriguing social change. The story of how a storybook moves from an idea to the bookstore shelf is equally fascinating. Combining the history of children’s literature with how a storybook is created inspired me to write and illustrate my own children’s book, ―OH NO, MORE SNOW!‖
