Thursday, July 26, 2012

Children's Illustrator Eloise Wilkin


Eloise Wilkin is my favorite children's illustrator.  I grew up with Little Golden Books and as a small child especially loved the Eloise Wilkin books.  As an adult, I find they evoke a happy nostalgia.   Her illustrations of children, often with their toys, their families, and their pets, are so sweet.

Eloise Wilkin was born in 1904 in Rochester, New York.  She studied art at the Rochester Institute of Technology.  Her early work included illustrating The Shining Hours, and designing paper dolls.

Ms. Wilkin signed a contract in 1944 with Golden Press to illustrate three Little Golden Books each year.  She used her children and grandchildren as models for the books she illustrated.  She illustrated 47 Little Golden Books, and later created a doll for Vogue dolls based on Baby Dear.

She passed on in 1987 (cancer), but her beautiful illustrations for children continue to live on.

I have several Eloise Wilkin books at Birdhouse Books, and always try to keep a few on my bookshelves!