Daily Vintage - Our Puppy 1957 Little Golden Book

Today's Daily Vintage is Our Puppy, a 1957 Little Golden Book with illustrations by Feodor Rojankovsky.  The puppy is a Pointer dog and the illustrations will steal your heart!   You will find this cute book at Birdhouse Books:  Our Puppy.

5 Interesting Tidbits About Little Golden Books

Little Golden Books are my favorite thing to list.   I love the illustrations, the storytelling, and the nostalgic quality of these sweet books.   I just listed many Little Golden Books, and felt inspired to share some fun facts about LGBs with you.

1. Little Golden Books were first published in 1942.

2. The first Little Golden Book published was Three Little Kittens, illustrated by Masha.

3. Little Golden Books originally sold for 25 cents.

4. Early Little Golden books have an interesting edition notation.  With older (25 cent to 29 cent) Little Golden Books, look at the gutter of the last page of book for a letter.  "A" designates First Edition, "B" designates Second Edition, and so forth.

5. Little Golden Books usually have a book number near the top of the cover.  Each title has a number.   Starting in the late 1970's, book numbers were hyphenated.  Collectors always want to know the book number.

I hope these Little Golden Book facts were interesting, and I hope you'll pop by my store to browse my Little Golden Books as well.

Pictured:  Mr. Noah and His Family, a 1948 Little Golden Book, illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen.

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!