I’ve long been a fan of Joan Walsh Anglund, the author-illustrator known
for her simple, nostalgic depictions of carefree childhood days. Her
creations have an incredibly distinctive look to them with their round
faces, rosy cheeks, tiny black ovals for eyes and utter lack of nose or
mouth. Even her adult characters look childlike, possessing the same
innocent sparkle but standing just a teensy bit taller. A quick glance
is all I need to identify one of her books, and while I was perusing the
children’s tables at this year’s city-wide Friends of the Library sale,
one of her cheerful volumes caught my eye.
A Child’s Year
is a Little Golden Book published in 1992 to commemorate the 50th
anniversary of this line of books ideal for small hands and big
imaginations. A glance at the titles and at the figures clustered around
the back cover reveals a plethora of beloved characters ranging from
Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck to Bert and Ernie, along with characters
exclusive to the book series such as the Poky Little Puppy, a distracted
daydreamer with whom I identified deeply as a child. Heck, I still do,
though it’s been quite a while since either of my parents teasingly
called me that.
While such vibrant individuals are wonderful,
much of the charm in Anglund’s children lies in their lack of
specificity. Like sculptor Susan Lordi’s faceless Willow Tree figurines,
they convey universal scenarios like making a new friend or setting up a
lemonade stand, and it’s very easy to imagine oneself or one’s children
in the place of those in the pictures. While a few of her books are
narrative in nature, most are reflective, stating simple sentiments
instead of relating a story. That’s certainly the case with A Child’s Year, so her skill at creating true everykids is especially appreciated.
This
is a very short book containing an introduction of two pages, with the
text in each page set within a golden oval reminiscent of a cameo
necklace, and a one-page conclusion in the same style. The borders vary,
with the intro highlighting the weather particular to the different
seasons and the oval in the conclusion surrounded by symbols, with one
tiny picture representing each month. The bulk of the book, however,
consists of full-blown illustrations focusing on one particular month.
Eight months get two-page spreads, while May, June, July and August have
just one page each. It’s a shame that summer has to get slightly short
shrift, but the pictures are still full of warm, lavish details.
Each
month of the year is printed in all caps in blue lettering. In all but
one case, the month is the first word on the page. Every month has a
sentence or two offering a brief description, and half of these
descriptions contain at least one word in all caps but normal-sized
print. I’m not sure why Anglund considered some words more worthy of
capitalization than others; it’s an odd little inconsistency, but it
doesn’t bother me much. Another slight oddity involves the rhyme scheme.
The intro and conclusion both use an AABB format, as do the months May
through December; May rhymes with June, July rhymes with August and so
forth. However, January and March rhyme, while February and April rhyme.
It works, but it just seems a little odd to switch to ABAB and then
switch back again. Finally, this book is largely driven by weather
phenomena in areas with four distinct seasons. Hence, observations like
January being “cold and snowy” and illustrations like the fiery orange
leaves on the tree in October won’t apply to everyone.
Still,
these are minor complaints, and none is a reason to avoid picking up
this adorable gift book. Each month is completely distinct, whether it’s
the “full of LOVE” February, depicted as a classroom where children are
hard at work making heart-shaped garlands and drawing Valentines; rainy
April, in which two children – one in a shiny yellow rain slicker –
share an umbrella as they pass a duck pond; or November, which finds a
family preparing to bless a Thanksgiving feast, oblivious to the wicked
wind blowing outside the window. Anglund dresses her characters in
old-fashioned garb; the girls wear dresses, even on a sledding
expedition, while the boys look spiffy in suits. Accompanying the humans
in most months are animals of some kind, from dogs and cats to rabbits
and squirrels, and while the children have no discernible mouths, some
of their furry companions do.
A Child’s Year is a
thoroughly charming book that basks in the delights that greet many
children at different times of the year. While not every major holiday
receives recognition, the book alludes to Valentine’s Day, Independence
Day and Mothers’ Day and directly mentions Halloween, Thanksgiving and
Christmas as well as referencing the first day of school. Thus, in
addition to covering changes in nature, it gives a pretty good overview
of American times of celebration. Whether or not the month at hand
features a holiday, the look and tone of each one is so idyllic that I
would be happy to hop into any of the drawings and spend some time
there. If you pick up this tiny treasure, prepare to bask in the wonder
of youth and the realization of how precious each new day truly is.
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