Little women grow up

This large format illustrated version of Andersen's Thumbelina was published in 1978.

It was created by Nicole Claveloux, a French artist that I am planning to feature again soon

on Animalarium. I love this book for its unusual structure, which alternates pages of text

with spreads packed with sequences of small illustrations that can be visually read in  

a variety of ways.

The illustrations are beautiful and funny, and the abundance of details on each spread

is very appealing to children and visually oriented adults like me.

But I love this version also for its feminist ending, in which Thumbelina refuses to marry the King of Flowers

choosing instead a life of freedom and travels in the company of her swallow friend.

Click on the photos to view them at full size!

Sunday Safari - Pique-Nique

 Alfred Bestall, 1936, from the book Children's book covers

Days are getting shorter, but it's still warm and sunny in Florence.

Let's spend some time outdoors before the cold sets in...

 Molly Brett, thanks to Shelley Davies

 Laurent de Brunhoff, Captain Serafina, 1963, via Curio Books

 Sophie Blackall

 Brigette Barrager

Princesse Camcam

 Bruno Salamone, Dejeuner-sur-l'herbe

Kazuo Iwamura via Children's Illustration

 Jill Barklem, Spring Story - A Birthday Surprise for Wilfred

 Campfire by Pipapiep

Paul Colin, Cinzano

Lisa Evans

Martina Badstuber, thanks to Maral Sassouni

Sunday Safari - Better Homes & Gardens

Else Wenz-Viëtor, illustration from Hochzeit Im Walde, 1921, thanks to Arthur van Kruining


It's September again, a year since I posted Animalarium's first collection of animal houses,
and I am in the mood for more dream homes! I hope you are too...

Felix Lorioux, illustration from Fables De La Fontaine via the Hollywood Animation Archive

Miss Prickles from Bobby Bear's Annual, 1949, thanks to moonflygirl

Maginel Wright, thanks to Japonisme

 Romain Simon, illustration from Bravo tortue, 1950, thanks to micky the pixel 

Margaret Bloy Graham, illustration from The meanest squirrel I ever met, 1962,

via Curio Books

 Garth Williams, illustration from Three little animals, 1956, thanks to Sweet Juniper!

Russell and Lillian Hoban, illustration from The Mole Family's Christmas, 1969,

thanks to Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves

Adelchi Galloni, illustration from La caccia alla tigre, 1975

Jean de Brunhoff, illustration from Babar and Zephir, 1937

George Mendoza, two illustrations from House by Mouse, thanks to raincloud and bijou kaleidoscope

Jill Barklem, illustration from Spring Story - A Birthday Surprise for Wilfred

Agata Dudek, illustration from The Crows of Pearblossom

Daria Tessler at Animal Sleep Stories

Sunday Safari - Mothering

Kazumasa Nagai, 1993

My beloved puppies in 1992: Alice and Michelle holding newborn Julia

Pablo Amargo

Poster by Shino Suefusa

Diana Sudyka

Victor Dubrovsky, Sheep

Brian Wildsmith, illustration from Die Reise nach Bethlehem

Jacques Hnidzovsky, Wolverine, terracotta, 1951

Annegert Fuchshuber, two ilustrations from Zwei und Mehr

Leia Bell, He reminded of my two year old in so many ways

Lisa Congdon, Giraffes

Thanks to art.crazed's great collection of vintage children's books

A very happy day to all mothers and their children!