Exhibitions

Black is beautiful, uh-huh!

Long ago, Blackbird was voted the most beautiful bird in the forest. The other birds, who were colored red, yellow, blue, and green, were so envious that they begged Blackbird to paint their feathers with a touch of black so they could be beautiful too. Although Black-bird warns them that true beauty comes from within, the other birds persist and soon each is given a ring of black around their neck or a dot of black on their wings--markings that detail birds to this very day.

Maira Kalman + Dogs = Bliss

Dogs have lessons for us all. In Beloved Dog, renowned artist and author Maira Kalman illuminates our cherished companions as only she can. From the dogs lovingly illustrated in her acclaimed children's books to the real-life pets who inspire her still, Kalman's Beloved Dog is joyful, beautifully illustrated, and, as always, deeply philosophical.

Here is Max Stravinsky, the dog poet of Oh-La-La (Max in Love)-fame, and her own Irish Wheaton Pete (almost named Einstein, until he revealed himself to be "clearly no Einstein"), who also made an appearance in the delightful What Pete Ate: From A to Z. And of course, there is Boganch, Kalman's in-laws' "big black slobbering Hungarian Beast." And that's just the beginning.

With humor and intelligence, Kalman gives voice to the dogs she adores, noting that they are constant reminders that life reveals the best of itself when we live fully in the moment and extend unconditional love. "And it is very true," she writes, "that the most tender, complicated, most generous part of our being blossoms without any effort, when it comes to the love of a dog."

By Grace Glueck and The Eric Carle Museum

Exhibition catalog with essay by Grace Glueck. 72 pages, color. Includes an exclusive DVD documentary,Beyond Books. This DVD documentary, available only through the catalog, provides a revealing look at Eric Carle, his influences, and his process as an artist deeply committed to exploration and craft. Set in his Massachusetts Studio, the film is an extended and personal conversation with Carle, an artist renowned for his picture books, about the often times whimsical independent art that he has been creating for himself, his family, and his friends for more than 60 years. Viewers will learn about his training as a graphic artist and get a personal tour of his studio to see specific works, including abstract tissue paper collage, costume design, and glass sculpture. A perfect companion to the catalog of the same name, this film is a must-see for anyone seeking a complete picture of the artist that has influenced generations of children. Produced by documentary filmmaker Kate Geis. Running time: Approx. 15 minutes

"It is with great excitement that we finally swing open the doors on Carle's studio through Beyond Books: The Independent Art of Eric Carle. As Grace Glueck, former art news editor and critic for The New York Times, writes so tellingly in her essay for this catalog, this exhibition reveals the full range of Carle's talents and imagination, his influences and his experience, giving us all a chance to better understand the man who has been one of the most influential illustrators of our age." -- From catalog introduction by Alexandra Kennedy, Executive Director

How many shades of blue are there?

There's the soft blue of a baby's cherished blanket, the ocean blue of a romp in the waves, the chilly blue of a cold winter's walk in the snow, and the true blue of the bond that exists between children and animals.

In this simple, sumptuously illustrated companion to Caldecott Honor Book Green, award-winning artist Laura Vaccaro Seeger turns her attention to the ways in which color evokes emotion, and in doing so tells the story of one special and enduring friendship.

Kuplink, kuplank, kuplunk! Sal and her mother a picking blueberries to can for the winter. But when Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill, she discovers a mama bear preparing for her own long winter. Meanwhile Sal's mother is being followed by a small bear with a big appetite for berries! Will each mother go home with the right little one?

With its expressive line drawings and charming story, Blueberries for Sal has won readers' hearts since its first publication in 1948.

The adventures of a little girl and a baby bear while hunting for blueberries with their mothers one bright summer day. All the color and flavor of the sea and pine-covered Maine countryside.--School Library Journal, starred review.

100% cotton crew-neck t-shirt, printed with water-based ink.  Color is Daisy Yellow. Features image from Robert McCloskey's Blueberries for Sal. Pair with the book for a perfect gift!

Greeting card with an illustration from the children's picture book "Hector Fox and the Giant Quest" (written and illustrated by Astrid Sheckels). Each card is created on eco-friendly glossy paper.

• Size: A2 - 4 1/4" x 5 1/2" (when folded).
• Blank inside.
• Packaged in clear cello bag.

Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney present a poignant, blues-infused tribute to the men and women of the Montgomery bus boycott, who refused to give up until they got justice. Color and movement are vibrant components in this extraordinary book about Rosa Parks's efforts to take down Jim Crow. (School Library Journal starred review)

Rosa Parks took a stand by keeping her seat on the bus. When she was arrested for it, her supporters protested by refusing to ride. Soon a community of thousands was coming together to help one another get where they needed to go. Some started taxis, some rode bikes, but they all walked and walked.

With dogged feet. With dog-tired feet. With boycott feet. With boycott blues.

And, after 382 days of walking, they walked Jim Crow right out of town. . . .

This story begins with shoes.
This story is all for true.
This story walks. And walks. And walks.
To the blues.

The moving poetry and the art, with thick, swirling ink lines on bright washes in red, blue, purple, and green, express the dramatic confrontations and the inspiring history. Great for reading aloud. (Booklist starred review)

Read aloud and breathe along with this sweet story teaching children how to navigate powerful emotions like anger, fear, sadness, confusion, anxiety, and loneliness. With rhythmic writing and engaging illustrations, Breathing Makes It Better guides children to breathe through their feelings and find calm with recurring cues to stop and take a breath. Simple guided practices, like imagining you are a tree blowing in the wind, follow each story to teach children how to apply mindfulness techniques when they need them the most.

Since the publication of his classic Outside Over There in 1981, Maurice Sendak's book illustrations have focused on interpreting the texts of such authors as James Marshall, Tony Kushner, Wilhelm Grimm, Ruth Krauss, Herman Melville, and Mother Goose. And beginning in 1980, with his sets and costumes for The Magic Flute, Sendak launched a busy second career as the designer of stage productions of opera and ballet. Now comes Bumble-Ardy, the first book he has written as well as illustrated in thirty years.

Bumble-Ardy has evolved from an animated segment for Sesame Street to a glorious picture book about a mischievous pig who reaches the age of nine without ever having a birthday party. But all that changes when Bumble-Ardy throws a party for himself and invites all his friends, leading to a wild masquerade that quickly gets out of hand.

In this highly anticipated picture book, Sendak once again explores the exuberance of young children and the unshakable love between parent (in this case, an aunt) and child.