Another Childhood Mystery Solved

Kids don't pay close attention to every book they come across. When I was young my grandmother had a couple children's picture books here and there, but they were always odd little easy readers. Sam and the Firefly and other P.D. Eastman-inspired fits of lunacy. And one book I remember with crystal clarity involved feeding a fish too much food with over-the-top results. Hold a gun to my head and I couldn't tell you the name of it, but I remembered so many of the crazy details here and there.

Well consider the mystery solved. My head no longer has to be blown off its hinges. The Children's Picturebook Price Guide recently published a piece where they compared A Fish Out of Water by Helen Palmer (illustrated by P.D. Eastman, the sneaky bastard) to the little seen Dr. Seuss tale published ONLY in the June 1950 Redbook magazine, Gustav the Goldfish.

Anywho, check out the very cool before and after comparisons between the two. It really is worth looking at.

Thanks to Children's Illustration for the link.

It's Like Those Highlights Magazine Pages Where You'd Spot the Differences

You may remember a post I did back in October on The Conversion of Richard Scarry from un-P.C. vagabond to morally acceptable fellow.

This, however, was not an isolated case. As you can see on the Wee Wonderfuls blog, someone else has found an interesting selection of before and after. And again, it's that old codger, Mr. Scarry, stirring up trouble again. Check out how his book Cars and Trucks changed between the 50s and the 70s.

Doesn't Dad look all jaunty in his straw hat? And say what you will for the 70s, I'm just impressed that there's a picture of a guy with a baby. It's not like it's the most common thing in picture books today, after all.

Thanks to Children's Illustration for the link.