I believe that any classic can be successfully read to a child with the use of the right illustrated version.
My passion for illustration...
…began almost 10 years ago, after first meeting my life partner who introduced me to the limited edition poster/print world, and it didn’t take long before I was hooked! I soon found myself following blogs, standing in lines at Comic Cons and gallery releases, and decorating my home with Laurent Durieux and Ken Taylor and Jonathan Burton and Erica Williams and Tom Whalen and Mike Mitchell and Audrey Pongracz and Zeb Love and Nicole Gustafsson and Peter Diamond and Kevin Wilson and Scott C and the list goes on and on and on! Soon, it became clear to me that my interests seemed to center in two areas: nostalgic 80’s movies, and classic/modern classic children’s books.
Off to See the Wizard by artist Laurent Durieux, for The Gang is all Here exhibition at Bottleneck Gallery 2012. →
When our son was old enough to enjoy chapter books...
…I began reading him The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (my Stepmother’s favorite!), and soon after, The Wind in the Willows (my Mother’s favorite!).
However, not being aware of the wonderfully illustrated versions on the market, the copy of The Wind in the Willows I read to him was sparsely illustrated, and my son had a difficult time following. So I researched and found just the right version, (I chose the Michael Hague version), and found that he had a MUCH easier time following the story.
After that, I began researching any book I intended to read to my son – and had a blast doing so, because there are many gorgeous versions out there to choose from!
←The Wind in the Willows by artist Peter Diamond, for Black Dragon Press x Mondo, 2017
However, finding illustrated version choices out there, isn't always easy...
…as there is no real one stop shop to find them. Researching, I felt a little like the nannies in this print! I found myself wishing there was some website I could go to that shows you various versions of these classics that have made it through the ages and…
…the idea for WaterBearReads came to life!
I hope you enjoy this blog and that it enriches your reading experience with your little ones, or if you are a collector, helps you figure out which versions to buy next. Feel free to post comments below and let me know about your reading experiences – I am looking forward to meeting others out there who share this passion!
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Chat Soon…Heather
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Mary Poppins by artist Jonathan Burton, 2021 →
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Hi Heather, I am new to your site and your You Tube. I simply love the classics especially the Victorian Classics. Thank you for the lovely website too. I live in Orange, New Jersey and my favorite destination in the world is England, all of England.
Hi Yolanda! Sorry for the amount of time it has taken me to respond but somehow, I did not see this message! Thank you so much for visiting this site and my YouTube channel! It is all so new to me right now! New Jersey? Another East-Coaster! Nice to meet you! Yes, England is wonderful, especially for a lover of all things literary. Have a wonderful day!!
Wow Heather you have put a lot of energy and work into this and it is beautiful. Bernard and me are going to see Mary Poppins in Naples, Florida on April 3 at the theatre. Thanks for all your passion and work which shows through her in your blog.
Thank you, Charmayne! It has been a labor of love! Have fun in Naples…seeing Mary Poppins on stage will be amazing I bet!