Vintage Australiana - Skippy!

This may just be the scariest Little Golden Book I have ever read. Master 6 still won't look at it, and I don't blame him!

Tk, tk, tk - what's that Skip?

Yes, it is pretty bleak even for 1974!

Check out Mikes for more Skippy Australiana from Gemma!





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Vintage illustrations Day 6

Has this meme inspired you to read to your kids more? Get out old books? Remember your childhood? Me Too!!

Visit Meet Me At Mikes to see who else is playing along in this meme, and what they are sharing.

This is a real trip down memory lane for me so far. I smile a lot as I see what others are posting, and I remember the same or similar books.

I have tended to veer away from artistic illustrations and have chosen what I loved as a child, the illustrations, story, feel of the paper, the whole experience. My kids have access to a lot of my old books, and love them, yet are too young to really explain what they love about them.

My son tells me he likes them as Granny read them to him when she was visiting, so just that Mum read them to me, and now to my kids, is really special to me. It's also lovely to think that he thinks of her when he sees certain books.


At the time of the Golden Books, I also had Wonder Books. This was a firm favourite and much-thumbed-through edition about a little girl who loses her shoes but finds lots of others. Miss 2 adores this, and we often read it, then to cries of 'again', 'again', 'again'. I think it's imprinted in my memory now. It's very 1970s in its colour and fashion.

Kiddy nirvana - eyes closed, loving the beach and the freedom of NO SHOES. The inside cover is also a gorgeous collection of colour and life, with story and nursery rhyme depictions.

This is a lovely little story about two little girls meeting for the first time for a 'play-date'.

While the mums drink cups of tea, the girls go for a walk down the lane in their undies, and talk to strangers until the mums come looking for them. Remember those days?! So clearly this is a story from the 1970s when kids had a lot more freedom. Bring on the old days.


Finally, a thrifted book of my son's. I've always loved this page with the sewing paraphenalia, fabrics, and embroidery scissors. Also love the touch of ric-rac in the forground. Super-cute!

I've crammed a lot in, as tomorrow is day 7 and the end of the challenge. I will miss it, so may do one day a week of vintage books just for my own amusement!!


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Day 5 of vintage illustration

Golden Books were a staple of the library we had as kids. These two were firm favourites.

Out of My Window, illustrated by Polly Jackson, shows the 1950s beautifully. Someone has written in the cover under This belongs to: MY NANNY!

The child in the story could be male or female, which means all kids relate to the child. The busy-ness of the street was amazing to me, as hardly anyone drove down our street as kids! I remember looking out the front window, willing some of this street action to come by!

Boy With a Drum has soft and gentle pencil illustrations. The boy walks along drumming, and all kinds of animals follow him. It's beautiful. This is a thrifted copy, I think our original has no cover anymore!

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Vintage Illustrations Day 4 (image heavy)

So many illustrations, not enough days in the week!

I am reminded of some favourites today, just by looking at what the kids wanted read last night!

The simplicity of Dick Bruna


These reprints are circa 1972 although the originals were 1960s, and were loved by my brother and I, and now by my kids. I came across a wooden jigsaw dated 1967 of this bear on the abc at Vinnies for $3, which the kids now love doing as well!


Next comes a book that I apparently used to take to bed, hence its 'loved' appearance.

The Andy Pandy books written by Maria Bird, illustrated by Matvyn Wright. This first in the series is a first edition, 1956. Andy Pandy and The Willow Tree. I love, love, love this book.


I'm squeezing lots in today, as the meme ends at the end of the week. One of the reasons I love it, is that it's part of the Use-What-You-Have side of me that really doesn't think I need to let much else into the house. I like to appreciate things, but I don't have to HAVE them. Have a look at what Consumption Rebellion says on the topic here.

Last one for today is the Ladybird Book Talkabout The Beach. SOMEONE, I've forgotten (do you know?) collects Ladybird books, um, um, can't remember... and I'm sure she has this one. It's compiled by W. Murray and illustrated by Eric Winter, Harry Wingfield, and Martin Aitchison, 1974 (the year I was born!) I do think so many illustrators was a little disconcerting, as some pages were a bit scary, some a bit weird, but here are some faves:

I remember thinking this girl was so lucky to have so many beach toys!

Would love to have these chairs and umbrella now!

Happy beach games - we used to do beach cricket every Summer

We used to love telling our own story with this one, and I still love the glee on the face of the lady as the balloon interrupts her tea! (Ooh - it reminds me of an old library book, The Red Balloon. Anyone have it? I think it was photos only, no words, 1960s.)

Tomorrow will be Golden Books that I loved. I'm sure there are many more at Mum and Dad's!!

Vintage Illustrations Day 2

Flikr groups are a great source of better quality images than my last post - this is c/- comfy & cosy.
Sugar lemon has shared this colourful image.

eliz.avery at flikr gets a thumbs up for this stunning graphic - I want to frame it.


insomniaetcher on flikr gets credit for this image - obviously an old book! No idea of the title though...