Visuals

Harlin Quist: The coolest publisher of children’s books you never heard of

Harlin Quist just might be the coolest publisher of children's books you never heard of. The brainchild of Harlin Bloomquist, Quist published over sixty children's books between 1966-1984. They featured some of the finest European and American authors and illustrators of the day and helped establish the careers of many young artists.  They are unmistakable in design and offered an original, fresh look in childrens' book publishing. Quist had a background in theater and then worked in publishing, first as an editor at Crowell-Collier, then at Dell, where he worked on the first picture paperback books before going out on his own. Here is what some of the...

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Nursery Rhymes + Alcohol = Hickory Daiquiri Dock

In Hickory Daiquiri Dock: Cocktails with a Nursery Rhyme Twist Tim Federle has concocted the ultimate board book for new parents. It features 20 juiced-up nursery rhymes and its rallying cry is Parents Everywhere: Put Down the Rattle ad Pick Up the Shaker!  Do I really need to say anything else? John Junior Jägermeister Schmidt Old Macdonald Had a Flask Mary Had a Little Dram. Hickory Daiquiri Dock: Cocktails with a Nursery Rhyme Twist is published by Running Press and wonderfully illustrated by Eda Kaban.  It is also not the author's first run in with booze and words for his first book...

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Dick Bruna: A sampling of covers

He is best known for creating Miffy, the world's most famous rabbit.  Yes, that's right, the world's most famous rabbit, Not Peter, not Roger... Miffy. He has published over 200 Miffy books to date with almost 90 million sold. The Miffy brand rakes in over $150 million a year. But Miffy is just a slice of the Dick Bruna pie. Bruna is also a titan of Dutch modernist graphic design and has designed and illustrated over 2,000 book covers! You see his father was a publisher and he got to work designing covers and promotional material for the company. Here is a sampling of his amazing...

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