"They became ubiquitous, appearing on Hallmark cards, dolls and ceramics, as Anglund merchandise secured a prominent niche in the collectibles market... Ms. Anglund’s illustrations were particularly distinctive. While the adults in her drawings all displayed fully formed and expressive facial features, the children had none at all, save for those dots for eyes. Ms. Anglund, who used her own children as models, said she had never made a conscious decision to omit her young characters’ mouths and noses. But over time, she said, she realized that unformed, untouched faces better evoked the innocence of childhood. 'I think perhaps I am trying to get down to the essence of a child,' she said, 'not drawing just a particular, realistic child, but instead I think I’m trying to capture the "feeling" of all children, of childhood itself, perhaps.'"
Anglund wrote the line "A bird doesn’t sing because he has an answer, he sings because he has a song" — which Maya Angelou, author of “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” took to quoting.
That caused some people to think Angelou had written it. Among the misinformed was the U.S. Postal Service, which made an Angelou stamp with Anglund's line. Anglund was gracious about it, not that she had much choice in what to say about it. And the association with the much-celebrated Angelou helped Anglund. Who would know that one line of hers without Angelou? [CORRECTION: Originally, I wrote that Anglund’s line inspired the book title.]Speaking of copying, I wonder who first got the idea to draw children with a big blank face and dots for eyes. Where else have I seen that? I thought of Hello Kitty, but Hello Kitty has a nose. And whiskers.
Here's the incredibly popular book from 1958:
३२ टिप्पण्या:
OK, not sayin nuthin.
Just sayin.
I'm sure she'll be cancelled by wide eyed morons...
The line "I know why the caged bird sings" was written by Paul Laurence Dunbar in 1899. Am I the only living human who knows this fact?
The more I learn about Angelou...
an Angelou stamp with Anglund's line
Shades of Wakanda.
Birds sing to claim territory and/or attract mates.
Birds sing to claim territory and/or attract mates.
-----------------
Saw three male cardinals the other day duking it out for territory. Looked like a WWI dogfight. Noisy but not sure what song they were singing, though.
About as cloying as those Kim Casali "Love is..." kids from the '70's.
I have a repulsion to that type of Hallmark Card. Same with Hummel figurines. It's not that I'm adverse to cuteness or an idealized Americana - I do like Norman Rockwell.
It's much easier to identify with a rudimentary cartoon than it is with a representational drawing. This is well known. Anglund stripped out everything that makes a face identifiable except the eyes and a bit of nose. She didn't play fair.
Her cartoons are psychological containers for you to live in.
Ugh.
A writer that wrote something unusual and compelling. Unlike today's whiny bunch.
How does this author's life and works improve the political power of the left? If not, why not? Can't her works or life be interpreted to fit the narrative of ever-increasing political power of the left?
And if we can't help the progressives by shoehorning her into a narrative, what can and will be criticized about her life and works, again solely to demonstrate the power of our progressive totalitarians?
"A bird doesn’t sing because he has an answer, he sings because he has a song."
By gawd, that's fucking profound!
And here am I, a listener of birdsong all these decades, wondering what the question is.
Her work didn't do much for me, but while we're on the subject of children's authors passing let's remember Beverly Cleary, who made "The Pest" a hero for girls and boys alike.
Coming this summer from the Cato Institute, their first children's book: "A State is something that picks your pocket and beats you up."
If I recall Hollie Hobbie was another greeting card character who rarely showed her face
My mother-in-law collected Joan Walsh Anglund items - not just her many books, but Christmas ornaments, stuffed dolls, book-ends. We couldn't give them away in our many estate sales and they are boxed up somewhere - at some point we may sell "the collection" on Etsy.
BTW, when cleaning out my parents house last year, I found my copy of Walsh's "Love Is A Special Way Of Feeling" (pink cover), with note from my Campfire leader. I'm holding on to that in case I am ever blessed with a granddaughter.
OK, I'll say it: Gag a maggot.
My mom had A Friend Is Someone Who Likes You (or at least I always assumed it wasn't my dad's). I thought it was sweet when I was a kid and teen - haven't looked at it in years.
In the same genre: the small statuettes, also sold at Hallmark stores, with faceless people of Lladroesque proportions doing pro-social things like hugging, protecting a child, praying. They never did much for me but the teachers at the preschool I once directed liked them a lot and appreciated them as gifts from parents.
Hallmark Channel movies - also the same genre? The characters are archetypes, the stories anodynes, but they make a lot of people feel good. My father-in-law, a lifelong auto mechanic and tough guy, watches them all the time. They're... relaxing. Comforting. A suggestion that the world isn't actually going to hell.
I'm not going to be the one to tell people they can't enjoy escapist art. Mine is just of a different ilk.
Didn't Beverly Cleary write Make Way for Ducklings? Or am I mixing up two authors?
Nope, Robert McCloskey. What a golden era for children's books represented by Cleary and McCloskey.
Some of George's Country Gent... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uq0aeEYLkIE
She's from a time when children's books were about picking blueberries with your mother, learning how to make friends, and finding your place in your family. Today's children's books are about accepting adult sexual differences, mutilating your body to conform to rigid gender stereotypes, and feeling guilty about things not even your grandparents were guilty of doing. It's no wonder fewer and fewer kids are reading. Good night, Ramona,, Ralph and all those faceless children. Those of us who grew up with them and shared them with our kids are grateful you were here. Maybe future generations will come looking for you again.
I am not familiar with any of Ms. Anglund's work. Ms. Angelou, on the other hand, is unavoidable. I had to read I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings in junior high but never read any of her six other autobiographies.
"Ms. Angelou, on the other hand, is unavoidable."
She is completely avoidable and I have done so.
You have a stronger stomach than me...
My little ones, (3 and 4) love "The Brave Cowboy" and "The Cowboy's Christmas." Both books are sweet, with a gentle sense of humor. All you naysayers are a bunch of old cranks.
Well said, Eleanor. Joan walsh anglund sprang to mind recently. I used to love her illustrations, it was a style that was pretty easy to imitate, as a child, and I was obsessed with it. I thought of her because I recently unpacked a box of children’s books I have saved for my grandchildren. One of her books from my childhood among them. RIP.
Well said, Eleanor and Caroline. These are children's books. If our grumpy guy section doesn't like them it is only because they've had no kids, especially no little girls, to entertain. Or maybe they read aloud the specs for Steve McQueen's Mustang while the little Jasmine, unnoticed, crayoned the walls.
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@Joe Smith:
She is completely avoidable and I have done so.
You have a stronger stomach than me...
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is at least a compelling coming-of-age story, and Angelou did achieve a unique voice in memoir. I was never much interested in her Oprah appearances or lecture circuit output. The person she most reminds me of, and who I more prefer, is Nina Simone.
Born in 1962 here. My sisters and I often received Joan Walsh Anglund books and stationery etc. as little presents. Her images are instantly recognizable. We played a lots of imaginary games, some of which were "house" where we'd make mud pies and so forth (I love the classic "Mud Pies and Other Recipes" with illustrations by Eric Blegvad, another recognizable illustrator from my childhood). I can't say her books inspired those games, but they reinforced them. It's easy to mock the sweet, earnest, and harmless (Mr Rogers was very mockable compared to the sophistication of Sesame Street and the Electric Company).
(More adventurous books and often their illustrations more directly inspired games--but that's another topic.)
Eleanor and Caroline, I agree with you. I had several of her books for my daughters. It was a different time. Sorry guys.
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