Stories of Wonder: Children's Tales from Around the World

Throughout the ages, children have delighted in folklore and fairy tales. These stories of wonder have been retold around the world in countless versions and remain popular sources of entertainment for audiences young and old. This exhibition features five children’s books from different countries and cultures to celebrate our continual fascination with these endearing tales of courage and adventure. On view is original artwork for stories from Japan, France, Hungary, Denmark, and South Asia: The One-Legged Ghost (illustrated by Fuku Akino and written by Betty Jean Lifton; Atheneum, 1968), The White Rat’s Tale (illustrated by Adrienne Adams and written by Barbara Schiller; Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1967), The Little Cock (illustrated by Joseph Domjan and retold by Jeanne B. Hardendorff; J. B. Lippincott, 1969), Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina (illustrated by Maginel Wright Barney), and Little Cucumber Stem (illustrated by Tony Chen and written by Betsy Bang; Green Willow Books, 1980). Working materials, including woodblock and color separation overlays, are also on display to demonstrate the process of book illustration and twentieth-century printing techniques.

Organized by Nicole Simpson, Assistant Curator of Prints and Drawings