A McCrea-Illustrated Feathursday
We keep with our children’s-book theme for this #Feathersday (our last two were also from children’s books) with Ruth and James McCrea’s The Birds, originally published in New York by Atheneum in 1966. Our copy is the second printing in 1967. Both Ruth (née Pirman, 1921-2016) and James McCrea (1920-2013) were prolific artists, illustrators, designers, and picture book authors. They met as students at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota, Florida and married in 1943 (read Ruth’s obituary for her curious connection to the Ringling Brothers Circus).
The story of The Birds concerns two feathered friends, Mr. Woolsey and Mr. Tootle, who own a fine little boat with “a beautiful umbrella to shade them both from the sun.” After a stroll one day, they discover upon their return that their umbrella is gone. But later it reappears, and the next day it’s gone again. The birds set out to solve the mystery and discover that Archibald Turtle had been borrowing it each day to shield his ailing marigold plant from the sun. What to do? They compromise by bringing Archie and his plant onto the boat with them. The marigold thrives and they all become fast friends. What nice birds!
The book jacket makes special, detailed mention of the “Spartan Binding,” shown in the last image, by H. Wolff Bindery in New York:
Spartan picture book bindings feature side sewing through drill cloth reinforcement, both endpapers, and text pages. The pyroxylin impregnated cloth is washable, damp proof, and soil resistant. The binding is guaranteed to last for the lifetime of the sheets.
After nearly 60 years, the claim holds true.
View another book illustrated by Ruth McCrea.
View more historical children’s books.
View more Feathursday posts.
