Charley Harper's ABC's and 123's

Categories: Local Interest , Children's Books

My 11-month-old daughter doesn’t like to sit still for story time these days.  Ever the wiggle worm, she squirms nonstop in my lap until I give up reading and put her to bed.  The other night I showed her a board book, Charley Harper's ABC’s, and it held her attention until we made it to the letter R.  Needless to say, I was thrilled.

One of my favorite artists, Cincinnati-based Charley Harper (1922-2007) was best known for his bold, graphic illustrations of nature, especially birds.  His unique style, which he called “minimal realism,” established his reputation as an innovative wildlife artist.  His two posthumous children’s books--ABC’s and 123’s--are a great way to introduce a new generation to Charley Harper’s work.