<p>Original artwork, of page 15, for the book <i>Here Comes the Parade,</i> written by Kathryn Jackson with illustrations by Richard Scarry, and published by Simon & Schuster in New York, New York, in 1951.</p>
<p>Better known for his animal characters and the Busytown series, Richard Scarry (1919-1994) was one of the most prolific authors and illustrators of 20th century children’s books. He attended the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston until he was drafted into the army during World War II. After the war, Scarry worked as a freelance artist and contracted with Simon & Schuster to work on the Little Golden Book series. His first illustrations appeared in <i>Two Little Miners,</i> a 1949 story written by Margaret Wise Brown. Scarry’s most popular Little Golden Book was <i>Best Word Book Ever,</i> published in 1963. He published more than 500 children’s books, most depicting animals who took on human characteristics.</p>
<p>In <i>Here Comes the Parade</i>, depicting the beloved Macy's Thanksgiving parade in downtown New York City, Scarry's illustrations are sketched in pencil, colored with gouache and outlined with pen and ink. This annual celebration ushers in the busy Christmas holiday season and Scarry includes a vast array of participants, including a policeman, vendors, performers, bands, spectators and of course the giant balloons. The balloon figures include well-known book characters from <i>The Wizard of Oz,</i> as well as more recent popular TV figures such as Howdy Doody and Mickey Mouse and his friends.</p>
<p>The book’s subject represents one of the basic concepts supported by the progressive education movement, which encouraged literature celebrating the “here and now”—everyday life experiences—and aimed to tell stories about real events.</p>
Location:
Currently not on view
Credit Line:
Gift of Western Publishing Company, Inc. (through Richard Bernstein)
