BOOKS: "This is the very newest kind of cracker factory."

Design*sponge is one of my favourite design blogs, and it was there that I first read about illustrator and pattern designer Julia Rothman, as well as about one of her side projects: a blog called Book By Its Cover, where she shares some of her favourite illustrated books.

It's a varied collection, combining the beautiful with the retro with the bizarre, organized into several categories. Not surprisingly I gravitated toward the children's stories. I'm glad I did. If it weren't for Rothman's site, I never would have known that Toni Morrison wrote a kids' story called The Big Box -- "about three children who have to live in a big brown box with a door with three locks because the adults think they 'can't handle their freedom'." -- which I think I may have to pick up.


I also wouldn't have learned that J.Otto Seibold, author of the modern classic Olive the Other Reindeer, has written a gorgeously twisted-looking pop-up version of Alice in Wonderland. Also now on my must-get list, especially now that I've tested Sam with other pop-up books and so far he's shown no propensity to tear out every protruding page element.


And finally, if I hadn't visited Rothman's site, I never would have seen this illustration from the book The Lollypop Factory. Finally, we get to see where Millhouse's dad works!