Sunday, October 20, 2013

thrift store finds: raspberry patch

I can't tell you much about Grace Paull, except that she was an extremely prolific children's author and illustrator. I found this book (Raspberry Patch) downtown at the Assistance League Thrift Shop for $1. 


The copyright date is 1941, and the illustrations alternate between b&w and color lithographs.


It tells the story of a bright, curious little girl and her mother who go to pick raspberries one July day, and discover various creatures (daddy long-legs, bee, butterfly, grasshopper, etc.) hiding in the bushes. 


I like it for a lot of reasons. The storytelling is sweet and nostalgic, all of the illustrations are nicely composed, and the limited color palette in the color lithographs is all about summer and light and discovery.


Copies are available reasonably priced on Alibris if you'd like a copy of your own. I'm hanging on to this one for now; it feels like a treasure so it must be one, a bit like the leaves and fir cones my kid keeps collecting.

Thanks for reading!

p.s. you can make these photos larger just by clicking on them, but you probably already knew that, clever you!

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3 comments:

The Cottage Market {Andrea} ♥ said...

Love your finds this week...especially the scale! Thanks so much for sharing! : ) hugs...

The Cottage Market {Andrea} ♥ said...

Love love your finds this week...the scale is awesome! Thanks for sharing! hugs...

Wanda said...

Thank you, @Night Garden, so much for posting the pictures and info about the book, "Raspberry Patch"! When I was about 8 years old, I borrowed this book from the school library and loved it. I lost it, and the teach reprimanded and humiliated me. She was angry with me. Then one day, I was called from class to the library. Someone had found the book lying in a mud puddle. I had lost it during my one-mile walk either to or from school.I had to bring $3.00 to pay for it, but then, they let me keep it. I had loved that book and had been sad that it was gone, but now here it was! My teacher glowered at me when I showed it to her. I felt ashamed. I kept the book and loved it and read it remembering when I was very small and my mother really did take me on raspberry picking trips and make pies from our berries. So, it was sad and sweet, too, to have it. I think I got rid of it as a teenager since I was "too old" for it. I have not been able to find a copy all these years since I did not know the exact title or author's name. Now, you posted it, and I recognized the pictures. Thank you for posting this and the link to Alibris. I just ordered a copy! :)