Why did so many mid-century designers make children's books? (2022)

https://eyeondesign.aiga.org/why-did-so-many-mid-century-designers-make-childrens-books/

by apollinaire • 2 years ago

108 42 2 years ago

eyeondesign.aiga.org

Apocryphon• 2 years ago

Fun and an idea for Jony Ive. These days there definitely seems to be a trend of celebrities- Hollywood actors, professional athletes, politicians and political activists who publish children’s books. Usually without the memorable artfulness of The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

gazook89• 2 years ago

I find that the celebrity children's books are on average, terrible. There are some bright spots, like BJ Novak's "The book with no pictures". The worst is probably Jimmy Fallon's books, though. Truly awful.

I assume many are ghost-written, but maybe more of them should be.

illwrks5• 2 years ago

The book with no pictures is great. As a parent though, it’s all about the performance of the adult when reading it to a child. I remember my kid was in fits of giggles every night when it was read :D

xeonmc• 2 years ago

The one by Samuel L. Jackson is pretty nice, though.

ggm• 2 years ago

Not just designers: Scientists too. JBS Haldane wrote "my friend Mr Leakey"

JusticeJuice• 2 years ago

I think another reason why this was common for mid-century designers, was at that time being a “designer” was much less specialised and general in terms of the type of output. A lot of famous designers did graphic design, typography, illustration, architecture, furniture, clothing, films, jewellery etc. For example, the creative powerhouse Ray and Charles Eames, or most members of the Bauhaus did so much stuff - now days we’d label it “multi-disciplinary”, but back then it was just being a designer.

In that environment it makes sense a lot of creative people would think, well I’ve made so many other types of things, why not also kids books.

I appreciate the hyper-specialisation of design today, as it acknowledges that outputs require very specific skills, but I think it can also lead to an industry that limits people, boxing them into specific career paths.

m463• 2 years ago

If you ever decide to make a device or a game for yourself, you will find out you quickly become a multi-displinary autodidact. (self taught/bumbling jack of all trades)

for example, people who set up their own home automation, can quickly become a high and low voltage electrician, an event driven programmer, a firmware engineer and more...

If you have kids or are an aunt/uncle you might write a book. Also, you don't have to write as many words a day, and your "customers/proofreaders" can give you unvarnished feedback.

msephton• 2 years ago

There are exact parallels in game design, theatre, etc. The specialism was required to scale up to larger productions. There are still people (like me) that are multi disciplinary, but that's quite a rarity.

chiph• 2 years ago

Yes, the Eames were much more than furniture designers (often for Herman Miller) - they also made films like the famous "Powers of Ten"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fKBhvDjuy0

User232• 2 years ago

With rare unsustainable exceptions, the bottom of the population pyramid will always be the largest demographic. Thus it’s no surprise that astute creators would target it.

bazoom422• 2 years ago

Childrens books are targeted a pretty narrow age group compared to books for adults though.

User232• 2 years ago

It's not the children who are paying.

readyplayernull• 2 years ago

Marketing (sales+psychology) specialization triggered by... Disney? After all Walt Disney remixed folklore, pushed on worldwide translations, triggering Anime and other styles, ie. McDonalds pivot. People saw there was money in selling "for" children, as they brought money then also "to" children. And now children are specialized into other categories: babies, toddlers, and so on.

conductr• 2 years ago

Were they parents too? In my experience, the act of parenting and reading a crap ton of children books made me start thinking of stories and “book ideas”. You also end up having to find ways to explain all kinds of things to a toddler audience. It could be complex or simple, but it’s what a lot of kids books are. Why to brush your teeth, why to share your toys, or some other educational lesson. I had a different book idea every week when my kid was in the toddler age range. I’m sure if I was a creative person, I’m sure I would have executed on some of those ideas.

My best friend from grade school is artistic and he actually did write, illustrate and self publish a book via Amazon basically because of this same reason, parenting put this product in his hands as an adult with the skills to execute.

culebron21• 2 years ago

Parenting made me remember drawing skills that I had. I had drawn several record books of comics up until 6th grade, then kept drawing a little bit of cartoonish characters up until graduating from high school, and then it vanished from life. My skills are crude, but enough to draw some simple story with animal characters. Turns out, other adults around can't draw anything -- my when my wife draws, the son can't tell a cow from a pig, lol.

Apart from that, parenting indeed shows that your secondary skills are important -- any DIY is fascinating for kids.

the_mitsuhiko• 2 years ago

There is a German author called Marc-Uwe-Kling. He writes hilarious stories for adults. Sure enough when he got kids he started writing children books too. (Which incidentally are also hilarious and my son loves them)

It feels very natural that you try to apply your skills for your kids too.

illwrks5• 2 years ago

I’m a designer and also a parent, when you start reading children’s books to your child you realise how many bad stories there are, they can be empty, with bad writing etc.

Once you find a good author you stick with them, perhaps back then there were less and so they took it upon themselves to create them. My favourite’designer’ book is little blue and little yellow by Leo Leoni (I think), it’s basic colour theory, so simple and easily conveyed.

I’d also recommend anything picture books by Julia Donaldson and Alex Schafer (the Gruffalo). They are great for 2/3+. My child is 11 now and refuses to donate them, she loves them so much.

andyjohnson0• 2 years ago

when you start reading children’s books to your child you realise how many bad stories there are, they can be empty, with bad writing etc.

I'm also a parent, although my children are rather older, and I agree with you. Books for young children are a massive sector - perhaps because parents (often) want to expose their children to books, and parents and children seek novelty (albeit for different reasons). But there just aren't that many good children's authors, and the recent trend for celebrities to write children's books just floods even more filler into the space. A poor book can be a bedtime disappointment.

To your great suggestions I'd add Judith Kerr (the Mog books) and Lynley Dodd (Hairy Maclary, Slinky Malinki). Its been a decade or more but I can still recite quite a lot of Hairy Maclary and Zachary Quack from memory.

criddell• 2 years ago

A signal we used when picking out books for our kids was to avoid any book that had a silver foil medal on the cover announcing it had won the Newbery or some other award. These books often had an eat-your-vegetables vibe about them. They were books adults thought kids should like but rarely were ones that our kids would go back to again and again.

loevborg• 2 years ago

I couldn't agree more. More than 90% of the children's books you find in a bookshop (in Germany at least, but I imagine it's similar elsewhere) are terrible: terrible writing, badly rhymed, cheap computer-aided illustrations, facile educational content that no-one needs, etc

On the other hand, when you find good authors like Leo Lionni (start with Frederick), it's amazing because it's as much fun for the parents as it is for the kids.

Other wonderful authors include Toni Ungerer (The Three Robbers). Any other recommendations?

Balgair• 2 years ago

Aside: We're scientists so all of our friends got us multiple copies of those Chris Ferrie "Quantum/aerospace/chemistry/etc for Babies" books.

Do not be like our friends.

His books are terrible for babies. They're more like books for dumb undergrads, if that makes sense. In that, he has a series of pages with only a purple circle on it and a short sentence (for example). Like, no baby out there just wants to look at a purple circle and have their parent tell them that this circle has different words on the page. They just see a purple circle. Works fine for the first or second read through. But after that, like, every kid is bored of it. The parents are bored of it. Like for real, just put more stuff on the page than the simple .ppt diagrams. At least a shadow of the thing. Put some monkeys or giraffes, some plant life, hide a ladybug. Anything but only a purple circle for three pages.

The Sandra Boynton books are great for kids though. Easy to riff off and make little songs and dance numbers. Get those for babies.

throwway1203852• 2 years ago

Yeah Sandra Boynton is pretty amazing. Our son loves them.

A lot of people who don't have children or who haven't spent a lot of time with one think "oh yeah we'll just make some subject I'm interested in approachable." And don't even get me started on the books that rich and famous people produce that are absolute garbage for children. I'm reading to my son, Jimmy Fallon. You forgot your audience.

Suppafly3• 2 years ago

His books are terrible for babies. They're more like books for dumb undergrads, if that makes sense.

Yeah, I never assumed those books were actually for babies. I kinda thought they were a joke.

I also get Sandra Boynton books for people when they have babies. They are a great way to encourage a love of reading and they are fun to read to your kids.

wodenokoto• 2 years ago

My reflective, dismissive answer is “because it was fashionable”. But that’s not a good or satisfying answer.

Today we see a lot of celebrities write children’s books even though they have no real pedigree to do so.

Maybe they think it’s easier than “a real book”? Or maybe they think it’ll actually get read? Or maybe it holds a different level of street credibility? Or does it feel like a way to influence a generation?

Which makes me circle back and ask, why children’s books?

illwrks5• 2 years ago

I imagine the celebs are likely being paid for their name and that’s about it. I would question if the book is actually good, or if it only has a market because of the association with them.

To your closing question, new parents are biased to their own experience and media consumption habits, if a celebrity or influencer has enough of a following then there’s likely a person with a produce to sell looking to have a partnership with them for that exposure. Imagine all the kids growing up online in the past 8 years, they will have kids in 15-20 years, imagine Mr Beast or PewDiePie promoting his own kids books in 15 years to their markets.

amiga386• 2 years ago

I think it's that 1) the cost of entry is minimal 2) should it become a hit, the rewards are great and 3) already being a person of renown means you'll be allowed to try. Your competitors (unknown illustrators and writers) are kept out by the book industry unless their work speaks for itself.

There are a lot of children in the world, and they like books, and their parents buy a lot of them. Children like both novelty (so new market entrants always have a chance) and familiarity (so if your book is a hit, it'll sell continuously for years and there'll be demands for sequels, TV series, live action film, toys, etc)

Have you ever wondered why celebrities also launch perfumes, clothing lines, pasta sauces, actresses launch a singing career and vice-versa? The celebrity has run a gauntlet of vying for attention and has already won; having some iota of Star Power, they can command some attention and persuade the public to buy some things. That is lucrative and thats what marketers are looking for.

It reminds me of an old article that was a step-by-step guide to a career as a voiceover artist. Step 1 was "become a celebrity with a distinctive voice (admittedly this is the hard part)", step 2 was "accept the offers and turn up at the recording studio, make sure there's plenty of room in your wallet"

klez• 2 years ago

Off-topic, but have you noticed the website has a screensaver? I find it a nice touch.

crabbone• 2 years ago

(For the background, my major, the first time I went to college was in book illustration, and the second time around it was graphic design renamed "visual communication".)

There's really no mystery here... and children have very little to do with it. In the world of book design, books for children are the kind that allows for the most creative approach, less constrained by expectations of the adult / professional world, and it's not going to turn into many-years project. So, in terms of how someone studies book design, it usually goes like this:

* the first year project is a book for children (I went with some folk fairy-tales, was pretty boring in the end)

* second year project it's a technical illustration book (I made a book about ballroom dancing, with the hallmark being feet-positions diagrams, was pretty lame)

* third year--something with difficult layout, like a play or encyclopedia (obviously, you don't make the whole book, just a few spreads) (for the life of me I cannot remember the project, I think it had to do with gothic dresses... maybe a history book about it)

* fourth year is something artistic (it's typical for this year for students to take on various kinds of printing, so the books would usually be made with woodcut / screen-printing / lithography / mezzo- or aquatint etc.), mostly for the benefit of showcasing the prints and less so to do any actual book design. (I made a series of woodcut illustrations for Moscow-Petushki by Venedikt Yerofeyev, was, actually, pretty decent, unlike the other three).

* And then the last year students choose whatever they want for their final project (I didn't graduate, but this would be often the case when students were already working in the industry, so they'd just bring the projects they worked on in their day jobs. Alternatively, some would choose to go down a more artistic line, and so won't make actual books, but something that had something to do with books, like again, a set of prints, or even just paintings. One guy, who in his final year transferred to art academy (from the printing academy) hand-made a Bible with a very interesting cover that was made in the shape of two hands pressed together as if for a prayer, for some reason that project was shown to the students year after year since he left.)

So, in conclusion: a children's book is the least demanding (in terms of technical knowledge about how to make books), and has the most opportunity to draw / paint / print. It's kind of like choosing acrylic over watercolors or oil paint: it's just easier to work with, fewer rules to follow, fewer expectations. So, for an artist, who isn't particularly skilled as a book designer, it's a natural choice (no artist would naturally choose a phone index as their first book!)

* * *

Oh, and to understand why books of all things... well, you need to first consider how different visual artists see each other. The only "true" artists are the painters, if you choose graphics, then you'd be labeled "colorblind", if you choose sculpture, you'd be labeled "blind", and history of art students are those who don't know how to draw and cannot learn. In this context, designers are the artists willing to compromise their artistic integrity for the crumbs falling off the rich people's table. Usually, this is because design work is done on a contract, with more or less assured payment, whereas most other artistic activities have very uncertain monetary reward (and usually none whatsoever).

Children books are good contracts in terms of time investment to pay ratio. They also don't require a lot of (if any) skill in making the product which is used by the art side to piggyback on (compare to, for example, designing furniture or buildings).

illwrks5• 2 years ago

This is great, to add on to that, publishers are always looking for new content - there’s a print house somewhere right now printing the latest new story.

detourdog• 2 years ago

I think the article missed the biggest influence on design pre-bauhaus and Walter Gropius was Friedrich Froebel and his inspiration for Kindergarten.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Fröbel

https://sproutsschools.com/froebels-kindergarten-the-origins...

m3nu• 2 years ago

Also got into making children's books with AI. Midjourney mostly. Has been fun, but my son is running out of ideas. Good thing chatgpt is fairly creative, once you give it the right persona.

throw4847285• 2 years ago

Shoutout to M. Sasek of the "This is..." series.

vessenes• 2 years ago

Pretty sure the lede got buried: Carle sold 50mm copies. What other design discipline holds out a possible return like that? Generally the designer works as hourly or project labor, not owner.

Also they are really fun to illustrate and design. Powerful combo.

ANewFormation• 2 years ago

Isn't fertility a simple economic explanation?

With high fertility rates each successive generation is a multiple larger than the one before it, and then again on endlessly.

And schools, nurseries, and every other centure would also be exponentially growing - even pediatricians and their reliable stack of baby books.

Basically it would just be a huge market with massive potential reach, and one that would be growing constantly, and with basically 0 barriers to entry.

mongol• 2 years ago

Money. I am sure it is pretty lucrative. Childrens books and cookbooks are typical gifts. You can't really go wrong giving a child a book.

Suppafly3• 2 years ago

Money. I am sure it is pretty lucrative.

And even if it's not the barrier to entry is so much lower. It's actually hard to write a decent adult's book, it's pretty easy to slap together a crappy children's book and you still have a chance that a few people will buy the children's book.

Why did so many mid-century designers make children's books? (2022)

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