Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Little Golden Book

by Diane Muldrow

Overview

A humorous "guide to life" for grown-ups! One day, Diane Muldrow, a longtime editor of the iconic Little Golden Books, realized that, despite their whimsical appearance, there was hardly a real-life situation that hadn't been covered in the more than 70-year-old line of children's books—from managing money, to the importance of exercise, to finding contentment in the simplest things. In this age of debt, depression, and diabetes, could we adults use a refresher course in the gentle lessons from these adorable books, she wondered—a "Little Golden guide to life"? Yes, we could! Muldrow's humorous yet practical tips for getting the most out of life ("Don't forget to enjoy your wedding!" "Be a hugger." "Sweatpants are bad for morale."), drawn from more than 60 stories, are paired with delightful images from these best-loved children's books of all time—among them The Poky Little Puppy, Pantaloon, Mister Dog, Nurse Nancy, We Help Mommy, Five Pennies to Spend, and The Little Red Hen. The Golden greats of children's illustration are represented here as well: Richard Scarry, Garth Williams, Eloise Wilkin, J. P. Miller, and Mary Blair, among many others. Sure to bring memories and a smile, this book is a perfect gift for baby boomers, recent grads, lovers of children's literature—or anyone who cherishes the sturdy little books with the shiny cardboard covers and gold foil spines!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780307977618
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	09/24/2013
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	28,704
Product dimensions:	6.88(w) x 8.26(h) x 0.48(d)

About the Author

DIANE MULDROW, editorial director at Golden Books, has written dozens of children's books, including We Planted a Tree, illustrated by Bob Staake. She edited Golden Legacy: How Golden Books Won Children's Hearts, Changed Publishing Forever, and Became an American Icon Along the Way, by Leonard Marcus.

Editorial Reviews

Muldrow, editorial director at Golden Books, pairs vintage illustrations from titles originally published in the 1940s, ’50s, and ’60s with aphorisms designed to boost spirits. Adults (or possibly high school and college graduates) are the primary audience. “Be a romantic,” reads a page illustrated with an image of a prince and princess on horseback from The Blue Book of Fairy Tales (1959); opposite, a delicately illustrated scene from The Paper Doll Wedding (1954) joins the advice, “Don’t forget to enjoy your wedding!” Elsewhere, the river-crossing scene from Richard Scarry’s 1953 version of The Gingerbread Man reminds readers, “Choose your companions wisely.” Readers who grew up with Little Golden Books illustrated by the likes of Mary Blair, Tibor Gergely, and Garth Williams will enjoy this optimistic and cheering trip down memory lane. Ages 12–up. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Publishers Weekly, July 15, 2013:
“Readers who grew up with Little Golden Books…will enjoy this optimistic and cheering trip down memory lane.”

Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2013:
"Chicken soup for fans of Golden Books."

School Library Journal, October 2013:
"A fun and entertaining walk down memory lane... This title will be great for sharing one-on-one with children."

From the Publisher

2013-09-01
Chicken soup for fans of Golden Books, from the line's editorial director. Reasoning that hard times have come to America ("The chickens have come home to roost, and their names are Debt, Depression, and Diabetes"), Muldrow offers this book as palliative. She gathers single illustrations from 61 Little Golden Books and adds pithy captions as anodynes, such as "Don't panic…" (beneath Tibor Gergely's 1948 image of a dismayed child holding detached braids) or "Have some pancakes" (Richard Scarry, 1949). Though some of her advice has a modern inflection ("Don't forget your antioxidants!"), the pictures all come from titles published between 1942 and 1964 and so, despite the great diversity of artistic styles, have a quaint period look. Not to mention quaint period values, from views of apron-wearing housewives and pipe-smoking men (or bears) to, with but two exceptions, an all-white cast of humans. Furthermore, despite the title's implication, the exhortations don't always reflect the original story's lesson or theme; rather than "Make a budget--and stick to it!" the lad in Miriam Young's 5 Pennies To Spend (illustrated by Corinne Malvern, 1955) actually used his hoard to help others in need. Ephemeral--unlike the art here (some of it, at least) and those fondly remembered little books. (Picture book. 12 & up)

Kirkus Reviews

Do you remember the little kitten who was shy, the elephant who was saggy and baggy, the little puppy who poked along, or the nurse named Nancy? Meet these characters and many more in this “Little Golden Book” authored by the longtime editor of the iconic series. This book does an excellent job of reminiscing and showing images from some of the best-loved books of our childhood. In true “Golden Book” fashion, Muldrow presents more than 80 white, glossy pages, including ten double-page spreads, showcasing the beautiful and brilliant artwork used in over sixty original stories. This is a true trip down the memory lanes of the 1940s through 1960s. Uncluttered, beautiful pages have short text of no more than two sentences and more than 15 full-page illustrations. Although not intended as a beginning reader for young children, reading this book one-on-one with a preschooler would be delightful to both reader and listener. Older elementary and secondary school-aged students might use this title as a springboard for creative writing or just to revisit beloved stories. Since the stories come from titles published between over a period of nearly thirty years, a great variety of artistic styles can be seen. The author is a longtime editorial director of the “Golden Books” series who has written many books for children. This title is a good choice for adult educators to share with participants in a variety of settings. Reviewer: Suzanne Javid; Ages 12 up.

Children's Literature - Suzanne Javid

10/01/2013
A fun and entertaining walk down memory lane for anyone who has grown up within the last 60 years or so and had the pleasure of reading and loving a Little Golden Book. The author, the longtime editorial director at Golden Books, has cleverly strung together a collection of images and text from approximately 65 different books into a guide about enjoying life and what's important. This title will be great for sharing one-on-one with children. It's just unfortunate that there is no bibliographic listing of titles.—Renee McGrath, Nassau Library System, NY

School Library Journal