Yesterday I came across a delightful set of children's books created in the late 1950s/early 1960s that could awaken wonder and resolve in any child to see the world. They were done by a Czech illustrator, a native of Prague, named Miroslav Sasek. The books are being reissued.
Besides the whimsical illustrations, the text introduces children to great figures from history such as Christopher Wren or Napoleon. The books celebrates people, architecture, and things as everyday as lamp posts or transport tickets. I appreciated how he communicated through his text that a child would want to know who all these people were and also, would want to observe and celebrate differences in cultures. These books talk "up" intellectually to a child in a way I'm not sure today's books always do.
I could not find a "This is Prague." Does anyone know if one exists?
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