Virginia Lee Burton: A Life in Art

I've long been a fan of Virginia Lee Burton. "The Little House" is one of my mother's favorite books of all time, and that love has passed down to me. I've also discovered other books by Burton that I hadn't been aware of while growing up - such as "Life Story" and "Song of Robin Hood." Elleman's book has some wonderfully intimate photographs, selections of prints from the Folly Cover Designers and good readings of Burton's classic picture books, all of which are still in print. The only thing about the book that puzzles me is the lack of context. There are a lot of similarities between Burton's designs and the work being done -somewhat earlier -by British artists such as Eric Gill and Eric Ravilious. Also, there is a noticeable overlap in Burton's work with a lot of contemporary art going on in Britain at the time as well. Was this coincidental? Probably not, and I wish the book had put Burton against the tapestry of these artists as well. I don't think it would have diminished Burton's accomplishments but enhanced them. Still, we are lucky to have this book about Burton because it really is a gem and has a place of honor on my shelf as a tribute to a very talented and beloved artist.

This book is one of the most interesting biographies! It bring this wonderful author alive with many anecdotes about the woman who gave us The Little House and Mike Mulligan. She was a complicated person, and Barbara Elleman's writing makes this a page-turner. It's a coffee table book that will be read over and over!