Mrs. Easter and the Storks

Mrs. Easter and the Storks
V.H. Drummond ~ A. S. Barnes and Company, 1959

So when I mentioned the fabulous Flickr book jacket set from the Faber and Faber archives last week, I also mentioned this book, and of course, since it was fabulous and there were birds, I had to hit eBay right away. Our first read was last night, and the cover did not disappoint.

For a picture book, it's pretty epic. I won't get too deep into the plot but it's basically about a lady and her nephew, a pair of storks who are in love, a thieving zoo superintendent, a ride upon an ocean liner (and a stork), a king, a bottle of bird reviver and some serious nest building. Oh, and a beak that glows.

"Today you have brought me great happiness," he said, looking up at Sally and Sam who had just finished their nest.

"It is pleasant for a King to have a stork's nest on his palace roof. But to have a stork with a luminous beak is really delightful. Think how pleased my people will be when they see this beautiful light brightening our city."

The faces on Drummond's characters are so expressive, with their wee little smirks, and for some reason, I've built this image of her in my mind crouched over a drafting table in dim light scratching them out with her pen. Marvelous!

The always amazing NYR Children's Collection did a reprint of a book Drummond illustrated but didn't write called Carbonel: The King of Cats, but as far as I know that's the only one of his that's currently in print.



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