constructivist, dadaist, and futurist experimental typography. Picture books
were usually composed of classical book types that were rarely integrated
into the art. Even an avant-garde masterpiece like Bruno Munari’s
Alfabeteire(Giulio Einaudi, editor, 1960 ), with illustrations that are dada-
like collages of “found” letters, the sans-serif body text is discretely set apart
from the images.
Yet certain anomalies did influence the field:Funny Folks from
Gardentown(Whitman, 1938 ) by Tony Fraioli sidestepped typographic
convention with quirky hand-drawn letterforms that complemented his
witty anthropomorphic drawings of fruits and vegetables set against black
backgrounds (which, incidentally, librarians considered lugubrious). Hand-
drawn letterforms subsequently became more common (although black
backgrounds have not). Cursive lettering for The Story of Babar, the Little
Elephant( 1933 ) was once criticized for being inaccessible to young readers
who were unable to decipher script. Yet referring to this and even earlier
cursive books dating back to the late nineteenth century, James Fraser
suggested that “brighter children tried to puzzle it out or asked adults to
help with difficult words until they got it.” Over time, handwriting became
a common means to teach script. Typewriter type, another un-childlike
letterform, was associated with the adult world until Typewriter Town(E. F.
Dutton, 1960 ) by William Jay Smith, a playful experiment using the
typewriter characters to create images. Influenced by Lewis Carroll’s
mouse’s tail, it was also consistent with contemporary typewritten concrete
poetry for adults. In Little 1(Harcourt Brace, 1962 ) by Paul and Ann Rand,
typewriter type was boldly used to complement the improvisational collages
and rhythmic text. As an integral part of the book’s visual personality it also
made typewriter type more acceptable.
From the 1950 s to the 1980 s children’s book design was largely
overshadowed by developments in children’s book art. Even books by
progressive artists Maurice Sendak, Tomi Ungerer, and Leo Lionni did not
unhinge typographic convention. “Typography should be seen and not
heard, because reading is functional and should not be tampered with,” said
Lionni, whose more than forty books are set only in Century Schoolbook.
He insisted that the defining element of a picture book is the picture, not
the type. “The picture is the story, the type conveys the narrative.” Yet this
began to change in the late 1980 s when type design became more integral
to the entire children’s book as the author/illustrator became more of an
active participant in the design process and the computer forced the
widespread reevaluation of typographic principles in all print media. In the
late 1970 s, experimental typography gave adult-oriented print
communications more playful veneers; constructivist, futurist, and dadaist
tuis.
(Tuis.)
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