I chose these books because i have loved them and do love them all for their own special reasons and feel that the special characteristic that makes each book loved should be addressed because this is the key aspect of its success.
Esta de Fossard wrote 'Monty Mouse look for the adventures' in 1934 in Spanish and the first English translation was printed in 1945. (The photography was done by Haworth Bartram but i am not sure weather he did the compositions). Together Esta and Haworth wrote and illustrated many childrens books in this style. Monty mouse was still a popular book when I was a child (circa 1990). I believe the introduction of modern technology (computer animation/ photoshop) was the death of Monty and reduced the appeal of their style. I acknowledge the questionable ethics and how unsanitary this process is and see that technology in art/illustration is a good thing but Monty has a quality and if digitally produced he would not make for good bed time reading.
Where The Wild Things Are was written by Maurice Sendak in 1963 and the movie of the same name was produced in 2009. Its quality i am not sure of but what ever it is has a longevity, unless perhaps now longevity or history is now its appeal. i chose the bottom page of the above picture because in the movie these characters were given names and the one with the horn (the bad one) is called Judith. I do not have a childhood feeling for this book but the movie delighted me like a child.
Each Peach Pear Plum was first published in 1978 by Janet and Allen Alberg. This is a sweet story that rhymes and has a version of every possible known fairy tail character. The appeal has to be looked at from all ages and readers, this book was a success because i read it because memory plays a role in this book, poems are almost musical and much easier for kids to relay. So for my parents this was a loved book they didn't have to do the reading, and being read so fluidly meant they got to go to bed sooner.
Hairy Maclary From Donalson's Dairy was written by Lynley Dodd in 1983. Like Esta de Fossard, Lynled Dodd has kept the same style of front cover and font, her books are very distinctive and even her drawing style is still similar. And like Where The Wild Things Are she also has some sort of longevity, although i am suspicious that her longevity remains in Australia and New Zealand. (harris' bible theory)
Above is a picture from a book called I Will Always Love You, written and illustrated by Hans Wilhelm in 1985 this was my favorite book as a child and happens to be first published the year i was born. I still love this book, not because of the illustrations but how it makes me feel it's happy and sad and it's real.
This page is from a book titled Six Dinner Sid, written by Inga Moore in 1990.
This is a garage sale find of mine it is multiple pictures from a book called 'Rockanimals' written by Vlasta van Kamper and illustrated by Irenr C. Eugen in 1991. I thought to ask if the child was sure he wanted to throw it out because i know i sometimes miss books from my childhood that at one point i felt i was to old for. This book i have only read with the hindsight of age and some parts of the illustrations are very over the top but on the other that's very attractive to a child and maybe what 'I Will Always Love You' is missing. Maybe a great childrens book needs everything.