I am a great admirer of the work of Peter Spier, and own several of his picture books, notably,
People, Noah's Ark, Rain, Circus. The Village books were a favorite of my daughters when they
were young. The only one I have left is Food Market, which is a favorite of my granddaughters.
I wrote the publisher once, asking if the series could be republished, but I did not receive a
response. I still think the books are timeless and would be enjoyed!
With the recent election, I have been thinking a lot of his masterful We the People, his illustrated
book of the constitution of the United States of America. Not only is it terrifically illustrated, but so
informative as well.
What I love so much with all of this books is that they are ones a child can pore over, finding
more and more in each illustration. Wordless books, like Rain, are particularly wonderful for
children who are not yet reading.
I knew that he was Dutch, but I had no idea until recently that his entire family were survivors
of the Theresienstadt concentration camp. His stories are always so exuberant and joyful.
For anyone not familiar with his classics, I hope you will have an opportunity to read them.
