A World of Picture Books Comes to Life
We love learning about cool new inspiring programs for kids- hoping they will spark ideas in more places!
This $15 Million project started in Kansas City, by a husband and wife artist duo, Pete Cowdin and Deb Pettid, former owners of a children’s bookstore. They made a wish list of books, including those from “Every ethnicity. Every gender. Every publisher”. And set to work getting permissions, eventially gaining rights to create worlds from over 70 titles. (not all were receptive). “A lot of people think a children’s bookstore is very cute,” Pettid said. “They have a small mind for children’s culture. That’s why we had to buy this building.”
They have a kitchen for “Blueberries for Sal”. A flying several-thousand-pound dragon for “My Father’s Dragon”. In the great green room from “Goodnight Moon,” you can pick up an old-fashioned phone and hear the illustrator’s son reading the story. “We had 100 different footprints of the museum before we locked everything in,” Deb explains. Visitors slid down the pole in “The Fire Cat,” slithered into the gullet of the boa constrictor in “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and lounged in a faux bubble bath in “Harry the Dirty Dog.” There are plenty of familiar faces — Madeline, Strega Nona, Babar — but just as many new ones.
They have over 3,000 books in the entrance, and all the titles scattered around the museum are available for purchase at the Lucky Rabbit.
For $2 million, they bought the factory from Robert Riccardi, an architect. Little by little, chugging along like “The Little Engine That Could,” they raised $15 million and assembled a board who embraced their vision and commitment to Kansas City.
Book Lists
A list of some of the books featured in the museum include: (count these are new library books for family readings!)
Unexpected Perspectives
Last Stop on Market Street, Written by Matt de la Peña and Illustrated by Christian Robinson
Anatole Written by Eve Titus and Illustrated by Paul Galdone
Bread and Jam for Frances, Written by Russell Hoban and Illustrated by Lillian Hoban
Frog and Toad Together, Written and Illustrated by Arnold Lobel
Frederick, Written and Illustrated by Leo Lionni
In and Out of Days and Weeks
I Want My Hat Back, Written and Illustrated by Jon Klassen
Harry the Dirty Dog, Written by Gene Zion and Illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham
May I Bring a Friend?, Written by Beatrice Schenk de Regniers and Illustrated by Beni Montresor
Caps for Sale, Written and Illustrated by Esphyr Slobodkina
I Am a Bunny, Written by Ole Risom and Illustrated by Richard Scarry
Mostly Happy Endings
Meanwhile..., Written and Illustrated by Jules Feiffer
Crow Boy, Written and Illustrated by Taro Yashima
My Father's Dragon, Written by Ruth Stiles Gannett and Illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett
Where the Sidewalk Ends, Written and Illustrated by Shel Silverstein
Current Exhibits
Anatole written by Eve Titus and illustrated by Paul Galdone
Babar the King written and illustrated by Jean De Brunhoff
Beautiful Blackbird written and illustrated by Ashley Bryan
Blueberries for Sal written and illustrated by Robert McCloskey
Bread and Jam for Frances and other Frances books written by Russell Hoban and illustrated by Lillian Hoban
Caps for Sale written and illustrated by Esphyr Slobodkina
Captain Underpants written and illustrated by Dav Pilkey
Crow Boy written and illustrated by Taro Yashima
Curious George written and illustrated by Margret and H.A. Rey
Everybody Needs a Rock written by Byrd Baylor and illustrated by Peter Parnall
Find the Constellations written and illustrated by H. A. Rey
The Fire Cat written and illustrated by Esther Averill
Flower, Moon, Snow written and illustrated by Kazue Mizumura
Fortunately written and illustrated by Remy Charlip
Frederick and other works written and illustrated by Leo Lionni
Frog and Toad are Friends and other works written and illustrated by Arnold Lobel
Gladiola Garden written by Effie Lee Newsome and illustrated by Mailou Jones
The Funny Thing written and illustrated by Wanda Gág
Good Dog Carl written and illustrated by Alexandra Day
Goodnight Moon written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd
The Happy Day written by Ruth Krauss and illustrated by Marc Simont
Harry the Dirty Dog written by Gene Zion and illustrated by Margaret Bloy Graham
Hooray for Me! written by Remy Charlip and Lillian Moore and illustrated by Vera B. Williams
I am a Bunny written by Ole Risom and illustrated by Richard Scarry
I Want My Hat Back written and illustrated by Jon Klassen
Katy No-Pocket written by Emmy Payne and illustrated by H.A. Rey
Last Stop on Market Street written by Matt de la Peña and illustrated by Christian Robinson
Little Toot written and illustrated by Hardie Gramatky
Madeline written and illustrated by Ludwig Bemelmans
May I Bring a Friend? written by Beatirce Schenk de Regniers and illustrated by Beni Montressor
Meanwhile written and illustrated by Jules Feiffer
Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters written and illustrated by John Steptoe
My Father's Dragon written by Ruth Stiles Gannett and illustrated by Ruth Chrisman Gannett
Perez and Martina written by Pura Belpré and illustrated by Carlos Sanchez
Petunia written and illustrated by Roger Duvoisin
Robert the Rose Horse written by Joan Heilbroner and illustrated by P.D. Eastman
Runaway Bunny written by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Clement Hurd
Sam and the Tigers written by Julius Lester and illustrated by Jerry Pinkney
Stevie written and illustrated by John Steptoe
The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith
The Story of Jumping Mouse written and illustrated by John Steptoe
Strega Nona written and illustrated by Tomie dePaola
Tawny Scrawny Lion written by Kathryn Jackson and illustrated by Gustav Tenggren
The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig written by Eugene Trivizas and illustrated by Helen Oxenbury
Tooth-Gnasher Superflash written and illustrated by Daniel Pinkwater
When Will the World Be Mine? written by Miriam Jean Schlein and illustrated by Jean Charlot
Where the Sidewalk Ends written and illustrated by Shel Silverstein
The Zabajaba Jungle written and illustrated by William Steig
Zen Shorts written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth
