"The exhibition, Noel Carrington - Nothing Need be Ugly, at The Higgins Bedford, marks the 85th anniversary of the publication of the first Puffin Picture books in December 1940." www.bbc.com/news/article...

Bookalikes

Bookalikes

Artist John Alvin (1948-2008) was born on this day. Bibliography: www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.c... L, 1984; R, 1992 #scifi #sciencefiction #books #art #artist

We’re excited to see what #wicked has in store for us in its next instalment this weekend! But did you know, our Wizard of Oz collection comprises around 800 volumes, of which above is just a snippet?! We love these text illustrations by W.W. Denslow for “The New Wizard of Oz”, L. Frank Baum. 🧙‍♀️ 🪄 🧹

Spider Robinson (1948-) was born on this day. Bibliography: www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.c... L, James Warhola, 1987; R, Chris Foss, 1986 #scifi #sciencefiction #books

Anthony Burgess sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/burges... and CS Lewis sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/lewis_... died on this day, so here are some of their book covers (Artist: 1&2 [couldn't identify], 3 Kinuko Y Craft, 4 B Cowell [probably]):

Welcome to our three-part series on book rebinding, where Library of Congress advanced book conservation interns Brittany and Devon will take you through all the steps of rebinding a book from the Library's Thomas Jefferson Library Collection. Stay tuned for parts two and three!

This week, we step into the enchanted world of Edda and the Oak, written by Elia W. Peattie & illustrated by Katharine Merrill. Published in 1911, this magical tale brings together nature, mystery, and quiet wonder beneath the branches of an ancient oak. Melissa, DCLA 🍄 tinyurl.com/3a3639h8

It would have been artist Martin Aitchison’s birthday this week (b.1919 - d. 2016) Here are some of his books for Ladybird

Via @retroculturati.bsky.social on Facebook. retroculturati.com/2025/11/20/e...

Exciting new acquisition for RBML's Margaret Armstrong holdings: Western Wild Flowers (1915), which Armstrong researched, wrote, illustrated, & designed the cover. This copy has a bookplate indicating that its owner (Elena R. Goodwin) received the book as a Christmas gift in 1916.

BBD&PA - British Book Awards www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=...

Louis Golding sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/goldin... Björn Kurtén sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/kurten... and Neil Shapiro sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/shapir... were born on this day: some artwork (Artist: 1 Lynd Ward, 2 (presumably Lynd Ward, 3&4 [couldn't identify]). 2nd from Golding's "The Pursuer":

Penguin spotting. Love those vintage Penguins! #vintagepenguin #bookcovers #bookcoverdesign www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=...

Book Guts AND Fabric Swatches?! 🥰 #ThingsInBooks #Textiles 1/2

Monocle on 3 independent publishers with distinctive cover designs monocle.com/culture/char...

BBD&PA - British Book Awards www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=...

Did you know that Burns Library has a copy of Dracula translated into Irish? This 1933 volume was translated by Seán Ó Cuirrín and features cover art by Dublin born artist Austin Malloy. Want to look at it yourself? Visit us!

This book from our Ornithology Library collection seems very fitting as birds migrate from the UK to warmer climes. The travels of Birds (1916) by Frank M. Chapman. ⬆️Learn more about our collections and how to visit us via the link in our bio. #NaturalHistoryMuseum #ModernCollections #Shelfie

The books on our shelves tell the history of publishing as well as the history of natural history. We love these three Pelican books, held in our Zoology Library, Penguin books’ second imprint after their main series first launched in 1937. Animal camouflage (1946)

Today’s #FragmentFriday is from the binding of LJS 470, which is a 16th century Italian collection, written in Hebrew, of medical and magical texts. The fragments are deep in the spine, and haven’t been cataloged or identified. Can you tell what this is? #medievalsky 🔗: https://bit.ly/43GkrIS

Sunday plans: The Black Teapot, Georges Emile Lebacq.

The final article on my findings in the noted #agathachristie cover artist Tom Adams is now live on my website. Lots of unique insights incl. the fact that he used a photograph of #elizabethtaylor to inspire one of his covers. #coverart Full story at: www.collectingchristie.com/post/tom-ada...

The original cover of Kenneth Grahame’s ‘Wind in the Willows’ (1908), designed by W. Graham Robertson. Robertson knew Oscar Wilde and John Singer Sargent, who painted his portrait twice. Peter Hunt’s research suggests Robertson shared a house with Kenneth Grahame at the time.

De vereniging Vrienden van de #KB, de nationale bibliotheek in Den Haag, heeft een uniek exemplaar van de roman #Psyche door Louis #Couperus aan de KB geschonken. Het boek is gebonden in een unieke handgemaakte band. Zie www.kb.nl/nieuws/vrien...

the fairies are thought to be ”small,” maybe others are simply large. #bookwormsat #booksky The Microscopic Ones by Leo Brett. 1960, cover art by Ed Valigursky.

J. G. Ballard (1930-2009) was born on this day. Bibliography: www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.c... L, Chris Foss, 1978; R, James Marsh, 1985 #scifi #sciencefiction #books

William Hope Hodgson (1877-1918) was born on this day. Bibliography: www.isfdb.org/cgi-bin/ea.c... L, Frank Utpatel, 1947; R, Ed Emshwiller, 1962 #scifi #fantasy #books #sciencefiction

At The Higgins Bedford 15 November - 28 June 2026 Wixamtree and Connections Gallery - Free Entry www.thehigginsbedford.org.uk/Exhibitions/...

"A new exhibition will shine a light on an "unsung hero" of publishing who is credited with helping shape children's reading through the 20th Century." www.bbc.com/news/article...

Cat Rambo sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/rambo_... was born and Saki sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/saki died on this day, so here's some related artwork (Artist: couldn't identify 1&2, 3rd Richard Decker, 4th Hall Thorpe). 3rd from 'The Golden Book' January 1931, a reprint of "Tobermory":

Toadally Autumn As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, it feels like the perfect time to wander into the timeless world of The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame, illustrated by Michael Hague. tinyurl.com/4jzukwxh —Melissa, Distinctive Collections Library Assistant

I intended yesterday to mow the lawn one last time but it started raining so I went to the bookstore and found some good used books to bring home. Curious, the two 1970s books use the exact same typeface on the cover.

A wonderfully elaborate binding for Mrs Elizabeth Colles, from the early seventeenth century. It contains three linguistic works, including Thomas Thomas’s Dictionary (Cambridge, 1610). @theulspeccoll.bsky.social Rel.d.61.2. #herbook

2025 DBUK Bookbinding Competition View all the winning books by clicking on the link below designerbookbinders.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Just time for a little bibliotourism before flying home.

Gurbuz Dogan Eksioglu www.facebook.com/gurbuz.eksio...

Designs and illustrations by John Alcorn via @50WattsDotCom 50watts.com/John-Alcorn-...

Ladybird book in the Spotlight. Underwater Exploration, 1967. (Particularly haunting illustrations) Artist: B Knight

Nice gilt centrepiece, on a copy of Giovanni Botero’s ‘Relations, of the most famous kingdoms and commonweales thorough the world’ (London, 1616). From the library of Thomas Knyvett (1539-1616), High Sheriff of Norfolk & now @theulspeccoll.bsky.social O.9.41.

Graphik – Werbung + Formgebung, 04, 1958 Cover illustration by Paul Rand. (From the picture book: “I know a lot of things” by Ann and Paul Rand. designreviewed.com/artefacts/gr... #paulrand #illustration #graphicdesign

Everybody loves a workshop tour! Here's Teodora Poiata's studio #bookbinding #craft #handmade #studio #workshop

We all have our favourite Frankenstein's monster and the Farrow and Ball tester pot pottery elegance of Del Toro's version was startling and wonderful but... I still have a soft spot for the disgusted weargrizzly gracing the cover of my 1961 Everyman paperback edition.

Caroline Johnson, contemporary UK fine artist #WomensArt