Chronicle Books Blog

In 1956, Paul Rand illustrated and designed the first of four smart and charming children’s books, written by his wife Ann Rand. He left no detail overlooked. Chronicle reissued Little 1 and Sparkle and Spin, and I Know a Lot of Things (coming soon!).

Paul Rand is best known for his logos and ‘60s corporate identity. But in his children’s books, he really gets to play—embracing controlled chaos, using bright and, at times, neon colors, and never abandoning the typographical legacy of Moholy-Nagy.

It’s not hard to see why designers love these books—regardless of whether kids are in the picture. Even the strictest typography zealots or Massimo Vignelli characters (watch Helvetica, the movie) should be able to enjoy the playful typography and beautiful compositions.

Coming across one of these books is a bit like an architect finding a dollhouse designed by Rem Koolhaus or Frank Gehry. It’s liberating. You can take one home, admire it, and maybe even play a little.

The Italian designer and illustrator Bruno Munari also wrote and designed children’s books, creating a perfect marriage between typography and illustration that is a celebration of both.

Okay, okay, I might be a sucker for children’s books. I love New Yorker illustrator Istvan Banyai’s The Other Side so much that one year I gave it to twenty people. And if I’m ever in a need of a smile (or en route to babysitting), I’ll dig out my J. Otto Seibold books (and no, I don’t have kids). What I really love is opening these design-y children’s books to find Paul Rand’s or Bruni Munari’s insanely cool typography. Who doesn’t love Futura on tilted lines, or a big, bold Bodoni in all caps?

Suzanne LaGasa
Designer

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