Many Moons
It may seem odd that someone, such as myself, who holds Thurber’s work in the highest of the highest regard would not have a complete collection of his books. Although the Spill library does have all of Thurber’s books (published in the United States) it has always troubled me that I never got around to acquiring a hard cover copy of his 1943 children’s book, Many Moons. For decades, a 1971 paperback copy has been placed horizontally atop the Thurber collection, like a back bencher, waiting to be called into the game. The call has finally come, but not for the paperback. I recently acquired a well-worn, but soon-to-be-cared-for early edition of Many Moons. The paperback, having served well, will enter into the Thurber paperback collection.
One reason why an early edition of Many Moons escaped purchase has to do with the art; the book was not illustrated by Thurber but by Louis Slobodokin (pictured here…the photo from this website). Using an outside illustrator would happen again in later years with other Thurber children’s books). Mr. Slobodokin’s drawings are lovely (he won a Caldecott for Many Moons), but they’re not Thurber drawings, and thus my sluggishness about finding a hardcover.
What finally encouraged me to go beyond the paperback Many Moons was seeing the below photo that appears on this terrif Thurber website administered by Michael Rosen. I love looking at photos of books on shelves (I also love walking through library stacks, browsing at titles, but that’s another story). It’s a real treat when folks post their book collections on social media.
If you look at this photo, you’ll see multiple copies of Many Moons on the top shelf. What inspired me to hunt down a hardcover copy was the lettering on the spine of the book. Yes, I fell for Mr. Slobodkin’s typography.
James Thurber’s entry on the Spill’s A-Z:
James Thurber Born, Columbus, Ohio, December 8, 1894. Died 1961, New York City. New Yorker work: 1927 -1961, with several pieces run posthumously. According to the New Yorker’s legendary editor, William Shawn, “In the early days, a small company of writers, artists, and editors — E.B. White, James Thurber, Peter Arno, and Katharine White among them — did more to make the magazine what it is than can be measured.”
Key cartoon collection: The Seal in the Bedroom and Other Predicaments (Harper & Bros., 1932). Key anthology (writings & drawings): The Thurber Carnival (Harper & Row, 1945). There have been a number of Thurber biographies. Burton Bernstein’s Thurber (Dodd, Mead, 1975) and Harrison Kinney’s James Thurber: His Life and Times (Henry Holt & Co., 1995) are essential. Website
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–note: the scan of Many Moons shown above is not the copy acquired for the Spill; that copy has yet to arrive. The image shown was found online.
I have a soft spot for louis Slobodkin. I have a great memory of my 2nd grade teacher reading us “Marshmallow Ghosts” for Halloween. In 6th grade I read his “Spaceship Under The Apple Tree” series. I always pick up his books when I see them and have passed them on to my boys. I’m pretty sure “Many Moons” was one that I’ve passed on to them.