Little Fisherman [CLOTH ]

Once there was a great big fisherman and a little fisherman. . . They sailed boats. So begins the classic story by Margaret Wise Brown and illustrated by Dahlov Ipcar. The book, now condensed into a beautiful board book version, follows the two fisherman through a day in their life at sea, the big fisherman with his big boat, big fish, and big sailors, and the little fisherman with his little boat, little fish, little sailorsand a big story. The Little Fisherman is a milestone in the illustrious career of the legendary Dahlov Ipcar. The Little Fisherman, originally published in 1945, was the very first children's book illustrated by the then-twenty-eight-year-old artist. The book, with its authentic coastal scenes, helped establish her distinctive style and ignited a four-decade creative run that saw her write and illustrate more than thirty children's books, all from a studio overlooking her farm on Georgetown Island, Maine. The fact that Ipcar's first book was also written by Margaret Wise Brown only adds to its importance in the world of children's literature.Margaret Wise Brown, born in 1910, wrote more than a hundred children's books, including the beloved classics Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. She is credited with developing the \ here and now\ philosophy of writing for children: She believed children would become more engaged in a story when it was about everyday life they could relate to rather than fantasies or fairy tales. Brown often wrote at her island home, \ The Only House\ on Vinalhaven, Maine. Her Caldecott Medal-winning book, The Little Island, was based on her Maine retreat. Brown's prolific career was cut short at the age of forty-two, when she died from complications following surgery. More than fifty years later, her books, some written under various pen names, remain favorites of parents and children alike.Dahlov Ipcar came to love Maine while growing up in the 1920s, spending many summers along the coast with her parents, the famlÃ/