The pronoun "we" is used with a kind of careless impunity at various places within this site. In fact, like the Wizard of OZ, I am a solitary man hidden behind a curtain projecting images on a screen, the screen of your computer.
I have collected children's illustrated books for over 40 years. It all started when my father, an ex-dance-band leader, later in radio, bought me my first OZ book for christmas. Others in the series followed and John R. Neill's wonderfully effervescent lines were etched forever in my imagination. Many years later the parents of one of my students, learning of my hobby, gave me a pair of original Neill drawings done on cardboard for TicTok of Oz. That was the beginning of my collection of original illustrator art. Now, past my career as a schoolmaster but still enchanted with the world of childhood I seek to share my love of picture books with others like you.
I started this site with 600 picture books twelve years ago. That collection has grown without prudent regard for the economics involved. It is the failing of many book dealers, I have learned, that the love of acquisition outpaces entrepreneurial opportunity. My encounters with other collectors more than reward me, however. What was once a hoard has become a banquet attended by others.
The worlds of childhood have been for me a lifelong fascination. I have no talent as an artist but I have written about children and childhood for many years and two years ago wrote, with the guidance of a fourth grade class, my first children's adventure story. "The Starlight Medallions" is now in the affectionate hands of a New York agent. With a little luck it might appear in your local bookstore by Christmas 2009. I have also, since retiring, done quite a lot of photography. If you buy a book here and would like one of my prints thrown in, you have only to ask. I am happy to share them.
I hope you enjoy this site. I have had enormous pleasure in creating it. I recommend for those of you over 60 who fear that your brain has lost not only its table of contents but many of its pages, that you learn the new language of the internet. It's called HTML which means Happy Times May Last. (Some people say it means Hyper Text Markup Language but that is pretty unimaginative.) Please make yourself at home here. Share your observations if you are inclined. Point out missspellings by all means. And come back often.
Frank Wallace