Who doesn't love Charlotte's Web? And who doesn't love Garth Williams' illustrations? It seems like it would be impossible to improve upon the original, but the collector's edition tries to do just that. The enhancements in this publication are not dramatic, but they are perfect for a family read-aloud edition.
The first thing that I love about this edition is that it's hardback (of course) and oversized. You can see the comparison of the two with my old pocket-sized, paperback edition below:
Sadly, the collector's edition is out of print. But it was easy to find a used copy online for only $4! (Insert happy dance here!) Since the dust cover has seen better days I simply removed it and was very pleased to see the golden spider web engraved on the hardcover.
It's the perfect detail to represent the story and that spider detailing continues as you open the book.
The other thing I love about the Collector's Edition is the illustrations have been colorized. Now, I know that there are some purists out there who may be opposed to this change to the original sketches, but when it comes to reading a book as a family I believe that having color is a nice addition and my kids all readily agree.
The colorization was done by author and illustrator, Rosemary Wells, and she took great care to keep the color simple and true to the style of Williams' sketches. I think she did a wonderful job!
I also love that the type and illustration placement is identical to the original. It keeps the history and authenticity of the book in place while still making it special.
It pulls my heartstrings just looking at these illustrations. I think I need to read this one to my kids again... right this moment!
0 comments:
Post a Comment