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.
Dahlov, who had already achieved early success in the art world, had been interested in writing and illustrating children's books. When publisher Willam R. Scott contacted her, she was excited about the opportunity. Scott, new to publishing at the time, had decided to use more modern art for his children's books and wanted to experiment with young artists. He asked Dahlov to do a sample for the Margaret Wise Brown text. She did a sample spread of the boats sailing out to sea followed by the seals and fishes. Scott liked the sample and commissioned her to do the book. "The rest of the book," remembers Dahlov, "was very different from the sample!"
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Margaret Wise Brown wrote more than one 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 pen names, remain favorites of parents and children alike.
EXCERPT “ "Once there was a great big fisherman
and a little fisherman . . . They sailed boats.
Only the big fisherman sailed a big boat
and the little fisherman sailed a little boat."”
