Kathleen Hale IV

 

This Orlando book by Katherine Hale is very oriental in its inspiration, and extremely surreal as a story. The illustrations are rich and incredible littered with cultural references like the nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle.

Kathleen Hale III

It amazes me how etherial and rare these children's books are now, especially as I owned many of them 20 years ago. Anyway here is: 'Henrietta's Magic Egg' by Kathleen Hale published in1973.

Kathleen Hale II

 

I adored researching this book, I could almost hear Kathleen Hale laughing at the ideas and interpretations that she imagined for 'Henrietta The Faithful Hen' published in 1943. The endpapers alone are genius, and the characterisation of Mrs Fowler as a chicken herself with shadows and silhouette is just the best!

The terrifying threat of debt and landlords is warded of by Henrietta scratching up some treasure.

Kathleen Hale I

Above: Illustrations from 'Orlando The Marmalade Cat, The Camping Holiday'

Kathleen Hale lived to be an amazing 101 years old ! (1898-2000). You can hear her talking here on Desert island Discs in 1996. 

Kathleen lost her father aged only five and her mother supported her family by taking on her former husbands job as a piano sales person. Kathleen, her older sister and brother went to live with relatives, she was encouraged in art at high school and achieved a scholarship to study art at the University of Reading.

'Orlando the Marmalade Cat', and his adventures – were first told to her sons as bedtime stories. The artwork and its reproduction for these stories set a new standard for children’s illustrated books, "A Camping Holiday" and "A Trip Abroad", were accepted for publication in 1938 by Noel Carrington. 

Before publication Kathleen took rudimentary instruction for lithography from 'Cowells printers of Ipswich' and developed the lithographed illustrations herself. 

I have included two biographical plates as I miss these from modern children's books, and it is wonderful to see Kathleen with the original Orlando. 

Below:  Illustrations from 'Orlando The Marmalade Cat, A Trip Abroad'.