Book Review: Little Toot

As much as I love trawling thrift stores looking for treasures, the fact is that I am actually pitifully, pathetically, and painfully bereft of the thrifting mojo.  But sometimes the thrifting gods (probably just to mess with my brain by instilling a false sense of confidence) smile upon me.  For some people, their benevolence can be realized in a coveted Catalina swimsuit in just the right size, or a pair of lamps with matching, fiberglass shades, or a Heywood-Wakefield side table for under a million dollars.  For me it is found in the uncovering of a childhood favorite.  Imagine my surprise when at the very same thrift store, where a couple of months ago I found a well-loved copy The Little House,  I found a copy of Little Toot.

I will be honest, just like The Little House, I never owned the book Little Toot, which actually made finding the book all the more exciting.  I was introduced to the charming story as one of the animated sequences from Disney's cartoon revue, Melody Time, as sung by The Andrews Sisters. 

Little Toot is the story of a boat who, in his neurotic desire to become the best and most efficient tugboat,  nearly kills two cruise ships full of unsuspecting passengers, myriad dock workers and pedestrians, himself, his father, and potentially, a bevy of marine life as well.  It is the unflinching examination of father-son relationships, betrayal, forgiveness, and redemption.  It explores themes of self-loathing, bullying, depression, alienation, and most importantly, water safety - pretty heavy stuff for a children's book.

The boat in question
Don't be deceived by his cheery expression; this is an
emotionally disturbed tugboat teeming with
psychological troubles, pent-up angst, and unresolved
daddy issues.

Anybody would feel discouraged if all they could muster
 was "a gay, small - toot-toot-toot."

Happy one minute, sad the next, they were going to rework 

the story with trains instead of boats and call it "The Bi-Polar Express."

(Forgive me, my intention is not to make light of depression
or mental illness but that one made me laugh)

Okay, so maybe I was reading a little too much into the story.  Truth be told, Little Toot is an eager tugboat that makes a few mistakes but learns some valuable lessons along the way.  Published in 1939, Little Toot is a solid children's book with amazing, watercolor illustrations.  Here are just a few of the plates from the book.  I think it is cool how consistency was not an issue for Gramatky; as long as the key elements were there, Little Toot was sometimes a cheery, pudgy-faced, button-nosed, line drawing and sometimes he was heavy-browed, awash in color, and had dark, shoe-button eyes.

Papa Toot

The many faces of Little Toot

My favorite illustration in the book
The blue and the red in the water had me searching
for some 3-D glasses!

I love how strongly influenced the animators were by Gramatky's beautifully rendered watercolors.  You'll see that now as you enjoy Little Toot, as interpreted by the fine folks at Disney Studios.  Come on, it's a no-brainer.  The Andrews Sisters, plus Disney, plus a zippy little tug boat - what's not to love?

"Little Toot" (1940)

I know there was a greater power at work when I found Little Toot.  Just the night before, Mary asked me to pick a song at random and sing it and what song do you think I chose?  Hmmmm?  "Won't you ever grow up Little Toot?"  With the forces of the cosmos on my side, I am currently working on a song entitled, "New Car, Free House, and Five Million Dollars."

Cheers!

Mr. Tiny

Book Review: The Little House

I have shared this cartoon before in a post about the art of Mary Blair.  Seriously, it is one of my most favorite cartoons of all time - the art direction of Mary Blair and the vocal talents of Sterling Holloway - how could it be beat?

"The Little House" (1952)

Today, while perusing the book stalls of a thrift store I found it!  In the very back corner, on the very bottom shelf, of the very last stack of books I was looking through, I found a rather time-worn copy of The Little House.  Now I am no bibliophile; I rarely look through the book section while thrifting as I am more intent on finding clothes and housewares.  I like books, but usually my favorites are purely picture-based.  Well, it goes without saying then that I love children's books - especially heavily-illustrated examples from the first part of the 20th Century that inspire my favorite cartoons.

Yes, in this dust jacket-less copy, there are some ink marks, plenty of dog ears, and a sagging binding, but I say, "Let he that is without a sagging binding cast the first stone."  I just couldn't leave behind this sweet 1946 printing of the The Little House.  The author, Virginia Lee Bruce, quite well known for another children's classic, Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel, won The Caldecott Medal for The Little House in 1942 for "The most distinguished American picture book for children."  That's right, Ms. Lee Burton  illustrated the book as well.  In 1952, Walt Disney released the cartoon of the same name.

At some point in it's nearly 70 year life, this book belonged to Tommy.  Here are a few of my favorite pages from The Little House.

"Now the Little House only saw the sun at noon, and didn't see the moon or
stars at all because the lights of the city were too bright.  She didn't like living
in the city.  At night she used to dream of the country and the field of daisies
and the apple trees dancing in the moonlight.

The Little House was very sad and lonely.  Her paint was cracked and dirty...
Her windows were broken and her shutters hung crookedly.  She looked
shabby...though she was just as good a house as ever underneath."

Concept art for "The Little House" - Mary Blair
Notice the product placement - even in the 50's!

"Once again she was lived in and taken care of."

"Never again would she be curious about the city...
Never again would she want to live there...
The stars twinkled above her...
A new moon was coming up...
It was Spring..
and all was quiet and peaceful in the country."

I tend to feel like the Little House; the city is interesting, but I think I would be happiest in the country, surrounded by daisy fields and apple trees.  The Little House definitely inspired the styling that I look for in a home; I love symmetry and a house with a "face."  I've said it before, but my favorite houses are those that look like a child's drawing of a house or at least an illustration from a children's book.

I think my rescuing The Little House directly echoes the storyline.  The Little House "didn't like living in the [thrift store].  At night she used to dream of [Mr. Tiny's house]...Her [spine was] broken and her [cover] hung crookedly.  She looked shabby...though she was just as good a [book] as ever underneath."  Now, "once again she was [read] and taken care of."  Although, Mr. Tiny wouldn't normally end a sentence with a preposition.


Cheers!

Mr. Tiny