Little Golden Books Take Me Back

I loved books before I knew how to read. I’d plunk down on my family’s shaggy grey carpet to thumb through bright pages of animals dressed like people or fairy tale forests full of magical plants and critters. The pictures I saw taught me the world is a beautiful place full of wonderful things, and even though I was small, I belonged. My early love of books didn’t fade as I aged, it grew—I never forgot the books that sparked my love of reading and my enduring curiosity about the world around me. 

Walking into Golden Legacy: Original Art from 80 Years of Golden Books feels a lot like walking into my family’s living room with a good book clutched in my chubby four-year-old fingers. Familiar faces and places line the walls—Tootle still wants to play in the meadow, the Poky Little Puppy still can’t have dessert and the Color Kittens still can’t figure out how to make green (they can’t read the paint cans because they’re cats, of course). 

As fall turns to winter and our gardens go dormant, visitors of all ages will find a warm welcome in Golden Legacy. I invite you to get cozy in our reading nook or practice your powers of observation with a scavenger hunt. Above all, try looking at the world through the eyes of a child and notice how plants and animals are enduring sources of love, wonder and joy. 
 

This article was contributed by Katie Foster, curatorial assistant.