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Golden Books recalls times when we were young or when our children and grandchildren listened to the spoken words as they sat close. The company began with a simple idea in 1942, make books that were inexpensive and that taught moral lessons and wrap it with a gold banded spine. The United States entered World War II and many young men were overseas, a sense of calm and family closeness was needed. Golden Legacy: Original Art from 80 Years of Golden Books presently is on view at the Orlando Museum of Art.
The most wonderful visual creators made their careers through illustrating the Golden Books’ stories. Garth Williams, Tibor Gergely, and Feodor Rojankovsky were refuges from the war and among the most prolific artists. Disney Studio alumni, Aurelius Battaglia, Martin Provensen, and Mary Blair, also contributed to the many books published. Two well known as contributors are Richard Scarry and Eloise Wilkin. Today the company continues to create beautiful books with new stories and illustrations that expose children to global diversity like Caldecott winner David Diaz’s illustration of the Inuit and the animals of the Arctic.
Most of us have our own story of a Golden Book. Mine spans many years, from childhood to adulthood. A well-worn book titled the Puff the Blue Kitten was in a small bookshelf at my grandparent’s summer bungalow in Monticello, New York where I spent most summers during my childhood. growing up during the summers in. (I found a YouTube of a woman reading the book!
Later, working in the publishing industry as a designer, I was fortunate achieve an Art Director position at Golden Books, located in Manhattan on the south side of Central Park with great views of the city. My new knowledge about Golden Books really began as an adult and I was excited that archived original work by Richard Scarry and Eloise Wilkin were being scanned to clean up from the damage of years, so they might be republished again.
Similarly, my purchasing neglected homes and homes in neighborhoods that once were vital and now abandoned was a theme that began in 1980, when I bought a building in Jersey City, NJ with five other artists and renovated it for over nine months. Jersey City was a 30 cent, 5-minute ride on the Path, the subway under the Hudson, to New York City. No one wanted to live there at that time, but it had a great legacy and some people, like myself recognized that and now Jersey City is revitalized and new, much like the new Golden Books reaching a new generation of young children who are already versed with a smart phone at age 2!
As a realtor, I see many kinds of first-time home buyers. There is fear with some that keep them from making the leap. There are others that quickly move and then maybe have some fear once they take on the reality of responsibility. Then there are those with vision who can see the path of homeownership as the step toward independence and ultimately financial security. My property in Jersey City has allowed me that independence and financial security. I continued my own legacy of that property by leveraging finances for other homes to revitalize and I am happy that each of the eight homes I renovated was bought by a first-time home buyer.
If you are looking for your own legacy, a home to live in and grow with, a place to leave to your heirs or to a deserving non-profit come speak with me about your dreams and I will help you make it a reality.
