A few weeks ago, we had an ILL request for “Little Town” by Elmer and Berta Haber. Currently, we are the only library that loans out our copy; Nyack’s is only for reference. Maria has subsequently bought a second copy, which will be added to our collection as “Local author–reference.”
I finally have gotten around to reading this totally delightful book that evokes a by-gone error. Published in 1941, “Little Town” is a story of anytown USA. The authors in their introduction state that even though the town they described is situated along a broad river, it might be any one of hundreds of towns in our country. The simple story is about everyday life in a small town. The mostly black and white illustrations follow townsfolk as they go about their everyday activites. I think a young reader would not be interested in this book unless an adult guided him or her through it. Older readers–ages 9 and above–would probably view it as a history of a past time.
What is so extra special about this book is that even though it could be any town, readers who live in our part of the country can definitely pick out locales in Piermont, Palisades, and Nyack. The beautifully water-colored illustration that faces the title page is undeniably “The Hook.”
Reading this special book has sparked my interest in the Haders so I am now reading “Berta and Elmer Hader: A Lifetime of Art.”