Gallery: Children’s Literature-Related Stamps
I say without shame that I love when people give me ideas for blog posts. Some of my favorite things on this blog have come from someone emailing and saying “Hey, you should do a post about . . .”
Today is a perfect example of this. A couple weeks back, Lisa S. left a comment asking me about the upcoming postage stamp depicting Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree. The like story it depicts, the stamp has proven divisive.
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My opinion? Approval. Should it show the tree? I suppose, but focusing on the boy makes for a simpler design, which I think makes a better stamp. If I’m getting stamps and this one is available, you better believe I’m choosing it.
Side note: I’ve never really talked about my Giving Tree thoughts on this blog. So how about an official stance? Here goes: I’m glad it exists. Do I love the intended (or unintended) “message” of the story? No, but I like that this book is out there in the world for people to love and hate.
This all made me wonder about other children’s literature-related postage stamps.
So today, I bring you all the examples I could find.
*Note* I stuck with United Stated Postal Service stamps. Strictly USPS, baby. Look, I know Quentin Blake (on of my all-time favorite illustrators) is putting out new stamps every other week in the UK, and Japan had some great Eric Carle stamps, but I had to put some limits on things here.
The Snowy Day
Does anyone disapprove of this choice? I ordered the heck out of these things and have been selectively using them ever since. Are you Snowy Day stamp-worthy? That’s what I’ve been asking about every letter I’ve sent since 2017.
Children’s Book Animals
This set came out in 2005 and I like it because it hits a bunch of different books in one shot.
Kadir Nelson
Caldecott Medalist Kadir Nelson has painted a number of USPS stamps, my favorite being his 2019 Marvin Gaye:
Elise Gravel
Wait, these came out in 2021? How the heck did I miss this??? As you would expect with stamps by the ever-creative Elise Gravel, they have an extra feature – accessories along the side you can detach and apply to the monsters.
Floyd Cooper
2022 Caldecott Honor winner Floyd Cooper (RIP) created a Kwanzaa stamp for the USPS.
Dr. Seuss
You knew there had to be some Seuss stamps out there. These came out in 2004.
John Parra
Award-winning illustrator John Parra has also created stamps for the USPS celebrating Latin food.
Rafael Lopez
Children’s book creator Rafael Lopez has created a set that celebrates Latin music legends.
Any children’s literature USPS stamps I missed? Let me know in the comments.
Thank you, Lisa, for the blog post idea.
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About Travis Jonker
Travis Jonker is an elementary school librarian in Michigan. He writes reviews (and the occasional article or two) for School Library Journal and is a member of the 2014 Caldecott committee. You can email Travis at scopenotes@gmail.com, or follow him on Twitter: @100scopenotes.
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Thank you so much for this post! There was a wonderful series about children’s
book classics in 1988, including Little Women:
https://www.mysticstamp.com/Products/United-States/2785-88/USA/
Internationally, there are many more, including wonderful Finnish stamps depicting Tove Jansson’s Moomins:
http://onni.no/amd/finwomen/jansson3.htm
The Giving Tree: divisive, to say the least.
As you can see, one of your selections headlines my blog:
https://imaginaryelevators.blog/
Really, really, really enjoyed your post and seeing all of the previous children’s lit postage stamps. Thank you! Lisa
Emily Schneider-thanks for bringing up those stamps. They are beautiful.
And along with Shel Silverstein there has been some discussion on some of the other stamps, ie. Little House on the Prairie, Tom Sawyer and Theodore Geisel for various reasons.
John Parra!! You missed the John Parra stamps!
http://www.artcenter.edu/connect/dot-magazine/articles/john-parra-mailable-feast-usps.html
I love kidlit stamps and even though I live in Canada, I got a friend to buy me some Snowy Day stamps when they first came out. I’m jealous that you’ve got stamps by Elise Gravel, who is Canadian. Canada Post needs to up their game!
John Parra, Rafael Lopez, and Floyd Cooper have all illustrated stamps too!
Someone mentioned Finnish Moomin stamps but there are also Moomin stamps in Japan.
There’s a Wind in the Willows series in the U.K.
Hi Celia! Thank you! I’ll track down some images and add them to this post.
Thank you so much for this post. I had completely missed the super fun monster stamps illustrated by Elise Gravel and it inspired me to ask at my local PO if they still had them–THEY DID! It happens to be the best li’l’ PO in the nation. Katonah, NY, if you’re wondering.
I wrote a zine piece about children’s books featured on postage stamps years ago! 🙂
I just remembered that the Wind in the Willows stamp is part of a series of U.K. children’s books stamps that includes Alice in Wonderland and Peter Rabbit and Winnie the Pooh. Okay, I’m done obsessing about stamps and children’s books. For now. Ha.
Fun post, thanks Travis. I love using children’s book stamps! Here’s another to add to your list: Rudy Gutierrez’ fabulous Jimi Hendrix stamp.