Current Exhibitions
IN THE East Gallery
Out of the Box: The Graphic Novel Comes of Age
The graphic novel is arguably the single most exciting new development in illustrated literature for children and teens in a generation. As pioneers of a rapidly evolving art form, graphic novelists continue to explore the vast middle ground between the picture book and text-only narrative. Out of the Box examines the graphic novel’s coming of age through a close look at ten poignant coming-of-age stories by Vera Brosgol, Catia Chien, Geoffrey Hayes, Gene Luen Yang, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Hope Larson, Matt Phelan, David Small, Raina Telgemeier, and Sara Varon. An illustrated catalogue, with an essay by curator Leonard S. Marcus, will be published.
This exhibition is made possible with generous support from Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group and Scholastic, Inc.
Exhibition design by Katie Craig.
IN THE West Gallery
The Very Hungry Caterpillar Turns 50
This exhibition celebrates The Very Hungry Caterpillar, from its humble origins to one of the most iconic children’s books of all time. Published in 1969, the first edition was produced in Japan since printers in the U.S. could not affordably carry out the complex project of die-cut holes and irregularly-sized pages. With it, Carle transformed the traditional picture book into an interactive object, “a book you can play with, a toy you can read.”
A copy of The Very Hungry Caterpillar is sold somewhere in the world every thirty seconds! It has been translated into 62 languages, most recently Mongolian. Over the years, Carle has come to realize that his story is one of hope. “Like the caterpillar,” says Carle, “children will grow up and spread their wings.”
This exhibition is made possible through the generous support of the Hsin-Yi Foundation, with additional support from Penguin Young Readers.
Exhibition design by Katie Craig.
IN THE Central Gallery
Illustrated Owls: A Who’s Hoo from the Museum’s Vault
Nocturnal birds of prey, owls have figured in world cultures throughout history, from Greek mythology to Harry Potter’s Hedwig. Artists and writers have long been drawn to owls as symbols of wisdom, envoys to the spirit world, or as harbingers of misfortune. Selected from The Carle’s storage vault, Illustrated Owls features, among others, Garth Williams’s Children’s Book Week poster from 1955, Ezra Jack Keats’s lithograph from Zoo Where Are You? (1964), Maurice Sendak’s lithograph from A Kiss for Little Bear (1971), José Areugo and Ariane Dewey’s watercolor from Owliver (1974), Barry Moser’s resingrave print from The Pennyroyal Caxton Edition of the Holy Bible (1999), and numerous E. H. Shepard illustrations of Owl, Pooh, Tigger, and other friends in the Hundred Acre Wood.
Exhibition design by Katie Craig.
IN THE Reading Library
All: A Look into LGBTQ Representation in Picture Books
An exhibition of digital reproductions
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) representations in picture books work to build empathy while reinforcing the validity of different identities. All: A Look into LGBTQ Representation in Picture Books explores illustrations of love, identity, discrimination, validation, and families.
Curated by Chandra Boudreau, 2018 Trinkett Clark Intern
