Leo Lionni came to picture books late, in his forties, and brought with him a lifetime of work as a graphic designer and art director. It shows in the best possible way. His collages are bold and spare, his colors confident, and his stories carry more weight than their small size suggests. Frederick, the mouse who collects words and colors while others gather grain, is one of the most quietly radical arguments for the life of the imagination ever made for children. Swimmy, Inch by Inch, A Color of His Own: each one is a small lesson in being different, finding your place, and the particular strength that comes from being exactly who you are. This collection brings together gifts and stationery for families who believe those lessons matter.
