50 Years of a Children's Book Classic

Do you remember Amelia Bedelia?  She hasn't gone anywhere, but it's been 50 years now since the ditzy housekeeper first made kids laugh with her literal interpretations and misunderstandings.  This year Amelia is getting a series of chapter books and Fritz Siebel's original illustrations grace the cover of a new 50th anniversary edition of the first Amelia Bedelia picture book. 

It's been a long time since I read Amelia and I got such a wave of nostalgia at the wacky things she does with the best of intentions (remember when she "dresses the chicken" in little pants?) and the black and white illustrations with their green accents.  I love to see how books come together, especially the classics.  Check out these exclusive pages from illustrator Fritz Siebel 's dummy book--he taped pieces of the manuscript to each page and drew the image in watercolor and ink.  You can see how old it is by the yellowed tape and typewriter text--I bet the pages still smell like libraries and thick paper.