The Train That Ate Flowers

25 Children's Book Covers from 1960s Korea

Covers from the hard-to-find book Bound Treasures: Graphic Art in Korean Children's Books of the Mid-20th Century by Lee Ho Baek and Jeong Byung-kyu. Published in 2009 by The National Library for Children and Young Adults and the Art Center for Children's Books at Paju Book City.

A follow-up post will feature covers from the 1950s (here it is)

1966, When the Barley Ripens

The authors of Bound Treasures consider the 1950s and 60s to be the "golden era" in the history of Korean children's books.

1965, Footprints of Water birds

Illustrations by Jeong Jun-yong

"I asked one elderly artist who had worked on a few book covers and illustrations in those days whether he had kept his originals. He did not even recall creating such work. Other artists' responses were the same; among illustrators who had specialized in book art, only one artist whom I spoke with had kept his originals. As a result, the beautiful and imaginative children's book art of that era survives on acidic paper of the poorest quality—the kind used for printing in those impoverished times." (Lee Ho Baek)

1965, A Child From a Mountain Village

Cover by Baek Yeong-su

"Books published only a half century ago are now crumbling to pieces as if they were a thousand years old. Fortunately, Korea's National Library for Children & Young Adults has begun the process of preserving books from this period." (Lee Ho Baek)

1968, The Train That Ate Flowers

"The Romantic expressions displayed in Korean children's book illustrations reflected the perpetual allure of Western art to their creators. Korean artists were especially drawn to Impressionist paintings, and we can surmise that their work was influenced by such paintings." (Lee Ho Baek)

1962, Blue Dreams Are High in the Sky (collection of children's stories)

1962, The Green Ocean, cover by Kim Gwang-bae

1963, The Echo That I Miss

Cover by U Gyeong-hui, illus. by Song Yeong-bang

1964, The Cable Car, cover by Yi Eok-yeong

1966, The Village with a Zelkova Tree

Illustrations by Yi Ju-hun

1960, Stories of Great People

1965, The Story of Broadcast Stations

1966, Wildflowers along the Train Tracks

Cover by Yi Ju-hong

1964, A Child of Goguryeo

Illustrations by O Su-san

1966, The Hunting Dog That Ate a Balloon

Illustrations by Yi Eok-yeong

1961, The Sounds of Coming Spring, cover by Baek Yeong-su

1961, Baby's Eyes

illustrations by Jeong Jeom-sik

1966, The Land Inside an Organ

1962, The Old Lady in the Forest (Brothers Grimm)

1967, When Trees Grow

Cover by Yi Ryung

1960, Mother's Hands (collection of children's book songs)

Illustrations by Kim Seong-hwan

1969, The Face That I Miss

Illustrations by Gang Gyeong-hui

1965, Strawberry Fields

1961, Pleasant Hills (Bible stories)

1964, Mom With Muddy Hands, cover by O Su-san

1966, Wind and Kites (collection of children's songs)

Illustrations by Kim Yeong-deok

"Through this volume, I hope that the pictures found in the children's books of the past will be discovered anew. From there, it is my sincere wish that interest in and affection for them will evolve into a broader dialogue in publishing and academic circles." (Lee Ho Baek)

Previously: Extraordinary early 20th century book covers from Japan