We Learn to Play (Part 1)

Published in 1954 by Encyclopedia Britannica, the stunningly exuberant We Learn to Play was perhaps the best gosh-darn book Hank Ketcham never drew.

Sure, the inside credits read "Illustrations by Hank Ketcham." But the inside credits lie! As you and I can plainly see, the visuals bear the unmistakable stamp of a certain ubiquitous workaholic ghost we know as Mr. Al Wiseman.

The book was pretty much an instruction manual for stumped parents seeking constructive new ways to keep their kids entertained. I'd imagine the tots would be suitably entertained just peering at the exceptional images filling the pages of this volume. It's obvious that Al was having a great time coming up with inventive ways to illustrate the various games and activities described in the text. And by keeping with a limited color-scheme and often letting those colors define the borders of objects, Al was able to tap into his masterful sense of design (which was often overshadowed by his skill with detail).

In fact, of all the non-Dennis projects Al worked on in his long career, this is one of my favorites. Check out the cover! Why, it's wonderfully simple and infectiously joyful:



Now here's the back cover:
Above: Yay! Silhouettes!

Above: Sure, some blogs show you covers. And others may show you back-covers. But how many show you spines?