These Photos Of Vintage Children’s Books Are Pure Magic

Classic children’s stories resonate with us because they sparked a curiosity in our youth for reading that continues to this day. Titles like Alice in Wonderland, Black Beauty, and Nancy Drew delight seasoned readers who grew up with these books.

Photographer Ellen Cantor has carried around her own books that her mother read to her and she now reads them to her own children. Carefully preserved, these books are now featured in her photography project titled Prior Pleasures.

The images are the result of superimposing multiple photos of the same book over each other, creating a sense of dynamism that give the viewer a feel for what it would be like to read each book. The result is nothing short of pure magic.

Ellen Cantor is exploring themes like time and memory in her pieces and, in particular, how we hold onto our memories. You might get a wave of nostalgia overload from looking at these beautiful and moving photos of vintage children’s books. Here are some of the beautiful books from her photo series Prior Pleasures.

1. Alice in Wonderland

Cantor captured a beautiful myriad of characters from the Lewis Carroll classic.

Check out our review of Alice in Wonderland

2. Nancy Drew

Look at her magnifying glass silhouette!

3. Black Beauty

The flipping of the pages makes it appear as if the horse is almost moving.

4. Little Women

You can see all of the March women singing by the piano.

5. Little Men

A gorgeous pastoral scene full of vibrant energy.

6. The Last of the Mohicans

The striking portrait in black and white makes this photo really stand out.

Which children’s stories would you love to see Ellen bring to life?

YouTube Channel: WordsofaReader

 

Featured image via Etsy

You can follow Ellen Cantor on her Instagram page.

h/t The Week

 

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