I caught a tiny red book with a simplistically stark oak twig and acorn motif staring up at me from the floor while hanging out at some friends’ house last night. I picked it up to flip through it, and was further excited by the illustrations inside. A quick scan of the room (their kid’s, and messy) revealed 3 more identical-looking books scattered around, each with equally great illustrations. Turns out, it’s the Nutshell Library, a tiny boxed set by Maurice Sendak (Where the Wild Things Are), including Alligators All Around, Chicken Soup With Rice, Once Was Johnny, and Pierre. All four books are great, but my favorite is Alligators All Around.

A page from Pierre, A Cautionary Tale–I love the lion’s face.

Each cover of the four books in the series has this cover. The acorn and branch motif is what first caught my eye.

The ninth page[s] from Once Was Johnny. Johnny is thoroughly unamused by the condition of his solitude at this point.

Pages L and M from Alligators All Around. Looking like lions is what alligators do best, combining the best of both predatory worlds

This was a pretty old set (1962, I think) and the cover to Pierre is long gone.