Starting in 1937 and slightly reconfigured in 1941, the New York Herald Tribune began to award prizes to outstanding children’s books each spring. At the time, these awards were considered by many, both inside and outside the publishing world, as the equivalent of the Caldecott and Newbery medals. Each year, a major children’s illustrator would create a poster for the festival, the vast majority of which were destroyed following the celebration.

This original 22-1/4 x 16-3/4” color poster is by children’s author/illustrator Barbara Cooney. Cooney won the Caldecott Medal twice, first for Chanticleer and the Fox (NY: Crowell) in 1958 and again for Ox-Cart Man (NY: Viking) in 1980. Her Miss Rumphius (NY: Viking) won the National Book Award in 1983. This Herald Tribune Children’s Spring Book Festival poster is printed on heavy stock, dates from the 1950’s, and is in Fine condition. A mouse picnics with a favorite book beneath a large mushroom.