Virginia Lee Burton: A Sense of Place

Through her acclaimed picture books, including Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel and The Little House, author and illustrator Virginia Lee Burton (1909-1968) has entertained children for over six decades. Born in Massachusetts, Burton was the product of an intellectual (though not always happy) family. The children's books she read as a youngster proved to be an inspiration, as well as her early love of dance, which would later help contribute to the sense of movement in her books. After a stint doing newspaper sketches, Burton moved to the rugged Massachusetts coast with her sculptor husband, raised two sons, and—driven by the need for income in Depression-era America—tried her luck at writing and illustrating children's books. Following an early failure, Burton realized that she must work “with and for the audience,” always honoring the mind of the child, and her best stories return frequently to the themes of friendship, loyalty, self-respect, and concern for the natural world. In the late 1930s, Burton helped found the Folly Cove Designers, a group dedicated to employing sound design principles while incorporating art into daily life. In this PBS-aired documentary, narrated by Oscar-nominee Lindsay Crouse, filmmakers Christine Lundberg and Rawn Fulton interview children's book authors, surviving members of the Folly Cove experiment, and Burton's friends and family, who recall that her life was filled with passion and discipline. Interwoven throughout are archival photos, illustrations from Burton's books, and glimpses of the family home which often inspired her work. Highly recommended. [Note: an abridged version aimed at younger viewers is also available for $59.95 from Weston Woods, www.scholastic.com/westonwoods).] Aud: C, P. (S. Rees)