When Children Start Dating 1

When Children Start Dating, by Edith G. Neisser. Illustrated by Janet La Salle. 1951. #17 booklet in a series called "Better Living."

I found this booklet (along with the Children's Manners one) at a flea market. There were many others from this "Better Living" series, but these two were worth buying because of the artwork. The name "Janet La Salle" seemed familiar to me, and when I came back home I realized that I had two books that she had illustrated: Sound and Billy's Neighbors. Both of which are featured by others in The Retro Kid (thus, I haven't really had the interest in scanning). What I find fascinating with these illustrations is that the look and style are vastly different from the work found in those other books I just mentioned.

Very angluar and stylized linework, Janet's work here features some great thoughtful moments in teenage dating (and children minding their manners in the other booklet). I love her approach to rendering faces as there's just enough emotion through minimal detail. Sign of a great artist.

This is the cover.