Old Ellen and Otis

Does anyone else feel nostalgic for the older covers of the Beverly Cleary books, especially now with a modernized telling of Beezus and Ramona due in theaters soon? This copy I have of Ellen Tebbits is literally falling apart, but I’ll not throw it away, even when the book is unreadable due to falling out pages.

Look at these faces! Classic Ellen and Otis!

And a cover page view of Ellen.

I understand the modern covers for a new generation of readers, yet I wonder: Are the new illustrations true to the story? I suspect not.

6 thoughts on “Old Ellen and Otis

  1. Twitter:
    Absolutely agree with you! I felt that way with the Carolyn Haywood books, which I loved as a little girl. (“B” is for Betsy”, “Betsy and Billy”, etc.) Our library still has those – and some of the Beverly Cleary books – with their original covers, and I always present them to Betty first before the new ones. More often than not, she chooses the new ones … but as long as the story is the same, that’s all that matters, right? :)
    Melissa´s last [type] ..Book Blogger Hop 7-17-2010- Anticipation- Book Style

  2. Twitter:
    Yes, I agree. As long as they don’t change the text. The story is the most important.

    I understand parts of Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margret were changed to reflect a new audience. I guess if you are reading for educational purposes it’s okay (grumbling as I type this. Why can’t today’s girls learn about a bygone way of having their period??)

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