One of my favorite things to do as a child was to dig through my grandparent's orange-painted bookshelves to read the leftover books from my mom and her siblings' childhood. There were the standard Dr. Seuss (originals!) and various other hidden vintage literary goodies, all with amazingly 60s illustrations. From soaking up the sights and smells of these old books to swims in the pool and watching Rogers and Hammerstein musicals on VHS, I adore the memories of my summer trips to stay with my beloved grandparents. For me, Matte Stephens' illustrations capture these memories via throwbacks to my mama's childhood books. They are precious and whimsical... and who can resist them with names like, "Lord Admiral Hiratio Byrd following his true dream became a florist after the great war" as seen below! Check out these prints available in his Etsy shop!

Irving is an avid birdwatcher

Count Abernathy's brother Sigmund Abernathy on his first trip to the United States with Mr. Owl bumps into a hungry yet friendly Augustus the lion

Rooster School Bus

Lord Admiral Hiratio Byrd following his true dream became a florist after the great war