One of my favorite books from childhood is called “Just for You.” It stars a shaggy little creature who has a tendency to goof up everything he touches, but that doesn’t keep him from trying. He tries to take a nap just for his mommy, but the bed is too bouncy and he ends up jumping on the bed instead of sleeping. He tries to mow the lawn just for his mommy, but he can’t reach the handle. On and on the story goes, and he gets more and more discouraged that all his attempts to give his mommy a special present have failed, until he realizes that a hug and kiss are the best present of all.
This was my introduction into the world of the “Little Critter” books, and I’ve been a big fan ever since. I thought it would be fun to take a peek into the life of Mercer Mayer, the creator of this series and others.
Mercer attended the Honolulu Academy of Arts after graduation from high school, and it was there he decided he wanted to illustrate children’s books. His professors didn’t think he was good enough to be a success and tried to talk him out of it. I bet they’ve been eating their words ever since!
He moved to New York City and gained more training, meeting and marrying his first wife soon after. He got a job at an advertising agency, and worked on illustration on the side. His first book was “A Boy, a Dog, and a Frog,” which was published in 1967 and was entirely without words, one of the first of its kind on the market. He followed this book up with five more of the same type.
His biggest break came when he attracted the attention of Little Golden Books in 1976. It was through this giant of a company that Mercer sold the “Little Critter” and “Little Monster” series, for which he is more popular than any of his other books. He has written over 300 books for children, as well as illustrating for other authors.
Just what is the appeal of Mercer’s books? I can’t speak for everyone, but I find them gentle and innocent. The characters are flawed but loveable, the facial expressions are great, and the emotions expressed are genuine. I loved these books as a child and I will be collecting the whole lot of them for my own family.
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