How and Why

I am a fan of "The How and Why Wonder Book of..."series. They have a consistent illustration style that feels very of-an-era. I dig it. I picked up The Microscope and What You See this past weekend (at a steamroom-esque old barn packed to the gills with books and ephemera). 

Just look at all of the things you can see/get freaked out about under a microscope! Seriously, though, I want to make a stuffed version of the ostracod. Or the cheese mite. (I'm going to go ahead and remain ignorant about whether or not there are actual mites living in the cheese I consume.)

I like this topic — microscopic life — generally, so finding it in a How and Why book is icing on the cake for me. I find the shapes of the creatures inspiring. Any creature-creating kid would find a wealth of material to pull from here. 

The main  illustration below looks like the cover of a mass-market science fiction paperback from the 60s or 70s. So gorgeous.

xo!