For many years, I was the storytime lady at our small town library. Once a week we would read a story and do a related craft or activity designed for preschoolers. I would read a fairly long story to the little ones, who listened attentively while scanning the beautiful illustrations. They told me they were going to learn how to read when they got into school and were very excited about it. One of my adult patrons brought her little one to my pajama storytimes and school vacation activities. She was an early education teacher and taught reading as part of her profession. She said that illustrations were important clues in early readers, something she knew a little about because her father, Kelly Oechsli (1918-1999), was a children’s book illustrator and commercial artist. His books are classics. Mice at Bat typifies his style of illustration as well as his writing. He also illustrated early readers for Peggy Parish, Grace Maccarone and Steven Kroll.
Her father was part of the illustration team for primers, which were small introductory books for early readers or introductory books based on a subject. He might have been given a text for an early reader and asked to come up with illustrations, or he may even have been told how to set up the illustrations to a specific style. He might work with a writer who knows and loves his style or compete against others, as his agent would offer the writer several artists’ portfolios to help them find a good match.
Here are some more of his books…
Recognize this book? Kelly was one of three illustrators collaborating in this book that came out in the early 1970s. It must have been a lot of fun to see favorite characters from the television show and to see their adventures with numbers.
Peggy Parish writes some of my favorite early readers, with Amelia Bedelia as one the the funniest. Kelly’s illustrations share a boy’s birthday wish come true in a kitten named Scruffy.
Kelly wrote as well as illustrated this one. Young readers can enjoy a clever book about an epic baseball game. It’s a great story to read when someone young is having a bad day. Why not turn it around and make it fun? In a blog called Brainpickings, writer Maria Popova presents Upside Down Day: Rare and Wonderful Vintage Children’s Book by the Head of NASA’s Public Affairs Office An ode to those times when everything seems backwards.
Kelly Oechsli illustrated books from the post-war years to the 1990s, and his style is charming and still feels fresh for its age. My friend says he was a wonderful dad and grandfather and that she and her siblings loved that he had a studio at home. Here’s an example of the type of work he did that was outside of the world of books.
He designed this tray for the Bicentennial, sort of like a Boston Harbor thing. His daughter said as a commercial artist he really enjoyed getting commissions to do things out of the ordinary. But his kids never wanted him to become too famous because that might have diminished his loving attention and fun for his family.
When you read a book with or to a young child, remember the ones who wrote the words and made them come alive with pictures, like illustrator Kelly Oechsli.
At our small-town library, we had “e” labels on these first readers, and everyone, including myself, called them easy readers. Reading is not “easy” at the beginning for many kids. We started calling them “everybody reads” books so that children and adults would use them as needed.
This is a flashback post, originally published on Vintage Unscripted in 2021.
14 comments
Thanks for the great article about Kelly Oechsli, my Dad. When we were young he would occasionally take a Polaroid picture of one of us, to use for reference. One book, Walter the Wolf, was about a wolf who played the violin. My sister Katie was a violinist and posed for many pictures as a young girl.
What a wonderful and well written article. That you were able to capture the essence of my father so beautifully is remarkable. In the midst of a North Carolina ice storm you’ve provided the sunshine and put a smile on my face which I will put a bounce in my step throughout the day. Thank you!
Mary Ellen, you brought back wonderful memories of taking my little ones to our library for story hour. Illustrations are so important for engaging pre-readers. Thank you, Matt & Emily for sharing your Dad with us!
Thank you all for the kind words! I did meet your Mom Matt, she was a frequent flyer at the library and we shared a yoga class from time to time. I did not know that she had co written some books. Do you all have his tray with the Boston theme that he designed in the 1970s no doubt for the BiCentennial? I wonder if he had designed others. You all were so fortunate.
Jenni my little ones at story time were the highlight of my week. We didn’t have kidlets of our own but these little munchkins I felt were mine for the 30 minutes we shared.
Knowing Eileen since college, I have heard many stories about her father. What I’m struck by reading this story, is that Kelly Oechsli was not a 1 time event … but rather a family tradition … he wrote stories that children loved & learned by. Eileen dedicated her life to teaching young children & was outstanding at it. I’d suggest that is a multi-generational legacy that I’m proud to have been acquainted with. As an aside, when Eileen retired, she gave a world class set of puppets used in early childhood education to a small local library in VT. Those puppets are cherished by all who use them & continue the legacy just as her father’s books.
Frank, I agree That Eileen and the family have beautiful, kind and generous hearts. That I am certain continues in their children.
I taught with Eileen in first grade for many years, so I enjoyed this article thoroughly. It was great fun watching the expressions on our students’ faces when Eileen explained to them that the illustrator of those books was her dad. They were immediately connected to a “real illustrator”!
Frank, I’m glad you mentioned about those wonderful puppets getting a new home. They were certainly a big part of Eileen’s lively classroom. I’ll add that her classroom was also famous for the many quilts based on children’s literature that she created and hung to inspire her students. Like Father, like Daughter, I’m sure!
Eileen and Matt, thank you for giving Mary Ellen the opportunity to share your father’s talent with our readers. I missed “Mice at Bat” as my son was growing up but I plan to buy a copy for his 5 year old to enjoy along with me.
Uncle Kelly was my mothers older brother. How she and her twin sister Hollis adored him. For us, when a package, all of the way from NY arrived at our home in Seattle we gathered to see the new book he sent us. Each and every one was treasured. Mice at Bat most certainly..as we all love baseball, l have not let one book go..l love them all. And read them to my grandchildren. I could probably still recite.. Ten Pennies for Candy. Little Red Riding Hood was my other favorite. Though we only met him a couple of times, he was a huge part of our childhood.
Kelly Oechsli was also a veteran of WWII. He served with the 10th Mountain Division when it was created for skiers to help the fight in the Scandinavian countries. It became famous and continues to shine today.
Oh the love and memories! I would like to say we have read many books as children and may even sometimes remember the author. We loved the pictures but might not remember the person who created them. I bet if Kelly was told that they loved the book Scruffy, he would smile because he helped to make the book memorable.
I had the pleasure of knowing Kelly Oechsli. He was my sister’s father-in-law. He certainly was a talented author and illustrator. He shared “Mice at Bat” with our family and we have truly enjoyed it, over the years, with our children, and now with our grandchildren.
My daughter loved Sesame Street in the early 90’s! Imagine my delight to find my last name in some of the books I bought for her!
I’m assuming you guys are somehow cousins of mine. What a delight. I’m off to eBay to find some of Kelly’s books!
for my grandies!
Lisa, I am not a member of this wonderful family but your name is so unique that it’s a very good chance that you may be related! Let me get back to you after I speak with one of the Oechslis I know. He was much beloved and a great artist who helped children with their earliest reading experiencec.