First Class Illustrations

Even though the price of stamps is going up to 39 cents on January 8th, there's good news from the U.S. Postal Service. A November 30th press release announced:

Favorite Children's Book Animals

Also in January, children and adults alike in the U.S. and U.K. will delight when eight cherished characters from children's literature are featured with the "Favorite Children's Book Animals" stamp pane, issued in Findlay, OH at the Children's Storybook Museum. Two of the stamps — The Very Hungry Caterpillar (The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle, 1969 and 1987) and Maisy (Maisy's ABC by Lucy Cousins, 1994 in the U.K. and 1995 in the U.S.) — will be jointly issued with the United Kingdom's Royal Mail, Jan. 10. The sheet of 16 stamps also depict Wild Thing (Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak,1963); Curious George (Curious George Flies A Kite by Margaret [sic] and H.A. Rey, 1958); Wilbur (Charlotte's Web by E.B. White, 1952); Frederick (Frederick by Leo Lionni, 1967); Olivia (Olivia by Ian Falconer, 2000), and Fox in Socks (Fox in Socks by Dr. Seuss, 1965).