The exhibit illuminates the cross cultural connections between
the two continents as well as the rich diversity that makes each
country unique. Although both have roots as British colonies,
the British influence on children’s books has manifested itself
in different ways. In Australia early picture books strongly
reflected English and European flora and fauna, evident in
Outhwaite and Maltby. The pictures portrayed a romanticized
version of what was seen. In America, however; European
influence is represented by the importation of foreign books,
including elaborately illustrated "gift" books by Rackham, Dula
and Nielsen. N. C. Wyeth was the first illustrator to depict
American settings with the same romance, richness and sense of
drama as the European "classics" in books like The Last of the
Mohicans and Rip Van Winkle. A significant change took place in
both Australian and American children’s books in the 1940s.
Picture books began primarily to reflect the native landscape
and people of each country in every