Dear Colleagues:<div><br></div><div>The State Library of New South Wales, Australia) is in the process of digitizing the illustrations of children's author and cartoonist, May Gibbs (1877-1969). </div><div><br></div><div>
<div class="gmail_quote"><a href="http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/society_art/gibbs/index.html" target="_blank">http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/discover_collections/society_art/gibbs/index.html</a><br><br><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div>
Although she was born in Kent, May Gibbs lived most of her life in Western Australia and in new South Wales. The main characters in her stores are anthropomorphic flowers and fruits based on genera native to Australia (<i>Eucalyptus, Acacia, Banksia, Boronia</i> etc.). What may be of particular interest to educators in the northern hemisphere is that she had a keen eye for the insects found on leaves and flowers. Entomologists have been able to identify illustrations of her beetles and ants down to genus. This includes the cases made by bag worm moths (go to link). </div>
<div> </div><div>The state library has received most of the funds to digitize all her illustrations so this link should grow and grow. I have one of her books in which a gumnut baby rides a bee and suddenly realized it was <i>Amegilla bombiformis</i>. One wonders if our organizations should become involved in an illustrative project that would make anthophilous insects more accessible (and less menacing) to children?</div>
<div><br></div><div>Sincerely, Peter Bernhardt</div></span><br>
</font></span></div><br></div>