PUFF by William Wondriska

PUFF by William Wondriska. Published in 1960 by Pantheon Books Inc.

Wondriska creates an imaginary world where even the smallest things count by playfully juxtaposing the teeny character of PUFF against a backdrop of enormous red type, concetrated lines and textures, and monumental structures.

PUFF is an underdog tale about an old, small, insignificant steam engine that can only PUFF his way around the freight yard. All he wants is something important to happen to him. To compensate for his monotonous life, PUFF daydreams…as little trains do, of course. He wishes he could swim, that all the other engines could be PUFFs and they could go up and down steep hills, and imagines traveling to distant lands like Egypt, India, France…even outer space!

PUFF’s chance to prove himself finally comes when the big engine pulling the circus cars breaks down due to a snow storm. Seeing the wet and cold animals, it bravely hooks itself to the cars and manages to bring the circus into to warm sunshine. Proud of his shining moment, he PUFFs louder than ever on the way home because “something important happened to him at last!”

also worth checking:

Saul Bass : Henri’s Walk To Paris

Tags1960s, illustration, kids-books, out-of-print, USA