Children's

Mail Call: Kid Lit Stamps From Around the World

Kelly Jensen

Editor

Kelly is a former librarian and a long-time blogger at STACKED. She's the editor/author of (DON'T) CALL ME CRAZY: 33 VOICES START THE CONVERSATION ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH and the editor/author of HERE WE ARE: FEMINISM FOR THE REAL WORLD. Her next book, BODY TALK, will publish in Fall 2020. Follow her on Instagram @heykellyjensen.

Earlier this summer, Canada Post honored Stella — the title character of a series of picture books by author Marie-Louise Gay — with a series of stamps. It’s the second stamp from Canada Post to feature an image from children’s literature, and it got me thinking about other countries around the world who have featured kid lit in their postage.

Here’s a round up of some of the coolest postal tributes to kid lit from around the world. I’ve stuck to the stamps based on the books themselves, rather than the stamps that pay tribute to the books via their movie or television adaptations.

United Nations Ocean Day Dr Seuss

In honor of World Oceans Day in 2008, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) produced three series of stamps honoring Dr. Seuss. The above are the US $.46 stamps, but there were separate issues and designs, including one for the Euro and one in French.

The UNPA wasn’t the first in honoring Theodore Geisel’s work on a stamp, though. The United States Postal Service (USPS) issued stamps honoring him and his work as well.

Dr. Seuss Cat in the Hat

In 1999, there was the stamp honoring The Cat in the Hat.

Dr. Seuss stampIn 2004, the USPS honored Geisel and all of his creations, including the Cat in the Hat and The Grinch, in this stamp.

USPS06STA002D

In 2006, the USPS offered up a tribute to Fox in Sox as part of an entire sheet of stamps dedicated to children’s classics. Check out their tributes to Curious GeorgeWhere the Wild Things AreOliviaThe Very Hungry Caterpiller and more:

Childrens Literature in Stamps USA 2006

The UK offered up a similar set of stamps in their own tender, which included both Maisy, Paddington Bear, and their own take on The Very Hungry Caterpillar:

very hungry caterpillar stamp

Check out the holes — they’re really what make this stamp a great dedication to the story.

Another classic which has seen a variety of tributes in stamp form world-wide is Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.

Alice in wonderland 70s

This 1979 stamp from the UK is one of the most memorable stamps, but it’s certainly not the only one.

Comorien Islands Alice

 

The Comoros Islands developed this trippy stamp for Alice in 1976.

Alice in Burundi

The Republic of Burundi honored Alice in this image of the Mad Hatter’s tea party in 1977.

Mali Alice in Wonderland

To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland, in 1982, Mali created an entire series of stamps with the classic cast of characters.

 

A. A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh has been the face of many stamps around the world through the years as well.

Winnie the Pooh Great Britain

Great Britain created this postal tribute to Pooh in 1979. But that wasn’t the country’s only series devoted to this children’s classic:

Pooh Britain

 

In 2010, Great Britain released another series of stamps dedicated to Milne’s Winnie the Pooh. Above is Christopher Robbin with Pooh and Piglet. You can view the entire series here.

 

 

Canada Winnie the Pooh

 

Canada treats Winnie with his cast of friends to this stamp with a small collection in 1996. The entire vivid series can be seen here (some of them are based on the cartoon series, but not all of them).

1998 Winnie the Pooh in Guinea

Guinea released a stamp featuring Winnie the Pooh and Piglet in 1998.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince has made a mark on stamps around the world, as well. In many of the tributes, Saint-Exupery is really the star for his work with and about flight.

Argentina Little Prince

 

In 1995, Argentina featured The Little Prince and Saint-Exuprey himself on their mail.

Bulgaria Little Prince

 

The Little Prince secured a spot on Bulgarian stamps in 2000, along with his creator.

Croatia Little Prince

 

Here’s Croatia’s take on The Little Prince in stamp form from 1994.

Little Prince French Series

 

Of course, France developed an entire series of stamps honoring The Little Prince in 1998.

Guinea Little Prince

 

Choosing to go with a look that differs from the traditional illustration is Guinea’s stamp for The Little Prince, issued in 2008.

Poland Little Prince

Poland offers up this interpretation of The Little Prince for a stamp in 2005.

Nearly all of the stamps worldwide honoring Harry Potter have been based off the film adaptations. But not every single one of them:

Great Britain Harry Potter

 

Great Britain released a series of stamps in honor of their own Harry Potter that featured the book covers from all seven volumes of the series in 2007.

Thumbalina Bahamas

 

The Bahamas showcase Hans Christian Andersen’s classic Thumbelina in 2005, in celebration of the anniversary of his birth.

The Ugly Ducking Brazil

 

Brazil honors another of Andersen’s stories, The Ugly Ducking, in 2005.

Little Mermaid Andersen

 

Another 2005 stamp issued in honor of Andersen was this one in the Falkland Islands, a tribute to The Little Mermaid. This one not only features the story, but it shows an adult sharing the story with an eager group of young listeners.

St. Kitts Emperor's New Clothes

 

St. Kitt’s honored Andersen’s birth anniversary with their stamp featuring an image in honor of The Emperor’s New Clothes.

Max and Moritz Berlin

 

Berlin created a series of stamps honoring the 125th anniversary of Max and Moritz, an illustrated German story for children. Others in the series can be seen here.

Matilda Gibralter

 

Gibraltar released stamps featuring Roald Dahl’s characters in 2010, including this one of Matilda. Full series here.

Liberia Peter Rabbit

 

Liberia’s children’s literature stamps in 1998 included this tribute to Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit. The entire series can be seen here.

Pippi Longstocking Macedonia

 

Astrid Lindgren’s Pippi Longstocking gets this colorful tribute in a 2009 Macedonian stamp.

Sweden Pippi Longstocking

 

Naturally, Sweden pays tribute to Pippi, as well. This is from a 1969 release.

Pippi Sweden Later

 

Here, the same image is carried on in Sweden’s 1987 stamp dedicated to Pippi, but this time it’s a bit more colorful. The horse looks bigger here, but Pippi also looks a bit stronger.

Puss in Boots

Paraguay honors Charles Perrault’s Puss in Boots with an entire series of colorful stamps in 1982. Full set here.

Heidi Switzerland

 

Johanna Spyri’s Heidi gets a place in philatelic history with this Swiss stamp, issued in 1984 in a series that also honored Pippi Longstocking, Max and Moritz, and Pinocchio. 

This is only a small look at the wealth of stamps around the world that feature children’s lit. Many of the images above come from the catalog at the Philatelia website, and it’s worth perusing this amazing collection, which has an entire category for children’s lit. Although not as robust in information, for those who want to peruse stamps in honor of a wider variety of literature — children’s and adult alike — will want to spend time with the collection pulled together at Literary Stamps.

And if you’re interested in wearing stamps that feature literature, have I got the Etsy shop for you.

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