Joey Spiotto's Storybook Puts Pop Culture onto Kid's Books

We all grew up reading Little Golden Books, and the classic stories shaped us and became part of who we are. Now artist Joey Spiotto has turned some of your favorite movies and TV shows into Little Golden Books style book covers. There’s something a little bit subversive about taking a movie with dark, adult themes and transposing it onto something innocent and bright. Dark stories are all the more disturbing when they’re flooded with light.

Spiotto opens up another level of analysis by drawing the adult characters as children. Look at Little Hugo, fat and happy, eating his favorite snacks. Now think about everything we saw him go through — the institution, the lottery, everything on the island, and think about that happening to sweet little Hugo. Good hell, it’s depressing.

On top of all that, the detail and illustrations are fantastic. I especially love that the symbols on the spine are specific to each piece. The covers pay tribute to the effect stories can have on us, transporting us back to the openness of childhood. These are part of an art show called Storytime: A Little Gallery Show, which includes over 50 properties reinterpreted by Spiotto. It opens tomorrow, August 1, at LA’s Gallery 1988 East, 7021 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles CA. It will run through August 16. Prints will go on sale here on August 2.

Thanks to /Film for the tip.