Jim Flora was a groovy illustrator of books and jazz LP covers back in the day. He also published numerous kids books of his own. A favorite is "Grandpa's Ghost Stories," out Oct. 19 in a new edition just in time for Halloween.
You can order a copy here.
Jim Flora's fantastically illustrated books captivated kids throughout
the 1960s and 70s, so much so that secondhand copies sell for exorbitant
sums. Grandpa's Ghost Stories has been the most sought-after
of his children's books, and Feral House is pleased to announce the
first reprint since its original publication in 1978. These ghoulish and
amusing stories and wildly inventive illustrations will keep readers
shivering. Perhaps better known for his brilliant and madcap
illustrations that graced the covers of hundreds of jazz and classical
record albums in the 1940s and 50s, Jim Flora also wrote and illustrated
seventeen popular books for children. In this book, Grandpa comforts
his grandson during a fierce thunderstorm by telling him stories about
far scarier things, including a hungry werewolf and an evil witch who
turns boys into spiders. The illustrations bring the tall tales to life
with Flora's incomparable humor and wit. Grandpa's Ghost Stories is
a spooky (and silly) delight for all ages. This edition includes an
introduction by writer, radio personality and cultural historian Irwin
Chusid, who has published several books of Flora's artworks and
illustrations, and also runs JimFlora.com.