MoMA releases "Young Frank, Architect" storybook

2013-08-14T18:41:00-04:00

Young Frank sees creative possibilities everywhere, and likes to use anything he can get his hands on—macaroni, old boxes, spoons, and sometimes even his dog, Eddie—to create things like chairs out of toilet paper rolls and twisting skyscrapers made up of his grandfather’s books. But Old Frank is skeptical; he doesn’t think that’s how REAL architects make things.

MoMA's new children's book, Young Frank, Architect tells the story of a budding architect living with his architect grandfather in modern-day New York City. Hoping to give a lesson in design professionalism, Old Frank takes Young Frank on a trip to MoMA, where they find inspiration in their kindred Franks (Gehry and Lloyd Wright). Written and illustrated by Frank Viva (whose graphical work has been featured by The New York Times, The New Yorker, Le Creuset and PUBLIC Bikes), Young Frank, Architect is a gorgeous example of multi-layered children's storytelling -- part showcase of MoMA's architecture and design collection, and part allegory for architectural innovation (with perhaps a bit borrowed from the cult of self-esteem).

Young Frank, Architect is on sale exclusively through the MoMA store, until its wide-release in September.

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MoMA releases "Young Frank, Architect" storybook