A first kiss. A first rose. Puppy love and "Let's pretend." Innocence, fantasy mischief, and the pleasures of the imagination. These are the quintessential themes of childhood, and the touchstone of Kim Anderson's extraordinary success.

A comprehensive compilation that covers the past ten years of his work, The Art of Kim Anderson brings together for the first time in an oversize art book 250 of the photographer's images, both classics and new ones. Here, carefully reproduced, are the hand-colored photographs of little boys and girls, dressed up and playing together, that delight collectors around the world and form the multimillion-dollar international licensing empire ranging from greeting cards and posters by Hallmark to figurines by Enesco to calendars, scrapbooks, apparel, jigsaw puzzles, and more.

Not only a tribute in pictures, The Art of Kim Anderson is also a celebration of childhood and is divide into thematic chapters with accompanying original essays, including "Let's Pretend by Francine Prose, "Little Girls" by Letty Cottin Pogrebin, "First Love" by Phillip Lopate, and others from Susan Cheever, Patricia Hampl, and Catherine Calvert.

Seeing life again as if through a child's eyes--this is the joy and spirit of Kim Anderson and his art.