New exhibit traces wartime escape Curious George authors

Posted April 10, 2010 11:00 pm

By Samantha Nelson

New exhibit traces wartime escape of authors of beloved character Curious George

Children and adults around the world know the story of Curious George.

The tales of the mischievous monkey written and illustrated by Margret Rey and H.A. Rey have been constantly in print since the book "Curious George" was first published in 1941, selling more than 25 million copies in English, French, Japanese, Chinese, Portuguese and other languages. Now George's fans can learn the story of how his creators journeyed from Paris to the United States during World War II as part of the Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center's temporary exhibit "The Wartime Escape: Margret and H.A. Rey's Journey From France."

The Reys' story is told through 27 framed prints by Allan Drummond from Louise Borden's book "The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey." Bright pictures paired with text explaining the images show how H.A. Rey traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, after serving as a soldier in the German army in World War I. There he began working with and married Margret, a fellow German Jew. They shared a love of monkeys and kept two as pets.

The couple fell in love with Paris during their honeymoon and decided to move to an artist commune there. The Reys published their first children's book, "Raffy and the Nine Monkeys," and began working on manuscripts for Curious George. But as they were working on their new project, the threat of the Nazi army was growing. Darker pictures from the book show the change in climate as people fretted over the news and stayed off the streets to avoid German planes.

"This exhibit brings a wonderful access point to all visitors," said Noreen Brand, the museum's director of education. "It tells the story of what happened in France through illustrations."

The Reys bought enough parts to build two bicycles and set out along with thousands of other refugees just days before the Germans invaded. For their long journey south, they brought only basic necessities and their manuscripts for Curious George.

Brand said another goal of the exhibit is to show children how important creative thinking is in times of need. After the Nazis took over, 77,000 French Jews were killed in concentration camps.

"If they hadn't have been so resourceful and creative, we would not have had Curious George," Brand said.

More images chronicle the Reys' long journey through Spain to Portugal to Brazil and eventually the United States. Like so many other refugees, they relied on the kindness of strangers and often faced hard conditions. The Reys' German accents made some officials suspicious, but showing off their manuscript usually put them at ease.

Other items highlight the impact of Curious George and the Reys' other works. Curious George had originally been meant as a stand-alone book, but so many readers asked for more that the Reys wrote six sequels. A framed letter from a child in 1963 tells of his love for the books.

In 1952, the Anti-Defamation League wrote to Margret Rey to praise the importance of her book "Spotty," which tells the story of a spotted bunny in a family of all white bunnies finding happiness and acceptance.

"It talks about discrimination, being different and how we all need to come together," Brand said.

Whether you want to revisit George or share his stories with your kids, the exhibit also features a reading area with bright-colored cushioned cubes around a table with copies of the Reys' books. They share space with other children's books about World War II and the Holocaust.

The museum also is hosting readings of "Curious George" at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, April 25, and May 23.

Allan Drummond's "Orleans Station" is a modern reproduction of watercolor and ink on paper. Courtesy of Allan Drummond

"The Wartime Escape: Margaret and H.A. Rey's Journey From France"

Location: Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center, 9603 Woods Drive, Skokie

Information: (847) 967-4800 or ilholocaustmuseum.org

Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday through June 20

Cost: $10, $6 for students and seniors, $5 for kids ages 5 to 11

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