Engaging Endpapers

Endpapers are the leaves of paper fixed to the inside of the front and the back cover of a book.  Often endpapers are blank, sometimes they are colored, but best of all they are decorated.  A common decoration is a map.  Marbled endpapers are often seen in older books, especially those with decorative bindings.  Or endpapers may be illustrated with scenes from the book.

Here are a few examples of engaging endpapers that have passed our way recently.

From "The Fantasy of Pieter Brueghel."

From "The Friendly Beasts", illustrated by Nicolas Sidjakov.

From "The Red Pony."

From "Bedtime Stories", a 1951 Junior Elf book.

Map endpapers from "Moonraker or The Female Pirate and Her Friends."