Wood, Don: King Bidgood's In The Bathtub and Heckedy Peg

The illustration style of these two books draws me back to them again and again.

We LOVE "King Bidgood's In The Bathtub"!  The Cute Gremlins think it is hilarious!  The King is having fun in his giant, bubbly, massive bathtub and refuses to get out.  So all the court has to move whatever plans they had going that day- yep!  Into the tub!  I immediately thought of Lauren at American Duchess when I saw the fashions of the court as they waited in the hallway, trying to coax King Bidgood away from his bubble-bathy buffoonery.

I wonder what Lauren thought when she saw what the water had done to the Queen's gown after having lunch in the tub?

[Edit/Update: I tagged Lauren on Facebook that I'd written this post and posed a question.  This is her reply: "lol! Well I think the illustrator knew/knows fashion history! Very impressive, that's not so far off what Elizabethan women were wearing under their skirts :-D"]

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Heckedy Peg is equally as charming with the illustrations, but a more serious tale:
A poor widow with seven children must go to the market and leave the children alone at home (think Europe mid 18th or 19th century/Grimms tales kind of setting).  While she is gone, the witch Heckedy Peg comes and tricks them, and they are transformed into food.  By remembering what her children had asked for from the market, the mother was able to correctly guess which child had been turned into what food and save them from the witch.

This is my favorite image from Heckedy Peg, because I've known the love and strong maternal instincts that turn the poor widow into a fearsome and formidable force to be reckoned with when she is protecting her children.

That stance and body language?  Just about every mom in the world, including me, has been there and done that and will on keep doing it, whenever and if ever the need arises.  But the illustration of her doing it gives me added courage.  This is a scary world to raise babies in, even without hungry witches named Heckedy Peg.

I'd like to find more books at the library that are illustrated by Don Wood.  If I happen upon any soon, I'll be sure to post an edit!

Cannon, Janell: Verdi, Stellaluna and Others

Today I'm going to share a few book covers with you.  They are all by wonderful author/illustrator Janell Cannon.

Verdi is our current favorite.  

I'm not going to ruin it for you, but if you want to know, my favorite images are color illustrations #6 and #14 (the book doesn't have page numbers, so you have to count the full color images).

Stellaluna

Little Yao

Crickwing

Pinduli

Head on over to your local bookstore or library and take a look!  I think this week we will trade in Verdi for Little Yau. :)

Potter, Beatrix: Peter Rabbit and Friends

As I mentioned in yesterday's Music Monday post, Beatrix Potter has long been one of my favorite author/illustrators.  A large book of her lovely stories and pictures was added to my bookcase when I was but three and one half years of age:

It has stayed a favorite, and been through half a dozen moves, my college years, and now I am reading it to my own children.  Here are a few of my favorite illustrations...

From "The Tailor of Gloucester"

Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle was my absolute favorite

Mr. Jeremy Fisher

There are other of her illustrations that I love, but do not yet own.  Like this one of Jemima Puddle-Duck:

Do you have a favorite Beatrix Potter character or scene?

Farewell, Maurice Sendak

For today's Illustration Tuesday, it is fitting and proper to honor Maurice Sendak, who died today at 83.
Rather than go on and on about his life, I'm going to link to some excellent articles here and here and just show you a few of my personal favorites of his wonderful illustrations.

“But the wild things cried,
'Oh please don’t go – we’ll eat you up – we love you so!'
And Max said, 'No!'
The wild things roared their terrible roars and gnashed their terrible teeth
and rolled their terrible eyes and showed their terrible claws,
but Max stepped into his private boat and waved goodbye.”
– Maurice Sendak
June 10, 1928 - May 8, 2012

From "Where the Wild Things Are"

From "A Kiss For Little Bear", written by Else Holmelund Minarik.

This was my favorite scene.  Grandmother Bear has given hen a kiss to take
to Little Bear.  Hen passes it to Frog, who passes it to Cat.  Cat seems to
object to the damp process by which he must retrieve the kiss he promised
to pass along to Little Bear! :)

From "The Griffin and the Minor Canon" by Frank R. Stockton

From "Chicken Soup With Rice"

There are more books illustrated by Sendak that I love that I can't find images for just now.  They include:
"And I Mean It, Stanley!" by Crosby Newell Bonsall
Other "Little Bear" books, by Else Holmelund Minarik

Umscheid, Kit: Pirate's Alphabet

Today's featured illustrator is Kit Umscheid.

SO very appropriate for this A-Z Challenge, Kit illustrated the book "Pirate's Alphabet" by Patti Wigington.  Kit lives in the midwest, and is a member of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators).

Here is the U page of the Pirate's Alphabet.  I love the treasure hidden in the well!

Here's a YouTube clip Kit made for the book:

Head on over to your bookstore or local library and enjoy!

Chapman, Jane: Bear (and his friends)

When Cute Gremlin #2 was 4 or 5 years old, she got this book (and a stuffed bear to match) for Christmas from my awesome aunt:

(c) Simon & Schuster

We were all instantly enchanted by the illustrations of Bear and his friends by talented artist Jane Chapman.  Along with Karma Wilson, Chapman has illustrated 7 "Bear" books, with an 8th to be released this fall.  Here are all of the "Bear" books.  (I was going to pick a favorite and I just couldn't!)

(c) Simon & Schuster

Gorgeous art from "Bear Wants More"
(c) Simon & Schuster

(c) Simon & Schuster

(c) Simon & Schuster

(c) Simon & Schuster

(c) Simon & Schuster

Pages from "Bear's Loose Tooth"
(c) Simon & Schuster

(c) Simon & Schuster

Coming Fall 2012
(c) Simon & Schuster

Chapman has also illustrated these books:

Dora's Eggs by Julie Sykes

Dora's Chicks by Julie Sykes

Big Bear, Little Bear by David Bedford

I Love My Mama by Peter Kavanagh

One Tiny Turtle by Nicola Davies

One Duck Stuck by Phyllis Root

The Dark, Dark Night by M. Christina Butler

The Emperor's Egg by Martin Jenkins

The Very Noisy Night by Diana Hendry (Also a Ray Family favorite!!!)

Check out her beautiful illustrations in all of these and many, many more at your local bookstore or library!

Illustrator Tuesdays: A New Weekly Feature

I'm addicted to children's books.  Sure, I leave the library with a stack of novels from the grown-up sections, but it's the children's section that really draws me in and invites me to get lost in a good book (or 8).  As I happen to have 4 Cute Gremlins, this is encouraged by the librarians, my friends, and by society in general.  I have taken great delight at browsing the shelves with them and exclaiming things like:

"George and Martha!  I loved to read those when I was a kid!"

"Pinkerton!  He was always my favorite!"

"Here are the Bill Peet books!  Look, here's Prewitt Peacock!"

"What do you think Little Bear will do next?"

My second post ever, on this blog, was on Donald Hall's "Ox Cart Man".  (Worth the click!)

The illustrations in all of these wonderful books just don't get enough attention.  Seriously.
So I've taken up the hobby of featuring a children's book illustrator each Tuesday as part of my regular posting schedule.  I realize, sometimes I get behind due to work and kids and life and have to retro-post on occasion.  I'm hoping I won't have to do that too much and can schedule posts when I have writing time eked out of each week.

I hope you enjoy this new feature!  Give me some feedback- what are some of your favorite children's books/illustrators?