There are cats in this book - Viviane Schwarz

I'm excited about a picture book again! It hasn't happened in ages. I'm sure there are floods of brilliant picture books out there, but we as a shop don't get that many recently, and as a result I'm picture book-starved. This one here was a pleasant surprise, and definitely one of my favourite ever.

It's a lift-the-flap book, but it takes the concept to a whole new ingenious level. There's no story, just the interaction with three cats - Moonpie, Tiny and André - who get woken up by you turning their blanket up and then ask to play with them. They literally become your playmates. You can engage in a pillow-fight with them, throw wool at them, save them from drowning, drying them up and then tuck them in, all in one book!
I not only love the concept, but also the humour, the kittens' expressions, the bold sketchy lines, the bright colours, everything!
While I was looking for some web images to show you the book, I found a youtube video where the author Viviane Schwarz reads the whole thing, with sound effects included! If you have 4 minutes to spare, you can watch it here:


and you could even visit her website, where you can view her gallery, read her blog and bio.
In fact, I recommend you do all of the above. This woman rocks!

"Varmints" - The Movie

Last year (when I was still reviewing picture books regularly on Mondays!), I sang the praises of Varmints by Helen Ward and Marc Craste. If you missed it but love strange but awe-inspiring works of art made into kids stories, read it.
I said it looked like an animation put into paper. So, it was only a matter of time till Varmints was going to be made into a film. I thought it would look great, but this little trailer exceeded all my high expectations. I'd love to watch the whole movie!



Thanks to the Literary Resources blog for bringing this to my attention!

Picture Book Monday Special : Christmas (Part II)

As promised, here's the second part of my special picture book post.

The first I'm going to recommend is called The Princess' Blankets, by Carol Ann Duffy and Catherine Hyde.
This is one of those jewel books that immediately stand out for me. You can tell from the beginning that it's going to be something different. Something special.
The story is like a traditional fairytale, but it reinterprets the genre in such a beautiful and poetic and daring and sensual way, that it's hard to call it any other way than a work of art. Carol Ann Duffy is a poetess as well a writer. You can tell. It's one of the few times that I love the text as much as the illustrations. But I can't talk of illustrations here, really. They are actually paintings. Mostly abstract representations of feelings and atmospheres. As the artist explains "I wanted the mood to change like the seasons as the story progressed, so the paintings run from hot and bright to moody and harsh and finally to warm and sensual."

One could say this is not for children, but why deprive them of such a beautiful thing? I know I would have loved it as a child. It's so mysterious and fascinating.
It's the story of a princess who is always cold, and nothing ever seems to warm her up. One day a magician arrives at the castle claiming to be able to cure her. If he is successful he will claim the princess as his wife. But his eyes are hard as polished stones and the princess doesn't want to go with him. The stranger tries to warm her up with blankets made out of the ocean, then out of the forest, of the mountain and of the earth. But the princess is not cured, and the land is left with no ocean or forests or mountains...Until a musician with a kind and good heart arrived in the kingdom...

"The musician heard the Princess sigh in his ear and thought he would die with love, but he took her face in his hands and kissed her eyelids. Two warm tears trickled down the Princess' face, and the forests' blanket slipped from the bed. The musician and the Princess looked into each other's eyes and they saw their souls there, and when the musician kissed her on the lips the Princess's heart warmed her whole body with love"

One of the best children's books I have seen so far.
You can see plenty of Catherine Hyde's artworks here and here.

Next is something on a completely different note. This is undoubtley for children. Especially those who can't stop asking questions about everything and anything around them.
Why is the sky blue? by Geraldine Taylor and Amy Schimler answers a lot of questions about nature in a fun and interactive way,which I find irrestistible.
What I love most about it is the texture. It's thick paper which looks like is drenched with colour. The pastels are vivid and eye-catching, while the interactive side of it allows the children to pull tabs, lift flaps, turn wheels and open fold outs to discover the answers to the questions. It's a lot of fun!
It hasn't had the publicity it deserves, maybe because it's published within the Ladybird series, but this is definitely something you want to keep in mind for your curious children!

more sneak peeks at the book (clink to enlarge):





The illustrator has a very colourful blog, check it out:)



And now I want to talk to you about Niamh Sharkey and more specifically about her new book, Cinderella, retold by Max Eilenberg.
I've wanted to feature Niamh Sharkey for a long time but it never actually happened so there we are. The first time I noticed her was thanks to her "Gigantic Turnip". Her illustrations reminded me of some books I had as a child, no idea what, but I instantly loved them. Then I saw her "Jack and the beanstalk" and the love grew. I actually think that's her best work. I must get a copy soon.
So this year Niamh Sharkey has illustrated another classic fairytale, this time a very girly one. The epitome of girliness. Not my favourite story because it's all about a passive heroine who does nothing expect show up at a ball and fit into a shoe. And how come the prince didn't recognize her before if he was so in love with her. But anyhow, let's not go there. Once again is the illustrator I want to praise. She's done a wonderful job creating a supercute Cinderella, with supercute mice and funny looking step-sisters. Although my favourite parts are the odd-looking girls in line to try the shoe. So funny!
The colours are wonderful, as well as all the different dresses that Cinderella wears at the balls. Yes, because in this version, Cinderella goes to three different balls, in three nights, which kind of makes the love for the prince a bit more realistic.
So if you're looking for a classic fairytale, with delightful illustrations and a little bit of reinvention, go for it!

To look at Niamh's artwork go to the Barefoot's website here or visit her blog.
I've had the pleasure to meet Niamh while she was signing her books in our shop and also at P.J. Lynch's exhibition, and she was so lovely to me! She even knew about my blog :D I think she has earned an eternal fan:)



And the last for this year is Her Mother's Face by Roddy Doyle and Freya Blackwood.
This is Roddy Doyle's first picture book. It's a nice story about a girl, Siobhan, who can't remember her mother's face because she died when she was only 3. Then one day she meets a beautiful woman in the park who tells her to look in the mirror and she will know. Although the basic storyline is simple, the story is enriched with details about Siobhan's life and memories about her mother. She can remember her voice, her hands, and some words like
"Cat and spuds for dinner, Siobhan, how does that sound?"
"Yeuk."
"Yeuk, cat? or yeuk, spuds?"
"Yeuk cat."
"Okay. We'll have chicken instead".

And I haven't even started telling you about the illustrations. They feel like comfort food. Warm and welcoming, and calming. Reassuring, even. I am a watercolour lover, so it's not by chance that I'm attracted to this book! I've tried to look for images on the internet by this artist but I only found this..


That's it!!! I hope you enjoyed my choices. I've loved reviewing picture books, and I'm looking forward to discover more gems in the new Year! Merry Christmas to all of you :=)

Picture Book Monday Special : Christmas (Part I)

I have a bunch of picture books that I have been meaning to review for a while but never got around to do it, so I gathered them all up and decided to post a special post for Christmas, although it's not monday yet! They are not just Christmassy stories, but books that would make perfect gifts for Christmas or anytime!

First is a really special edition of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It's called We are all born free

Twenty-eight famous illustrators have offered their personal interpretations of the thirty articles of the Declaration, transforming it into a thing of beauty and creativity. I wish I could show them all to you, but you watch a preview on the Amnesty website, as well as read the article on the book.
Reading the articles is a somewhat painful experience, because it makes me think of how easily these basics rights are denied every day somewhere in the world, so I prefer to concentrate on the wonderful illustrations. There are few from some of my favourite artists: Polly Dunbar, Alan Lee, Chris Riddell, Jane Ray... Then there some stunning ones of artists I had never heard of like Hong Sung Dam or Jackie Morris. Definitely a book to behold, to discuss, and to treasure.
All proceeds will go to Amnesty International.

Next in line is The Gift of the Magi by O. Henry and illustrated by P.J. Lynch (remember?).

This classic short story has been recently interpreted by P.J Lynch and the result is gorgeous! The story is heart-breaking and deeply romantic, although very old-fashioned (especially when referring to the wife as the possession of her husband...). But again I'm drawn to it mainly by its gentle watercolours, and the feeling of instant classic that the paintings inspire. You can watch a slideshow here.
P.J. also has a channel on youtube with some very interesting videos showing the process of making an illustrated book. Here's one:







My next choice is Leon and the Place Between by Angela McAllister and Grahame Baker-Smith


A completely different thing from P.J. Lynch, this book is all about magic and whimsical illustrations created with mixed techniques.
Follow this link to look at some of Grahame Baker-Smith's art. Fascinating, isn't it? He uses a lot of gold and purple and stars and mad details and decorations to create something which can only be described as stunning.
The story adds a lot to it as well. One day Leon and his brothers go to the magic show. But only Leon truly believes in it. When the show starts everybody is spellbound, until Leon is invited to enter the magic box. A whole world shows itself to him. The Place Between, the place where magic takes you. Ever wonder where things go when they disappear? In the Place Between of course! But not everybody can see this place. Only those who believe...
For true dreamers!

And lastly, I'd like to introduce you to Miki by Stephen Mackey.

"On midwinter eve when an icy wind blew,
the moon weaved her magic and wished came true."

This is a real feal-good christmassy book.
In a land far far away, there lived Miki and her friends. All around them was cold and dark so Miki wished she could find a little tree, and at once a little tree sprang up in front of her. So starts her story.
Everything she wished that night came true. She wished to decorate the tree and a string of fairy lights appeared. She wished a twinkle machine appeared and it did! But then the penguin grew tired of cycling to make it twinkle. So then Miki wished she could catch a star, because it would shine forever. And that's when she was pulled into the icy sea by a huge white whale and her adventure began...
This is an enchanting story told through rhymes and soft paintings. Set in a magic arctic-like land, it's full of fuzzy polar bears, cute penguins, and then sea creatures like octopuses and jellyfishes and crabs. I love its colours, all tones of blue and green and cream, and the textures of the brushes which looks smooth and velvety. Stephen Mackey is an author to watch.
To have a look at the sketches for this book click on the video below:)

Picture Book Monday: "The Great Paper Caper" by Oliver Jeffers

Ok, resistance is futile. I have to review this book. I'd have rather feature a new unknown author or illustrator, but Oliver Jeffers keeps producing such great books that I can't just ignore him. Basically all he has done is in my favourite list:
How to catch a star, Lost and Found, The Incredible Book Eating Boy are just masterpieces. The Way Back Home was nice too. And now this:

"A thrilling tale of mystery, crime, alibis, paper planes, a forest, and a bear who wanted to win."

The story is this:
Things are not as they should be in the forest. Branches have been disappearing from the trees mysteriously. All the inhabitants are puzzled. The owl, the duck, the beaver, the pig, the fawn and the boy. They all start accusing each other but they all solid alibis. So they decide to get to the bottom of things and find the culprit...

As usual Oliver Jeffers uses bare, almost stylized illustrations, that manage to be so surprisingly expressive. I mean, he draws sticks for legs (with no feet), dots for eyes, the boy's body is a rectangle and basically everything looks like is being sketched. And yet they are enriched by small details, humour, imagination and originality, that bring everything to life.



The story is a mystery with a final important message: "save the trees". But also "learn how to make great paper planes"!
I love its autumn feel, it's just perfect for the season.
Also for a picture book with fairly little text it introduces some big words like "alibi" and "prosecutor".
And as if all this wasn't enough, Oliver Jeffers added a little extra which should make a lot of kids happy. The dust jacket (which doesn't appear in the picture of the cover that I found) is a paper plane manual in disguise! Once you take it off it reveals an even better cover and the jacket can be read and then used for making a plane,but I haven't tried it cause I've only borrowed the book :)
Oh and it also has instructions on how to make more paper after you've finished using the plane, which should be very interesting.



For "All Ages +", as the back cover says.

Picture Book Monday: Goldilocks and the Three Bears by Lauren Child (words), Polly Borland (photos) and Emily Jenkins (set)

I've been neglecting Picture Book Mondays lately. Not because I've lost interest in picture book. I'm still very much in awe of them. But lately nothing has blown me away enough to dedicate them a post. Till I saw this.

This version of the beloved classic fairy tale is a book that could be either completely charming or absolutely creepy, depending on how much you like porcelain dolls and hand-made puppet bears. Either way, you've got to hand it to these three women, for delivering such a great piece of work.
Lauren Child, award-winning author of so many great books, creator of Charlie and Lola, illustrator of the wonderful new translation of Pippi Longstocking...(I could go on and on about her, but let's just stop here) wrote the text. You could tell immediately, simply by the way she physically shapes the text and fonts to play along with the story.
The story itself has been added new details, such as the role of Goldilocks' lovely red shoes (there weren't any red shoes to be taken care of in the original fairy tale, right?), and, I think, a stronger emphasis on the cheekiness of Goldilocks' behaviour. Lauren Child's light humour is always present, poking fun at Goldilocks' distractions more than once. I particularly loved the new twist at the end, when Small Bear gets to keep the red shoes. And her comments: You think she would have learned by now...after Goldilocks starts on trying the big bear's bed.
However, the text still retains its fairy tale-ish feel, regardless of the new twists or additions. It's the perfect bed-time story!

Ok, to be honest with you, this has never been a big favourite of mine. What did the trick is the technique used. The entire illustrations are real photographs of dolls and settings, shot by Polly Borland and created by Emily Jenkins. Penguin's website explains it much better than I could, so there you go:

The sets for the book took over a year to make. The doll-sized cottage, complete with winding staircase, stands about a metre tall. Real turf was grown for the roof. Special wallpaper and fabrics were designed and printed, featuring woodland motifs. Exquisite miniature furniture, including the three bears' beds, chairs and porridge bowls, were carved, crafted and painted by Emily and her team of designers. Tiny slippers were sewn, cushions stuffed and bed linen edged and folded. The tiny spoons were carved specially – even the porridge is real!The cast of characters were made by world-famous doll maker, R. John Wright, whose dolls and bears sell to collectors all over the world.

Goldilocks is 30 centimetres tall and made of soft felt with hand-painted features; her golden locks are made of the softest mohair. She arrived from America complete with a tiny hand-woven basket of felt daisies, which you can see her carrying in the book. Mother, Father and Baby Bear are all made from the softest fur and have tiny resin claws. Father Bear arrived with a hand-carved wooden pipe, which, if you look very closely, you can spot in the pictures, warming by the fire.

You have to see it yourself, to appreciate the results! I can show you the doll used for Goldilocks. It's been made by R. John Wright, famous for producing dolls of Winnie the Pooh, Beatrix Potter's animals, Disney classic characters etc. I didn't know this company but their dolls look amazing!
This is Goldilocks:

"Remember these three things.
Do not stray from the path
Be back in time for breakfast
and whatever you do - make sure you look after your little red shoes"

and this is Small Bear:


A large tear welled up in Small Bear's eye and rolled down his little face. He was a sensitive type and also very fond of porridge.




The setting is equally gorgeous. The inside is like my dream country-house. Cosy and welcoming, and warm. The outside really look like an authentic wood. The bears are lovely too, (except for Father Bear, who actually looks a bit scary) and in the end, you actually feel sorry for them. Especially for poor Small Bear :D

This would be an awesome Christmas gift. I would certainly keep it in mind, if I were you.

Picture Book Monday (on a Tuesday...): Il Sung Na

This week I'd like to focus on one author, instead of just one title.
Il Sung Na has only published two books up to now, so I thought it'd be best to feature both of them.
His debut, Zzzzz - a book of sleep , is a true piece of art. It won me over immediately, with just one glance. Just take a look at some examples and judge for yourself:





He uses a mix of manual and digital media to create a unique decorative effect which is just stunning. I love the way he draws flowers everywhere, on elephants, whales, birds and fish. It looks like he doodled all over the pages, with spirals and prints and random decorations, but instead of looking messy, the result is really stylish and personal.

Even though I think this is his best work, his second book is great too.
It's called The Thingamabob, a funny tale of an elephant who finds a strange looking object and can't figure out what it is for...until it starts to rain!


This book is packed with elephant-y cuteness. It uses lighter tones of colours and it's less detailed than A book of sleep, but it still has all its charm and originality.





Click on the pictures to enlarge them and have a better look. It's worth it.

I'm so glad there's artist like Il Sun Na around. They definitely raise children's picture book onto a higher level. Children deserve to be exposed to these kind of beautiful works. I believe it helps expand their visual imagination and develop their artistic souls.
Sometimes I hear people saying "ah yes, this is great but would the kids understand it? Isn't it too advanced/complicated/more for adults than for them?". It's like saying when something is good than it's not for children.
And that goes to show how many times people tend to underestimate kids and toddlers.
I'm not saying this for Il Sung Na's books in particular. It's just something that bugs me a lot, since I've been working in bookshops and I've been dying to say it!
So, give children the best books. Expose them to art and beauty. Let them play freely with colours and paint and most importantly scrap all those dreadful narrow-minding colouring books!!!

Picture Book Monday: "Knuffle Bunny Too - a case of mistaken identity" by Mo Willems

This is my favourite picture book at the moment. There's something about the facial expressions of the characters that's irresistible. The first time I flicked through it it made me giggle immediately, even before having read the whole story. But this is Mo Willems I'm talking about, so it should not come as a surprise. The guy is a comedy genius.
Unfortunately I haven't read (yet!) the first installment in the Knuffle Bunny's saga but I couldn't resist to review this one first.

So, the book is about Trixie and her beloved Knuffle Bunny. She can't wait to bring him at school and show him off to all her friends. Because Kuffle Bunny is a one-of-a-kind bunny and she's sure all her classmates would be in awe of him. Imagine the shock and the disappointment when Tixie sees Sonja with her *own* Knuffle Bunny!
It's war at first sight. The teacher is not pleased either and puts both Knuffles away. At the end of the day the bunnies are returned but...a fatal mistake was made!





I don't know about children, but I find this so utterly hilarious that I want to read it over and over again, just to put a smile on my face (and few occasional giggles).
I just love Trixie's big happy/shocked/angry/determined eyes. I love how the parents, and especially the dad, get involved, unwillingly, in their daughter's little tragedy. It's actually the funniest part. Now that I think of it, that's probably what makes it appealing to adults as well: Mo Willems' ability to capture a child's AND a parent perspective, at the same time.
The mixed technique of black and white photographs for the background and cartoons for all the rest is really interesting. It's not something that I would generally love but it works perfectly well here, so I'm happy with it.
What else can I say? Read it! It's great.

other blog reviews:
Renee's corner
Katherine's children's Lit Blog
Seven impossible things before breakfast

Picture Book Monday: "The Girl in the Castle inside the Museum" by Kate Bernheimer and Nicoletta Ceccoli

I’m very excited about this week’s book. I couldn’t wait to put my hands on it since the day I saw the cover on the internet and immediately order a copy. And it took ages to come in! Now, finally I have it and I have to say I’m not the slightest disappointed. On the contrary, I’m stunned but the beauty of it. I wish I had a poster of every single page of it so I could decorate my room with them.
If you love Nicoletta Ceccoli’s art, of just simply beautiful, dream-like illustrations, this book will leave you breathless.

The story is about a little girl, who lives in a castle inside a glass globe, in a toy museum. People says she has lived inside the castle forever, and children visiting the museum try hard to take a peek of her. What they don’t know is that she feels very lonely when they go home, and she is left in the castle with no one to play with. So, at night, she dreams of boys and girls who come to visit her, and keep her happy. Sometimes the girl in the castle even dreams about you. But there’s something you can do to help her. You can place a picture of you on her wall, so that she won’t miss you at all!



The magic of these illustrations is extraordinary. You can find it in the faces of the children, like porcelain dolls, so ethereal and yet so palpable. In the little girl’s hair, which looks like golden candy floss. In the choice of dresses, accessories, decorations. They belong in the world of dreams and fairy tales.
The toys and the little creatures that live in the castle have a surreal quality, that could be creepy but it’s not: a wind-up flying dice-doll, a button-eyed cuckoo clock, a winged doll hanging from the ceiling. They are all part of this incredibly imaginative dimension. It’s made of colourful buttons, stars, skittles, toy windmills, balls and spinning tops, and so much more.
I love the pins on the girls’ hair. I love the warm colours, the children’s dresses, and the fact that there’s buttons everywhere.
I could talk about this for ever, but I will never be able to convey what you need to see with your own eyes.
I really hope this will get all the recognitions it deserves.

Carl at Stainless Steel Droppings payed a tribute to Nicoletta Ceccoli in one of his Friday favourite posts. If you haven't seen it yet, go and take a look! You'll know what I mean.

other blog reviews:
Jill at the well-read child
Jen Robinson's Book Page
BookBuds
Strollerderby
Cheryl Rainfield

Picture Book Monday: "Zen Shorts" by Jon J. Muth

Pandas, watercolours and Zen. How could I resist this book?
It’s also beautifully presented from every angles you watch it. It’s in a large format with a lovely cover and an even better back cover.
But what makes it really special is its stories.

One day three children find a panda in their backyard:

“I’m sorry for arriving unannounced,” said the bear. “The wind carried my umbrella all the way from my backyard to your backyard. I thought I would retrieve it before it became a nuisance.” He spoke with a slight panda accent.

And that’s how Addy, Michael and Karl meet Stillwater.
To each of them Stillwater has a story to tell, that will teach them to look at life in a new way. All the zen shorts are illustrated with black ink, in stark contrast with the delicate watercolours of Stillwater and his friends. They are famous Zen stories, about generosity and unpredictability of life, about tolerance and patience. My favourite is the last one. About the rude lady and the old monks. It teaches that it’s useless to bear grudges, because they are heavy burden belonging to the past. I should think about it every time a rude or patronising customers manages in five minutes to ruin my entire day.
Even though these are educational stories, they don’t feel preachy. They are gentle and calm like the peaceful panda bear. They instil a sense of serenity and quiet wisdom, enhanced by the illustrations and the inside graphics, featuring delicate cherry blossoms on purple and blue backgrounds.
It would make a perfect gift, and hopefully it will become a children’s classics in the years to come.

More informations about the author and his work can be found here.

Picture Book Monday: "The Mousehole Cat" by Antonia Barber and Nicola Bayley

Today’s feature is a delightful tale that would make a perfect bedtime story.
Inspired by a Cornish traditional festivity, Tom Bawcock’s Eve, it tells the story of Mowzer, a cat living in a small harbour called Mousehole, because of its narrow entrance. Mowzer lives in an old cottage overlooking the harbour, and has her own pet, old fisherman Tom.

Old Tom was very well behaved. He never spilled the cream when he was filling her saucer. He always stoked the range to a beautiful golden glow. He rocked the rocking-chair at just the right speed. He knew the exact spot behind her left ear, where Mowzer liked to be tickled.

They live happily until one year a terrible winter arrives and The Great Storm-Cat takes control of the sea. For days and days the fishing boats can’t go out fishing, leaving the town with no food. When even the last vegetables and salted pilchards are eaten, Mowzer and Tom know that they have to do something before everyone starve to death.
That’s when they decide to challenge the fierce Great Storm-Cat and try to save their town.


This is a moving and inspiring tale of courage and love. A pleasure to read aloud, so elegantly written and illustrated. It’s different from the picture books I’ve reviewed so far, because it sticks to the traditional way of presenting a picture book: one page for the text and one for the illustration. This suits perfectly the mood of the story, which is a reinterpretation of an old folk tale. Nicola Bailey did a wonderful job in decorating every page with strips of images from the sea, creating a book that’s both stylish and comforting. The illustrations are warm and soft, almost tactile. The text is utterly charming, telling the story from the cat’s point of view and presenting the sea storm as a big angry cat, who can be soothed with singing and purring.
It’s also a great introduction to Cornish food and culture. At some point the author tells us the mouth-watering weekly menu of Mowzer, with exotic (for me) but promising names. And at the end, we’re told that ever since the day Mowzer and Tom saved the village from the famine, the people of Mousehole hold a fish-feast on the night before Christmas Eve, to remember their deeds. And every year people from all over Cornwall come at Christmas to see the town all lit up with thousands lights shining their message of hope and a safe haven to all those who pass in peril of the sea.
Browsing the internet, I found out that it’s actually true. I never heard of Tom Bawcock's Eve nor of Mousehole, but now I really wish I can go visit the harbour one day, it looks like a beautiful place!

This picture book was named Illustated Children's Book of the Year, was nominated for the Kate Greenaway Medal and shortlisted for the Smarties Book Prize and the Children's Book Award. It's been made into an animated film, which I can't find on the internet so I might buy one day on Dvd, and it has also being staged as a ballet on theatre.

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That's it, today I'm off to Italy for three days, I'll be back at the end of the week. My blogaversary is coming up soon and I'm thinking of hosting another giveaway!

Picture Book Monday: "Flotsam" by David Wiesner

This picture book was number 1 in the New York Times bestseller list some time last year, and that’s why it attracted my attention. I waited and waited for it to be released here, but eventually I gave up and ordered it from the States. I ended up buying it for my collection because it gave me the shivers the first time I read it.
The illustrations are not stunning at first. They are beautiful, but ordinary…or so it seemed to me. Then I started reading it and I was completely captivated by the idea and the magic that springs from its pictures.
It doesn’t have words, which I think it’s one of its charms. It doesn’t need them. It tells the story beautifully without descriptions, just with the flow of its images.
It’s about a boy, who finds a strange camera on a beach, and brings its film to be developed. What he sees in the pictures is the secrets of the underwater world. Incredible photos of walking starfish islands, mechanical fish, little towns made with shellfish built on sea-turtle’s backs, octopuses reading books in living rooms…




But what really made me go “wow!” was the last picture. At a first glance it’s only a girl holding another picture of a boy in her hand. But when examined closely with a magnifying glass and then with a microscope, it shows that the boy in the picture is himself holding a picture, of someone holding a picture, of someone holding a picture…till it reveals a sepia photograph of a boy, probably dating back to the 1920’s, standing on the shore of a beach, somewhere in the world. The underwater camera had travelled the world and time, showing fantastical shots of the mysterious universe beneath the oceans’ surfaces, and every boy or girl who had found the camera had taken a photograph of themselves holding the previous founder’s picture in their hand. Isn’t it an amazing idea? It left me dreaming for a while, thinking of this little object travelling, taking pictures of a world we are only allowed to dream of, and then appearing on beaches, and revealing its secrets.
The story is not only utterly original and compelling. It’s also skilfully illustrated, with deceptively simple watercolours, that unravel like a movie and leaves you breathless. No wonder it’s a Caldecott medal winner.
Recommended to every dreamer and sea-lover across the world.

Visit David Wiesner's publisher's website.

And if you want more reasons to pick up this book, watch the promotional video:)

Picture Book Monday: "The Red Tree" by Shaun Tan

This is one of the most beautiful, artistic, moving and complex picture books that you could ever come across. I’m not afraid to call it a real piece of art, because that’s what it is.

Shaun Tan is an incredibly talent artist, who’s becoming quite known thanks to his wonderful picture book/graphic novel, The Arrival, which made the New York Times 2007 notable children’s books list.

The Red Tree is just as good. It doesn’t tell a story, it describes a feeling. Depression, loneliness, anxiety, sadness…It arrives suddenly one morning, and nothing makes sense anymore. It comes in the form of black leaves, or of a gigantic fish. It makes you feel like you’re trapped in a bottle in a desert beach. The world feels like a cubist collage. You are overwhelmed by your troubles, which collapse over you all at once. Wonderful things pass by but you don’t notice them. You forget who you are or what’s your place in the world.
Until suddenly something lights up in your heart and happiness find its way in. It’s the red tree. A beautiful thing that appears in your room one day out of nowhere and makes you feel like life is worth living again.

Every page in this book could be looked at as one single painting, with its own title: “Darkness overcomes you” “nobody understands” “The world is a deaf machine” “without sense or reason”… Shaun Tan uses surreal images and symbols to give form to something so complex and intense that is hard to describe in words. So, surrealism becomes the only way to represent it, to express that sense of oppression and fear that has no reason but it’s all too real.


It’s a hard topic to choose for a children’s book. But I know that children too are sometimes victims of this deep illogical sadness, and a picture book that shows these feelings and give them visual shape could probably help them to understand them better, and give them hope. Because no matter how sad you are, there will always be a red tree waiting to touch your soul.


I would recommend it for adults as well, because in its simplicity (it’s a picture book) and yet in its incredibly poignant paintings, it goes at the heart of the problem, showing that everybody at some point experiences these feelings, but fortunately they won’t last forever.

Visit Shaun Tan's website for more informations on his eclectic works and to look at his wonderful illustrations.

Picture Book Monday: "The Flower" by John Light and Lisa Evans

I don’t remember how I found out about this gorgeous book. Probably when I was browsing Amazon in the shop pretending to work! Well, if I didn’t have I would have never come across The Flower and Lisa Evan’s illustrations. And it would have been my loss.

The flower is the story of Brigg, a sad-looking kid in a sad-looking city. He lives in a grey building, and goes to work every morning under a grey rain, in a grey library. But libraries are the place where the dangerous books are kept and one day Brigg finds one. It has pictures of beautifully coloured things called flowers. Brigg is filled with joy looking at the pictures but he’s sad because there is no flower in the city. He looks everywhere until he arrives in the old part of town where in the window of a junk shop he sees the picture of a flower! They are seeds and when he takes them home he gathers a bunch of dust and waters them. One morning, the seeds blossom and Brigg’s room is filled with wonderful colours….until the room cleaning system sucks them away. But Brigg knows where the flower might be. Outside the city, where the big hips of dust are…

This is a strange and fascinating book. It’s set in the future, where flowers have disappeared, probably sucked away by the cleaning systems. The sad feeling of greyness is perfectly conveyed by Evan’s illustrations. So much that when the picture of the flower appears, so pink and bright, it lights up the whole page.
I love almost every illustrations of this book. I like when things that are not in the texts are added independently. Like Brigg’s big funny looking cat. Or the lovely patterned kettle with which Brigg waters the seeds. The junk shop is a great example of this. It spreads over two pages and kids could play at spotting all the things and animals hidden in the windows. And then there’s the explosion of flowers and plants and happiness when the plant grows in Brigg’s room. If you look closely you can spot two stripy socks, the kettle, an umbrella, the book, an alarm clock and the omni present cat.
It really is visually stunning. Even when the flowers are not in the pictures, there’s always something unusual to notice, like the way the words He buries the seeds in it and added some water look like they're pouring out of the kettle into the mug.
But what I love most maybe is the message. Flowers can give happiness only by looking at them. They are extraordinary and yet so natural. I couldn’t imagine living in a world without them, and any book that reminds us of how precious they are must be treasured.

Lisa Evans is a relatively new name in the world of illustrations. But she has already been noticed: She was selected as one of the top ten best new illustrators, together with some of my favourites (Oliver Jeffers, Polly Dunbar, Emily Gravett, Catherine Raynar…).
As a result, her work is on display till the May 3rd, at the Illustration Cupboard in London. I’d love to go but I know I won’t. It’s great to know, though, that there’s a gallery dedicate to the art of illustrations. I MUST go there next time I’m in London.

Lisa Evans has also a lovely website, complete with gallery and blog. You must visit it!
I can’t post a direct link to the gallery, so you need to go to the main page, click on "gallery", then on "sequential" and then find The Flower. You can see 4 full pages.
Make sure you browse around cause she has some pretty amazing stuff. My attention was caught by two books in particular: “One upon a holiday” and “The star belly monster” on her blog, but unfortunately I can’t find a way to buy them. But I’ll keep trying.

Picture Book Monday: Moon Dog by Helen Ward and Wayne Anderson

The Man in the Moon lives peacefully with his Moon Dog. The moon is usually a nice and quiet place, but from time to time some nasty and loud visitors arrive with their fairy bus, to disturb its tranquillity. The Man in the Moon knows how annoying these visitors are, so anytime they arrive, he shuts himself in his living room, sits on his comfortable armchair and read some good books, imagining to be somewhere else.
But Moon Dog is curious, he is eager for adventures and the visitors seem like such an interesting crowd. So, one night, when the Man in the Moon is snoozing on his armchair, Moon dog sneaks out the back door and joins the loud fairies. At first he has a great time. The fairies build him a pair of mechanical wings so he can follow them around. Then they cuddle him, they tickle him and they make him laugh. Moon Dog loves playing with them and he forgets all about the Man in the Moon. But these are nasty fairies and they’re up to no good…

It seems like I tend to like Helen Ward’s work, and I might feature another one of her picture books sometimes, one which she actually illustrated herself. But this time I’m drawn to Moon Dog mainly for Wayne Anderson.
His illustrations look like they are made of the stuff of dreams. They are ethereal, as if sprinkled with stardust. They’re soft as a cloud and enchanting like the best fairy tales.
I’m never tired of looking at them, they make me smile all the time.
Luckily for those who are not familiar with his work, Anderson has a lovely website with a fairly big gallery of illustrations, which you can browse in awe: www.wayneandersonart.com
And this is the Moon Dog page: http://www.wayneandersonart.com/gallery4.html

Anderson illustrated the Dragonology series, even though you can admire his dragons in his gallery better, as they’re pretty small in the books. Apparently he is a dragon lovers because most of his illustrations have dragons as the main subject.
I can’t wait for the Dragon Machine to arrive in the shop, and possibly review it here. Same for his illustrated version of The Wizard of Oz.
I might even have a Wayne Anderson section in the shop, because all his books are simply beautiful.
His work shows exactly what I mean when I say that picture books are Art. Just look for yourself.

Picture Book Monday: Varmints [part one] - Helen Ward and Marc Craste

There was once only the sound of bees and the wind in the wiry grass, the low murmuring of moles in the cool dark earth...and the song of birds in the high blue sky.

So begins Varmints, a delicate yet striking story of an idyllic world turned into a noisy and dark hell, where the sound of bees is lost and no one can hear themselves think. But high above the streets, there's still someone who nurtures a little piece of wilderness, someone who still knows how to listen. And one day his wishes find hope in something growing among the towers. A miracle in the middle of all the darkness.

From the moment I picked this picture book up I knew instantly it was something special. The graphic is astonishingly beautiful. The words are lyrical and ethereal. The story is somewhat enigmatic but still so touching and poetic. It felt a bit like finding a treasure.
It doesn't look at all like a normal picture book. It resembles more a graphic novel, or an animated film transported into paper. That is because its illustrator is an animation director who was awarded the 2004 BAFTA for best animated short film for Jo Jo in the stars.
His illustrations play with light and darkness, using few colours, mostly gold, black and light shades of green and red, to portray a world that is surreal and authentic at the same time. Its characters are some rodent kind of animals, something like mice in bunny suits, with big noses and adorable sad eyes. They are kind little creatures who love to look after their plants and enjoy the sound of nature. Until the Others come and star building a world of cement and noise. This is a simple but riveting story. An ecological warning and an invite to listen more for the hidden treasures that Nature still donates us.

The title says this is "part one", so I'm hoping to be able to enjoy part two soon!

Picture Book Monday: Leonardo the terrible Monster by Mo Willems

My pick for this week is Leonardo the Terrible Monster by Mo Willems, the author of Don’t let the pigeon drive the bus. It is just out in paperback, and it’s a must have for any 3-5 child! I wish I could have read it when I was that age because I’m sure it would have helped me a lot to overcome my nightmares and fears of scary creatures…

Leonardo is a terrible monster. Not because he’s scary, totally the opposite! He can’t scare anybody to save his life! He doesn’t have 1642 like Tony, he’s not big like Eleanor, nor plain weird like Hector. But Leonardo is determined to put an end to his misery. He’ll find the most scaredy-cat kid in the whole world and will scare the TUNA SALAD out of him! He thinks he has found the perfect candidate, but has it?

This jewel of a picture book has everything. Eye-catching graphic (brilliant use of “far west” kind of font and presentation, characters that stand out from the pages left blank, great illustrations), a funny and sympathetic character ( a monster who’s not scary??) a laugh-out-loud middle scene, and a lovely heart-warming ending. I could read this over and over again and I’m not even a kid (well, on the outside at least). The large format is also a plus because it allows the pastel-coloured illustrations to stand out even more and it lets the “moaning” scene – you need to read it to know what I’m referring to – to express all its comic potential. I love it.

Side note: I just found out that Leonardo the Terrible Monster is an American Library Association notable book.

And finally…..look what I found on youtube: a little girl “reading” Leonardo! She reminds me so much of me as a kid. I was always wearing my fancy dress at home, and I too learned by heart my favourite picture books! Enjoy, but beware, spoilers ahead :)

Picture Book Monday: "Posy" by Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner

Welcome to Picture Book Monday! Last time I reviewed the Odd Egg on Monday so I thought I’d keep this day for picture books. I’m not sure I’d be able to find a good picture book every Monday but I’ll try and see how it goes.
This time I’m going to talk about Linda Newbery and Catherine Rayner’s new book Posy. As soon as I saw it I decided it had to belong to my collection. I know Linda Newbery from her young adult book Set in Stone but it was Catherine Rayner that made me grab it as soon as I put my eyes on it. She illustrated one of my favourite picture books last year, Augustus and his smile, and her dreamy use of watercolours and uplifting words won me over instantly. And now she did it again with Posy!
There is no story here, so I guess it’s aimed at toddlers, probably 1-3 year olds, because it relies its appeal on Rayner’ lovely illustrations and Newbery’s funny rhymes.

Posy!
She’s a whiskers wiper
Crayon swiper
Playful wrangler
Knitting tangler
Spider catcher
Sofa scratcher…

The words are matched by the drawings of Posy playing with a crayon, or messing up a knitting ball, sneakily checking a sandwich or inspecting socks on a washing line.
The idea is simple but clever. The colours are soft and the drawings have a sketch-like feel, which I love. My favourite page is the “sock inspector”!
Posy, with her little curious eyes, is an irresistible heart-stealer. She made me want to have a kitten so badly! Maybe one day..

The odd egg - Emily Gravett

I don’t usually review picture books, but this time I’ll do an exception (or will this be the beginning of a new practice?) for Emily Gravett and her new book. I was so excited today when I saw it brand new on the trolley of new deliveries, freshly out of the box, that I had to stop and read it straight away. I don’t think I had ever looked forward to a picture book so much.
Ever since I saw Gravett’s “Orange pear apple bear” and “Wolves” I fell in love with this artist. She is so original and inventive, that I’m not afraid to call her a genius! I’ve read an article about her life and her background that just proves my point. She never had any artistic education. She left home at 17 and lived in a caravan for eight years, at the edge of society, till she had a child and decided she had to find a proper job. All she could do was “scribbling” on her notebook, and that’s why she tried to be accepted to a BA course in illustration. But with no diploma, and no leaving cert, she was refused admission. Emily didn’t give up though and insisted that they looked at her work. They were obviously very impressed cause she was accepted! She went on graduating and her final project “Wolves” was published by MacMillan and won not only the Nestlé prize, but also the super prestigious Kate Greenaway award, the equivalent of the Carnegie Medal for illustrators! What a fairytale!

Her new picture book is just another gem. It’s about a duck who’s sad cause everyone else had laid eggs - the hen, the owl, the parrot, the flamingo – except him. How can that be? But then Duck finds an egg, the most beautiful egg in the world, or so he thinks. The others are not impressed…it looks so odd…will it hatch? Read and find out!

As in Wolves, this book has a surprise ending that I’m sure won’t fail to delight children over and over again. What won’t fail to delight me is Gravett’s artistry. Her sketch-like drawings, the pale watercolours, the funny details, the simplicity of her idea, and yet the brilliance of it, are the reasons why I bought it without thinking twice. I love that owl is reading “The bright baby book” and then when the egg hatches the baby owl is a math genius. I love Duck facial expressions, and the fact that he knits happily for his egg while he waits. I like that the suspense of the final hatching is enhanced by the way the pages are cut, which show each egg cracking, one by one, leaving Duck’s odd egg for last.
It’s a charming little book, which delicately challenges the gender roles (did I mention that he knits?) and brings a smile on your face. I love it!