November 2009

  • Harold and the Purple Crayon

    By sarajean on 11/29/09 8:02pm
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    Though American cartoonist Crockett Johnson was best known for his Barnaby comic strips, his most well-known and well-loved work just might be his beloved children’s picture book, Harold and the Purple Crayon.

    You might remember the story of Harold and his crayon—the tale of a little four-year-old boy who imagines his own world with the help of just his purple crayon. It’s a very simple tale; Harold creates all of the things in his world that he doesn’t have access to at the moment. This includes a moon to walk beneath, a path to walk on, and more. He even draws himself a bed to sleep in.

    The drawings are quirky and cute, reminiscent of a slightly messier, younger Charlie Brown with a bit more optimism in his head.

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  • Just What is a Picture Book, Anyway?

    By sarajean on 11/28/09 8:19pm
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    When you imagine a picture book, you might think of the beautiful classic wordless children’s book and Boston Globe-Horn Book Award winner The Snowman. Remember that wonderful book by Raymond Briggs? The heartwarming tale of a boy and his come- to- life snowman, their adventures, and the snowman’s sad melting is a memorable story that, if you were shown as a child, you aren’t likely to forget.

    But picture books can actually be filled with words. A picture book is simply a book that combines both images and narrative to convey a story. They’re usually done for the children’s market—though not always—and are often created using a variety of mediums, including acrylic paints, oil pastels, watercolors, or other art supplies. I recently discovered that the artist Eric Carle actually paints on tissue paper to create his amazing animals and illustrations.

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  • Karen Katz: Creatress of Adorable Books for Babies

    By sarajean on 11/28/09 8:00pm
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    My daughter’s occupational therapist introduced us to the world of Karen Katz, and we have enjoyed every moment of reading this author’s incredible, memorable works. All of her books share her trademark roly-poly, joyous children exploring the wonders of the world. They encompass many different cultures, activities, and holidays, but one thing they all have in common is their fantastic bright pictures of babies.

    Katz cites traditional folk art for her inspiration in much of her art and writing. After a long career in various arts, it was adopting a daughter from Guatemala that inspired Katz to start writing children’s books. Her first book, Over the Moon, was written for her daughter and many more soon followed. Katz says that her teen daughter remains her biggest inspiration, even twenty-two books later.

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  • First the Egg

    By sarajean on 11/13/09 9:38pm
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    When she was two, my daughter’s favorite book was First the Egg. The author, Emmy-award winning artist Laura Vaccaro Seeger, will be familiar to many picture book aficionados; she has written a few well-loved favorites, including Lemons Are Not Red, Walter Was Worried, The Hidden Alphabet and Black? White! Day? Night! She’s also the creator of the loveable Dog and Bear. In First the Egg, Seeger continues with her trademark simple language and vibrant pictures to create an unforgettable story.

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