last full week of summer before school......

 

Image via deviantart

Julia Child's cat

via Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast

Cats! Paris! Julia Child! Cutaways! Beautiful illustrations! Why do I not already own this book? Why I have not gifted it to myself? "Minette's Feast: The Delicious Story of Julia Child and Her Cat" by Susanna Reich and illustrated by Amy Bates tells the story of when Julia began her training as a chef at the same time that it's about Minette, the cat, who prefers mouse to anything Ms. Childs' provides it to eat. It looks sweet doesn't it?

via Dish "n" That

via books4yourkids.com

And I would love just a collection of the sketches that went into this book. The blog, Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast, was able to post a number of sketches and drafts by illustrator by Amy Bates that are just amazing:

(see more at Seven Impossible Things Before Breakfast)

Oh, and could this be the real Minette?

 

Picture of Julia's Parisian kitchen, photography Paul Child 

(from ancient industries via the conscious cat)

best things at theblackapple

The Etsy shop The Black Apple showcases the distinctive, captivating illustration of Emily Winfield Martin. It is filled with treasures, but there are definitely favorites....check them out.

Hand-lettered Typography Art-8x10, Costume Party Print, Magnet Packs: Kitten Pals, Oddfellow's Orphanage Signed Book and Circus Parade Print Set, Portrait with Cat Ears, Alice in Wonderland Postcard Set all courtesy of theblackapple

Waiting for Winter

Sebastian Meschenmoser's Waiting for Winter is just the type of warm, silly fun that is perfect for this cold, sometimes stark season. The hasty, frenzied looking pencil sketched squirrel, hedgehog and bear look just as you would imagine animals avoiding hibernation would and their quest for the first snowflake of winter provides lots of laughs (especially for young readers well aware that the droopy white sock discovered is definitely not snow!).

These lively, curious creatures provide not only fun, but are part of the cozy, satisfying ending- taking in their first snowfall ever. Meschenmoser's tale is short on text , but full of expression and emotion through his quirky and impressive illustration. A wonderful addition to fireside bedtime stories...

 Images: barnesandnoble, theworld, blaine, kate'sbookery

a read for the season

The Insomniacs by Karina Wolf is not a book about Halloween, but it is a magical celebration of the night and seems particularly perfect for reading this time of year.

When the Insomniacs move twelve time zones away for Mrs. Insomniac's new job, the family has an impossible time adapting to the change. They try everything to fall asleep at night--take hot baths, count to one thousand, sip mugs of milk--but nothing helps. Venturing out into the dark, they learn there is a whole world still awake and a beauty in their new and unconventional schedule. - Putnam Juvenile

Wolf collaborates with two brother illustrators, Ben and Sean Hilts, to bring the night to life as an alternate universe for the Insomniacs and the reader. The design of the book, which truly showcases the power of the color blue, is hypnotizing and different in a way that will draw in an audience of any age. 

 Images: rocketcitymom, karinawolf, tumblr

illustrations of autumn in children's literature

Images: Elsa Beskow, Muth's Zen Ghosts, Tudor's Pumpkin Moonshine, Cooney's Ox-Cart Man, Denise's Oliver Finds His Way, Scarry's I Am a Bunny

Frog and Toad

 Four decades ago Arnold Lobel wrote and illustrated Frog and Toad Together, and last night my son giggled his way through reading the first two stories in that book. Isn't that something? After forty years, Lobel's ability to capture kindness, friendship, and humor still resonates with the children (and parents) who pick up his early readers and open their covers today.

Last month it was announced that The Jim Henson Company would be developing Lobel's Frog and Toad into a film. I can't think of a better fit.

Images: Children's Book-A-Day Almanac, cllctr, cllctr

20 most beautiful children's books

 

Peter Pan illus. Arthur Rackham

The folks at Flavorwire put together a round-up of "The 20 Most Beautiful Children's Books of All Time"- a lofty, near impossible, task if you ask me, but I was very curious to see what titles made it onto their list. I do agree that many of the included books are breathtaking, but there are a few choices I would have replaced with other titles. How about you?

 Hans Andersen's Fairy Tales- illus. Harry Clarke

 Snow-white and the Seven Dwarfs illus. Nancy E. Burkert

 The Arrival author/illustrator Shaun Tan

 Flotsam author/illus David Weisner

All images: flavorwire

I want this book

Yesterday NPR did an author interview with Martin Salisbury,who is responsible in part for Children's Picturebooks: The art of visual storytelling. I can't tell you how excited I am to see a copy of this book.
I am definitely of the belief that a really good picture book is perfection in 32 pages, a seamless union of the written word and visual art. It seems as though Salisbury is tackling just what makes certain marriages of text and line everlasting and I can't wait to read about it!

Image: NPR.org

Helen Musselwhite

Artist Helen Musselwhite specializes in paper sculpture and collage. Her work is comprised of layered, intricately illustrated, folded and cut papers. They come together to form another world, a peek at another time and space.
Her work is varied and interesting and her site has numerous galleries to browse.

I think the pieces under glass domes are incredible and even among the amazing colored works, the all white paper collages are my favorite.

Images courtesy of helenmusselwhite.com