Got 2 GOOD - no not good- GREAT ones this month. Starting with an eagerly anticipated picture book by one of our house favorites. Yes restaurants have house dressing, house wine- we here in the Light house have house illustrators. And Peter Brown is the ranch dressing and perhaps the pinot noir on our menu. (he's a favorite but always tastes a little different depending on the main course) enough metaphors! On to the review:
"The Curious Garden" written and Illustrated by Peter Brown- pub by Little Brown and Co.
It is a story of how one person - a young boy- shows a little care to living things- plants in a city overcrowded and over polluted - and makes a difference. It blithely demonstrates the value of the enviroment to our well being and how the actions of one can have a chain reaction for the good of all. And the art - is stylish and juicy and makes me prop the book up on the front of my daughter's book shelf. - It's cover is in and of itself an awesome image. Can not wait for the next book. Altho- Flight of the Dodo is still my fave - flightless birds longing to know the joy of the mid air poo- can't beat that.
On to dessert - another book I was unaware of until it smacked me in the face with a frying pan of art. This is not a sticky sweet book- but a amazing feast for the eyes.
"You Never heard of Sandy Koufax?" written by John Winter and illustrated by Andre Carrilho. pub by Schwartz and Wade books
First- I'm not a baseball nut. So this book's art attracted a non sports lover. Second Sandy Koufax - is known only to me thru my friend Marc and his Dad's yearly argument over not working on jewish holidays. "Even Sandy Koufax wouldn't play on Rosh Hashanah!"
The art is what struck me first- I didn't read it for days, I just stared at the pages- the art is astonishing. Now- I hear all the time that my art is too animated- this is animated. I think I know animated since I've animated. This is animated. The cover has the motion effect on that plastic- I don't know what it's called. BUT essentially it's 3 key poses- animating Sandy Koufax pitching. The art is a combination of elegant line work/collage/photoshop and I think colored pencil/charcoal- it could be ps brushes- but it's like nothing I've ever seen. It's like the love child of Al Hirschfeld and Gerald Scarfe. I checked out the illustrators site- you should too. He's brought sophistication and elegance and cool to this book. - I'm a big fan now.
John Winter- I must say-when I started to read the book, you sucked me in. The book is written in the voice of a Brooklynite! A period- 1950's east coast voice will come out of the mouths of Iowans or Canadians, etc- when you read this out loud. You too can sound like Phil Rosuto! - Awesome job of adding personality when finding out about a personality. It's a great story of self discovery and learning to relax in to who you were meant to be. Kinda zen and the art of the knuckle ball.
So- I hope you busy yourselves and check these out as I busy myself on the continuing journey to get a book of mine out there. Now- I need to get some lunch, maybe a little Diterlizzi on the side...
2 comments:
OK, making my library list now! That cover of Curious Garden is gorgeous. It's the cover of the publisher's catalog, for a good reason.
Here's your big word for the day - lenticular. That's the term for the interlaced graphic with lens overlay that gives you that neat-o back and forth motion. I created a line of lenticular stickers for my last job, fun stuff really.
I'm going to get both of these Kelly- thanks so much! I'm on Peter Brown's newsletter list and I've been meaning to pick this up since it came out. I really enjoy your writing and your music.
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