My interview with the illustrator of The Gruffalo and other books by Julia Donaldson could not be reproduced in full in StarMag today because of the lack of space (books don't get many pages and I think that's not just in Malaysia).
Anyway, it's just as well that this blog exists.
John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat
By Jenny Wagner
Illustrated by Ron Brooks
Publisher: Puffin Books, 32 pages
John Brown is an old English sheep dog. He belongs to Rose, an old widow, and is a deeply devoted companion. Says Rose, "We are all right, John Brown. Just the two of us. You and me." But one night, Rose notices a cat in the garden. A midnight cat. She is fascinated by the cat. John Brown doesn't approve. He tells the cat to leave. But Rose wants the cat. She longs for it. She leaves it milk in a bowl, which John Brown tips over. Finally, Rose takes to her bed and declares that she might stay there forever. John Brown is sad and decides that, because he loves Rose so much, he will put up with the midnight cat. This is a strange picture book - quite gloomy and sombre. The midnight cat is slightly sinister - could it be a symbol of death? When John Brown finally allows the cat into the cottage, is he really accepting Rose's death? Perhaps being a true friend includes being able to let go.
Axel Scheffler, illustrator of The Gruffalo and other picture books like Room on the Broom, Monkey Puzzle and the Tales from Acorn Wood series was in town for a week (12th to 19th June) as the guest of the Goethe-Institut.
Scheffler was invited to launch the Contemporary Picturebook Illustrations in Germany Exhibition, held in Kuching on the 14th (it has now moved to Miri), and to speak at a seminar.
On 18th June Scheffler held a workshop at Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka in Kuala Lumpur.
IT’S easy to understand why bears are so popular with children (and many adults). They are attractively rotund, cuddly (looking) creatures which children readily identify with through that favourite of toys, the teddy bear. There are plenty of bears in children's lit. Pooh is arguably the most famous of them all, thanks, in part, to Disney. But my favourite literary bear is Little Bear.
He is the creation of Else Holmelund Minarik, although my impression of him is largely formed by the illustrations, done by my favourite illustrator of all time, Maurice Sendak!
May 2008
Kate, the Cat and the Moon
By David Almond
Illustrated by Stepehn Lambert
Publisher: Hodder Children's Books, 32 pages
Kate wakes one moonlit night and is invited, by a white-furred, blue-eyed cat, to join him on an adventure in dreamland. The best part of this escapade is that Kate experiences it as a pretty grey-striped cat! Even the moon morphs into a beautiful feline and joins Kate and her new friend on their journey, through the dream-filled skies. This book is very like Lane Smith's "The Big Pets" in its magical, dreamy feel, and the glowing illustrations that look like they've been dipped in milk!
April 2008
The Way Back Home Author
By Oliver Jeffers
Publisher: HarperCollins Children's Books, 32 pages
OLIVER Jeffers' books tend to feature little boys with big dreams, big hearts and big appetites. Here, we have another boy who, finding an aeroplane in his cupboard, flies off in it. The sky's not the limit for this young adventurer: he flies past clouds, stars and planets and, finally, lands on the moon when he runs out of petrol. Luckily, he's befriended by an alien who's suffered the same fate. Hopefully, the pair can figure out how to get out of the predicament they're in. And if they don't, at least they'll have company on the moon.
"Certainty? In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes," said Benjamin Franklin.
Death is not a common topic in children's literature, but it is something that kids have to deal with and books help to explore the topic, which most adults find hard to discuss with one another let alone little ones.
Ways to Live Forever is the story of a dying boy from his own point of view. Other YA books that deal with death and dying include winner of the Costa Children's Award, The Bower Bird by Ann Kelley, and Garbrielle Zevin's Elsewhere.
Michael Rosen's The Sad Book (a picture book, illustrated by Quentin Blake) was written in response to the death of his son Eddie.
And Badger's Parting Gifts by Susan Varley (illustrated by Maurice Sendak) tells the tale of Old Badger who senses that he will soon be leaving his friends and gathers them so he can say a fond farewell.
March 2008
ZEN TIES
Written & Illustrated by Jon Muth
Publisher: Scholastic, 40 pages
ISBN: 978-0439634250
Addy and Michael meet Stillwater, a wise and gentle giant panda who tells them stories based on zen parables. In Zen Ties, Stillwater's nephew comes to visit. The young panda is called Hi and speaks in verse: zen-influenced haiku ("Hi, Koo!" say the children, pun intended on Muth's part). Stillwater introduces the siblings and Hi to an old woman who seems surly but is simply lonely. Miss Whitaker helps Michael learn to spell and he wins a red ribbon at a spelling bee. The friends all celebrate by wearing red ties - zentai is Japanese for "whole" or "togetherness" and Zen Ties celebrates the joy of friendship and being part of a circle of friends.
There’s was a Potter who never wielded a wand but who
was, nonetheless, very good at creating magic.
January 2008
COME ON, RAIN!
By Karen Hesse
Illustrated by Jon Muth
Publisher: Scholastic Press, ,40 pages
(ISBN:978-0590331258)
You can imagine this story being performed at a spoken-word gig. Karen Hesse's words dance like sunspots on your skin, trickle like cold water down the back on your neck, ripple across your consciousness - rumbling like thunder, sizzling like an egg frying in a pan full of butter. When the rain comes, you feel like you could stick out your tongue and catch a few raindrops. Jon Muth's watercolours shimmer with heat and then dissolve in silvery wet streaks as the heavens open and the rain finally comes ...
Continue reading "Picture Book of the Month: Come On, Rain!" »
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June 2008: Jenny Wagner (Author) & Ron Brooks (Illustrator): John Brown, Rose and the Midnight Cat
John Brown is an old English sheep dog. He belongs to Rose, an old widow, and is a deeply devoted companion. Says Rose, "We are all right, John Brown. Just the two of us. You and me." But one night, Rose notices a cat in the garden. A midnight cat. She is fascinated by the cat. John Brown doesn't approve. He tells the cat to leave. But Rose wants the cat. She longs for it. She leaves it milk in a bowl, which John Brown tips over. Finally, Rose takes to her bed and declares that she might stay there forever. John Brown is sad and decides that, because he loves Rose so much, he will put up with the midnight cat. This is a strange picture book - quite gloomy and sombre. The midnight cat is slightly sinister - could it be a symbol of death? When John Brown finally allows the cat into the cottage, is he really accepting Rose's death? Perhaps being a true friend includes being able to let go.
