April 2008 Archives

The Canadian Press has an interesting article on the growing prevalence of children's audiobooks. I'm a little alarmed by the audiobook-as-substitute-for-parent-interaction as seen in this quote:

"I hear lots of people talking, saying that when they put their kids to bed, they put them down with an audiobook," says Audio Publishers Association president Michele Cobb.

What better time is there to bond with your child than reading them a bedtime story at night?

On the other hand, I can see some benefit to audiobooks for kids that are just learning to read. They can listen to the recording while following along on their own. Of course, the same benefit can be had through parental reading, but for children whose parents can't or won't find time to read to them, this could be just the ticket.

[via Booksquare]

This week I'd like to turn your attention to one of our lesser-known titles, The Bonsai Bear, written by Bernard Libster and illustrated by Aries Cheung. The Bonsai Bear tells the tale of an orphaned bear in Japan who is adopted by a bonsai master and his wife. The Emperor has forbidden wild animals to be kept as pets, however, so Issa the bonsai master must find a way to disguise the young bear.

You can probably see where this is going. When the little bear begins to grow too large to remain hidden, Issa binds the bear like a bonsai tree to stop him from growing, despite his wife's protestations.

Issa knows that keeping the bear small and domesticated is against its nature, but he loves the bear too much to set him free. He must learn that the true test of his love is accepting and embracing the bear's nature.

The Bonsai Bear is the perfect answer to the child who asks, "Mommy, why can't I have a pet tiger?" Wordier than some of our picture books, this title is probably best suited for children in the eight- to nine-year-old range, though it can certainly be read aloud to younger children.

I recently had the chance to talk with Steve Jameson, a.k.a. Wodin, illustrator of Just Imagine. Steve had some fascinating insight to offer on his artistic process, so this is one interview you don't want to miss! Be warned, though. It's quite lengthy, but well worth it.

• When did you decide that you wanted to be an artist?

  This is my personal first memory of drawing: I remember my aunt worked in an ice cream factory. She passed by our house on her walk home after work daily. When she heard I liked to draw, she started to bring home discarded white, cardboard, ice cream box dividers for me to draw upon. It was Groundhog Day so I drew Mr. Groundhog dressed to go to town. Everyone exclaimed how much they liked my drawing. So I did another of Mr. Groundhog in his nightgown and cap. Again I got encouragement. So for the rest of that week I drew a huge multitude of scenes of Mr. Groundhog in various attire to show everyone.
  
  As a young man, I majored in architecture when in college because I wanted to design folksy cottages and villas. But I felt alienated with the huge, ultra-modern, un-human commercial buildings we were required to design in class. I dropped out of architecture school and switched to fine art. It felt like a huge risk because I had cleverly thought that I could more likely make a living using my artistic talents in architecture than fine art. But in painting and illustrating, I could satisfy my desire to design buildings, clothing, wallpaper, fabric, furniture and many disciplines all within my artwork.

• Have you illustrated any other children's books? Anything in the works right now?

  I am currently working with John Thompson at Illumination Arts on a second in a possible series of books illustrating children playing in god's hands. I would love to do a long line of books exploring that theme. In the past, I illustrated 2 books for Mani S. Irani, younger sister of the Indian spiritual perfect master, Avatar Meher Baba. One, which is entitled GOD BROTHER, includes line drawings of Mani in her many episodes as a child with an older brother who is believed by many to be the avatar of this age. The other, which is entitled DREAMING OF THE BELOVED, has full-page, full-color illustrations of many of Mani's dreams of her god-man-brother. I also have another very long line of art depicting god playing among and generally appreciating his many and varied animals. The animals are depicted in an anthropomorphic style illustrating human behavior traits and are usually humorous in nature. I would love to someday have a book published of this line of art as well.

For more details on Steve's inspirations and favorite book, read onward.

The first children's book Illumination Arts ever published was All I See is Part of Me, written by Chara M. Curtis and illustrated by Cynthia Aldrich. As you may know from our company history, our initial focus had been on adult metaphysical titles; however, All I See is Part of Me imparts such a powerful message that president John Thompson couldn't help but publish it.

This rhyming picture book, illustrated in colored pencil, brings to life the interconnectedness of the universe. When the Sun tells a young boy, "We are one," the boy asks, "How can I be both me and you?" and embarks on journey to discover the light that shines within all things.

All I See is Part of Me makes a great introduction to metaphysical concepts for young children. Published in 1989, it remains one of Illumination Arts' best-selling books to this day.

The Telegraph has a list of 110 "best books", including 10 children's books. While I certainly agree with many of the choices (Winnie-the-Pooh, The Wind in the Willows, Treasure Island, etc.), I find it intriguing that there is only a single picture books on the list: Babar. But where is Dr. Seuss? Where is The Very Hungry Caterpillar? Certainly a 10 book list will have a limited selection, but are picture books really so far out of the realm of "literature" that they only merit a token spot on the list?

(As an aside: what is Lord of the Rings doing with the children's books? It's a terrific book/trilogy, but I would hardly file it under children's.)

I tried doing a Google search for a top 10 list of picture books, but all I could find were top ten lists for a specific year, instead of all-time favorites. If you were compiling such a top 10 list, what would you put on it?

This week's book, In Every Moon There is a Face, features some of the most breathtaking illustrations you will ever find in a children's picture book. No, I'm being serious. I want these pictures hanging on my wall, they are that gorgeous.

Written by Charles Mathes, this simple poem explores the interconnectedness of all things. Beginning with the titular phrase, "In every Moon there is a face," the poem delves deeper and deeper: "In every Face there is... / a Tree / And every Tree is full..." and so on, until it finally comes full circle back to the moon.

Arlene Graston's illustrations breathe meaning and life into the little poem. Through the progression from one illustration to the next, even the youngest reader will be able to grasp the connections between the images. I would highly recommend this book for any child with a strong imagination.
 

The nominees have been announced for the 2008 Children's Choice Book Awards. No Illumination Arts books are in the running this year, but these awards are a great way for kids to get their voices heard.

If you have a young child, why not borrow the finalists from your local library and let them get their first taste of the democratic process!

Next up, I'd like to highlight Sandy Kleven's The Right Touch: A Read-Aloud Story to Help Prevent Child Sexual Abuse. Illustrated by Jody Bergsma, this book deals with a sensitive subject in a thoughtful, non-scary manner, providing parents and other caregivers with a framework for discussing sexual abuse with their own children.

The Right Touch covers good and bad touching, how to say no when you feel uncomfortable, and what parts of the body are private. The back cover even has illustrations of every kind of feeling you could think of, from "confused" or "stubborn" to "silly" or "confident." It is a great tool for talking about feelings, and would recommend it for a child of any age.

If you want to read through this book before you buy, check it out at BigUniverse.com. All of the text and illustrations are available to you, just like if you picked the book up in a store to browse through.

Today is International Children's Book Day, a day "celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children's books."

What books did you read as a kid that taught you a love of reading?

One of my favorites when I was very little was It's Not Easy Being a Bunny by Marilyn Sadler. How do you not love a bunny who would rather be a bear, or a beaver, or a ...

Now that I'm grown, though, my all-time favorite children's book is undoubtedly Kenneth Grahame's Wind in the Willows. I didn't read it until I was in junior high, but it was probably the first book where I truly was struck by the beauty of the language. I would highly recommend it to anyone, young or old, looking to be inspired by a book.