Painting Wonder: How Pauline Baynes Illustrated the Worlds of C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien

by Katie Wray Schon

★ “It’s a beautiful tribute. An accessible and inspiring mini-biography, delightfully illustrated.”—Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review)

Young Pauline Baynes lives in India, a land of towering mountains, sparkling lakes, and bright flowers. She even has a pet monkey that joins her for tea.

Then her life takes a turn, and Pauline is sent to dreary England. Books bring light and color to her world, so she sets out to paint the stories she loves. Years later, two iconic authors see her paintings and know she’s the illustrator for their stories—of fire-breathing dragons, towering giants, a golden lion, and four brave children.

Follow Pauline into some of the most beloved and prominent landscapes in all of children’s the magical lands of J.R.R. Tolkien and C. S. Lewis.

Genres: Picture Books, Biography, Art, Nonfiction, Childrens, Biography Memoir, Books About Books

48 pages, Hardcover

First published March 24, 2025

Reviews

[Alissa J. Zavalianos · Rating 5 out of 5]

So lovely in every way! I love stories like this :)

Also, the artwork and layout of how this story is presented is wonderful too!

[Kathryn]

I'm torn about how to rate this book, so I won't. On one hand, the reading experience is lovely, the illustrations are beautiful, and I appreciate the thorough back matter which includes considerably more detail about Pauline than the story proper does, along with several photographs, and a Bibliography. On the other hand, I didn't feel the story itself is sufficient for a biography. It feels sparse, more poetic than detailed, and I came away from it with an abstract idea of Pauline rather than her feeling like a fully realized individual. (Also, it bothers me that in a biography of Pauline we don't even learn her name until half way through the book. Perhaps this was meant to hold some sort of mystery or impact but it didn't land right with me that J.R.R. Tolkien's name is mentioned before hers.) It's worth reading to learn what you can about Pauline, and it does have its merits, but I was ultimately left wanting more.

[Sirah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever wonder who illustrated the Chronicles of Narnia and where that illustrator comes from? This short biography explores Pauline Baynes's life and art in a simple, warm style that highlights her illustrations and connections.

Like most biographies, this one tried to instill a bit of plot, but of course, you can't do that easily with a real person's life. It does a pretty good job making up for the lackluster plot by polishing the narration to make it warm and empathetic. And the illustrations are truly a joy to peruse. I'd definitely recommend this book to young readers who are wondering if art might be worth pursuing.

[Libby Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautiful picture book biography! My kids enjoyed the flow of the illustrations and I loved the weighty back matter. We visited her official art website and it was a place of wonder.

This is a beautiful asset for anyone who loves Lewis’s and Tolkien’s work.

[J. Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simply beautiful! I loved the artwork, and I loved learning about Pauline Baynes' life. A book that will encourage children to keep being creative even when the world around them becomes dark.

Thanks to Edelweiss and Waxwing Books for a digital review copy!

[Nicole · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm torn between rating it 2 stars or 3 stars. This was a gift to me from a friend who's a massive Tolkien fan, and she liked it. I'm not actually familiar with Baynes' work; I don't own and haven't read the editions this picture book refers to. The art in this picture book is lovely. However, I think the subtitle is misleading, or perhaps I'm interpreting the "how" differently from the author-illustrator's intent. I expected more information about Baynes' actual process in illustrating Lewis' and Tolkien's work. The text is basically Baynes' life story. Also, I'm a little puzzled about the target audience. Perhaps this would be a hit with children whose parents are massive Lewis and Tolkien fans? It is rather inspiring in terms of encouraging anyone, especially girls, who want to be artists.

[Patricia Q · Rating 4 out of 5]

She drew the map of Middle Earth. That's a pretty cool lady.

[Sarah S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waxwing Books knocks it out of the park again! Lovely illustrations in this picture book biography about the artist who illustrated many Tolkien and all of the Narnia books.

[Matthew Richey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christmas present for my daughter. Beautiful and sweet.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Painting Wonder was an instant-request for me from my library, as I love both C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. However, this picture book biography left me with more questions than answers. The text is so sparse and the story so high level that I really did wonder if I needed to try to find another, fuller biography when I finished. Also: while the illustrations in Painting Wonder are beautiful, none of them reference Lewis or Tolkien. Another reviewer mused that it may have been a copyright nightmare to try to include any, but still, I would have loved to see at least a few.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

You may not recognize her name, but you have most likely seen her work. The Narnia books -- nearly every reprinting included -- contains her artwork. As do many of Tolkien's books, a map of Middle Earth, and the cover of "Watership Down."

Having seen Narnia through her eyes since childhood, I was most interested to read this picture book bio. Here are five things I learned:

🌟 She was born in England in 1922, but spent her early childhood years in India. She had a monkey trained to pour tea.
🌟 Moving back to England was a colorless experience, but she had her memories from the colorful world of India to pour into her artwork.
🌟 When WW II started, her art career was put on hold so she could assist with drawing maps. That skill came in handy when she was asked to draw a map of Middle Earth for J.R.R. Tolkien.
🌟 She won the Kate Greenway Medal in 1968 which is similar to our Caldecott Medal here in the states.
🌟 The gorgeous illustrations in this book are reminiscent of Pauline Baynes whimsical style. The details are delightful and each time you read the book you will discover more.

If you are interested in learning more about Pauline Baynes and her work, her website is also includes a treasure trove of her life and work at https://paulinebaynes.com/?what=artif...

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: This little girl will grow up to draw pictures that will wing their way around the world, flying to faraway places. Her pictures will be held in millions of hands--maybe even yours. But who is she? And what will she draw?

Premise/plot: This isn't the most traditional picture book biography. It is more a picture book biography with a pointed focus on how Pauline Baynes--artist, illustrator--came to illustrate for J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis.

My thoughts: I knew her as the illustrator of the Narnia books--the interior illustrations particularly. Her work isn't always used for the covers. (That's a whole other story. The Narnia books have gone through SO MANY covers.) I did not know that she also illustrated a book cover for Tolkien (paperback Lord of the Rings, one of the editions) and a map of Middle Earth and a few of his lesser known books that are not connected to Middle Earth.

I don't know that I absolutely love, love, love, love, love this one. But I do appreciate the story it tells. I did learn quite a bit by reading it. While picture book biographies exist for a LOT of writers/authors, fewer exist that focus on illustrators. (Unless they are author-illustrators). Illustrations are so important for stories and storytelling.

[Sem · Rating 2 out of 5]

I don't see the point. If you're not old enough to read Lewis and Tolkien then 'Pauline Baynes' will convey nothing to you and nothing in this book will spark an interest. Or it wouldn't have sparked mine. If you're old enough to read/be read to then it's time to go straight to the books she illustrated. If you're an adult who's read those books why would you buy this? I give it an extra half star for reminding me that I have a first printing of her Middle-earth map somewhere and I ought to dig it out. Apparently, it's worth a few bob (as are the Tolkien posters I have by Dominic Bon de Sousa Pernes).

[Rebecca Gomez · Rating 5 out of 5]

every bit as lovely as I hoped it would be when I first heard about it. As a lifelong fan of Lewis and Tolkien, I’m always drawn to anything related to Narnia and Middle Earth, and it was such a treat learning about the artist who helped those stories (and more) come to life. The text in this book has a lyrical, flowing quality that is helped along by Schon’s whimsical art. If you are a fan of Lewis and/or Tolkien or simply enjoy learning more about the creators behind beloved books, you can’t go wrong with Painting Wonder.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Her name is Pauline Baynes. And here is what she will draw...A girl and a faun under an umbrella in the snow; a frigid witch; a formidable lion; and four children who would save the day." Pictures about C.S. Lewis' magical world of Narnia. Maps to depict J.R.R. Tolkien's famous fantastical Middle-earth of the Lord of the Rings. "Pictures that wing their way around the world to faraway places on the pages of books...from her hands all the way to yours." An artist in her own right, Katie Wray Schon's illustrated biography illuminates an iconic but often forgotten literary legend.

[Kelly Boggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a biographical book of an female illustrator (as stated in title). I was wondering for who or on what occasion would this book be good. I recommend this to teachers or homeschool parents who are reading C.S. Lewis' Narnia series. The book says although most of the covers of his books have changed, many of her illustrations are still printed inside his pages. Since the book mentions a bit about WWII, it would be great to show how what was happening in the world inspired what C.S. Lewis included in LLW book.

[Syntaxx · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute, actual story doesn't have much to it but there is an expanded biography in the back. I really liked being exposed to this history about an illustrator I previously had never heard of, and a female one in the 1940s at that! Thought it was really cool that Pauline's experience making maps for the US military during World War II contributed to the skill set that allowed her to create maps for Tolkien and Lewis! Peak transferable skills.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

So often I feel like picture biographies try to introduce people that don't connect with young readers. Schon's beautifully designed and illustrated biography of Pauline Baynes is the opposite of that. Of course, many children know Lewis and Tolkien, which makes an easy connection, but even more, this is a story that will appeal to any young artist. I can see readers returning to the book again and again, a feat for a biography.

[Carol Bakker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is gorgeous, lovely, lovely, lovely.

I test drove it with my grandson (6) and his sister (12), who both love Lewis and Tolkien. We listened to Sarah Mackenzie's audio narration (top-notch) and looked at the hardcover. The audio has a measured pace with mini-musical interludes which allowed for noticing details.

Then we pulled some books off the shelves and looked at Baynes's illustrations.

[The Greenway Schoolhouse Rebekah Miller Fam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy 5 stars! This is a beautiful book with a beautiful story about the life of Pauline Baynes. We enjoyed seeing her life unfold with purpose after her painting dreams had been deferred. Through war and hard seasons she puts her artistic abilities to good use, and then one day she is approached to illustrate for Tolkien and Lewis’ famous stories. A wonderful story of endurance, hope deferred, and the unstoppable purposes of God in an ordinary life. A story worth revisiting again and again!

[Faith Elizabeth Hough · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clearly we're on a picture book biography kick. This one is absolutely lovely. So much fun to read about Pauline Baynes during the year we've been studying medieval art--the kids could immediately recognize the style she was emulating in Farmer Giles of Ham especially.
Obviously every Lewis and Tolkien fan needs this for their library!

[SL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully illustrated book that introduced me to the artist, Pauline Baynes. What struck me most (besides the engaging narrative and gorgeous illustrations) was that I could sense the profound respect, admiration and warmth from the author towards Mrs. Baynes as I read this picture book. The author really did her homework, and PAINTING WONDER is a wonderful tribute.

[Ashley Stangl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The illustrations are gorgeous, but I think I know less about Pauline Baynes than I did before I started. The text gives very little info, and the short biography at the end skips over a lot and contradicts the illustrated timeline of her life. (Did her husband die after ten years or after twenty-seven years of marriage?) I feel like I need to read another book just to get the facts straight.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

A girl growing up in India before being taken to live the rest of her childhood in the dreary England, Pauline Baynes had an artistry that ended up bringing her into the worlds of Lewis and Tolkien where she created the illustrations that showcased the fantasy worlds.

The picture book biography captures her creativity.

[Rebecca Libersat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Back when I worked in a bookstore and had to straighten the picture books every single day, I ended up buying a lot of them just because they were so pretty, even though I didn't have kids and didn't plan on any. I'm seriously thinking of buying my own copy of this book too, for much the same reason. Plus I learned from it why Pauline Baynes was so good at drawing maps.

[Susie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a nice variety of illustrations that are still cohesive as a whole. Even the endpapers are glorious. This does a nice job of telling Bayne's story with just the right amount of information. The endnotes are not overwhelming, but important.

[Serenity · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are lovely and it is cool to learn about the illustrator of such beloved books, but unfortunately many young readers today aren’t familiar with Tolkien or Lewis. A good book for a public library, but probably not for my little school library. I just don’t think it will circulate.

[Leanna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful book! I love the Narnia series and its illustrations so it was wonderful to read about the illustrator behind those books. This book's illustrations are beautiful and the story is nicely done!

[Raven Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

While the story itself was "iffy" at times, only hitting on highlights and not fully at that, the illustrations are lovely. They capture the fantasy and whimsy. It is a good introduction to artists, women artists and even literature.

[Melanie Gaum · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC from Edelweiss.