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Artist to Artist: 23 Major Illustrators Talk to Children about Their Art
In this remarkable and beautiful anthology featuring the likes of Maurice Sendak, Robert Sabuda, Rosemary Wells, and Eric Carle, twenty-three of the most honored and beloved artists in children’s literature talk informally to children—sharing secrets about their art and how they began their adventures into illustration. Fold-out pages featuring photographs of their early work, their studios and materials, as well as sketches and finished art create an exuberant feast for the eye that will attract both children and adults. Self-portraits of each illustrator crown this important anthology that celebrates the artists and the art of the picture book. An event book for the ages.
Proceeds from the book will benefit the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.
Proceeds from the book will benefit the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA.
105 pages, Hardcover
First published September 25, 2007
12 people are currently reading
1174 people want to read
About the author
Eric Carle
781 books2,487 followersEric Carle was an American author, designer and illustrator of children's books. His picture book The Very Hungry Caterpillar, first published in 1969, has been translated into more than 66 languages and sold more than 50 million copies. Carle's career as an illustrator and children's book author accelerated after he collaborated on Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?. Carle illustrated more than 70 books, most of which he also wrote, and more than 145 million copies of his books have been sold around the world.
In 2003, the American Library Association awarded Carle the biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (now called the Children's Literature Legacy Award), a prize for writers or illustrators of children's books published in the U.S. who have made lasting contributions to the field. Carle was also a U.S. nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010.
In 2003, the American Library Association awarded Carle the biennial Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal (now called the Children's Literature Legacy Award), a prize for writers or illustrators of children's books published in the U.S. who have made lasting contributions to the field. Carle was also a U.S. nominee for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2010.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
May 15, 2019
23 illustrators talk about their art and their childhoods (which seem to have universally included wanting to "do" art if not thinking of becoming artists) and what other artists influenced them. They each get a page of text, a childhood photo and a portrait by themself, then a fold out showing their work, including childhood drawings if they had some saved.
Most of them were quite interesting in what they had to say.
I think I've read books by all but a couple of these individuals, although often the illustrator does not get equal credit, or doesn't come up in a key word search, so I'm only linking to ones that do appear in my "read" shelf under their name. I was surprised that some I know quite well don't appear as entries in book data, such as Quentin Blake or Barry Moser or Nancy Burkert. I'll endeavor to read the ones I've missed and also edit the links, until I have a review for something by each person included in this book.
Mitsumasa Anno
Quentin Blake
Ashley Bryan
Nancy Ekholm Burkert
Eric Carle
Tomie dePaola
Jane Dyer
Mordicai Gerstein
Robert Ingpen*
Steven Kellogg
Leo Lionni
Petra Mathers
Wendell Minor
Barry Moser
Alice Provensen
Robert Sabuda & Matthew Reinhart
Maurice Sendak
Gennady Spirin
Chris Van Allsburg
Rosemary Wells
Paul O. Zelinsky
*Ingpen was the one entry that came across as umsympathetic, to me. He wrote, "You can choose to be an artist and fly away with your creativity, or to be an illustrator and surround yourself with craft. You cannot be both." I think that is absolutely not true. Maybe he tells himself that because his illustrations are boring. Yeah, you heard me, Ingpen! BORING!
Also, he didn't fill up the whole page, what a slacker.
Random trivia that I find interesting:
--Barry Moser went to military academy, beginning in 7th grade.
--Sabuda and Reinhart are not a couple.
--Spirin is very religious.
--Jane Dyer has a twin named Jean.
--Chris Van Allsburg hadn't taken art before he decided to major in it in college.
Most of them were quite interesting in what they had to say.
I think I've read books by all but a couple of these individuals, although often the illustrator does not get equal credit, or doesn't come up in a key word search, so I'm only linking to ones that do appear in my "read" shelf under their name. I was surprised that some I know quite well don't appear as entries in book data, such as Quentin Blake or Barry Moser or Nancy Burkert. I'll endeavor to read the ones I've missed and also edit the links, until I have a review for something by each person included in this book.
Mitsumasa Anno
Quentin Blake
Ashley Bryan
Nancy Ekholm Burkert
Eric Carle
Tomie dePaola
Jane Dyer
Mordicai Gerstein
Robert Ingpen*
Steven Kellogg
Leo Lionni
Petra Mathers
Wendell Minor
Barry Moser
Alice Provensen
Robert Sabuda & Matthew Reinhart
Maurice Sendak
Gennady Spirin
Chris Van Allsburg
Rosemary Wells
Paul O. Zelinsky
*Ingpen was the one entry that came across as umsympathetic, to me. He wrote, "You can choose to be an artist and fly away with your creativity, or to be an illustrator and surround yourself with craft. You cannot be both." I think that is absolutely not true. Maybe he tells himself that because his illustrations are boring. Yeah, you heard me, Ingpen! BORING!
Also, he didn't fill up the whole page, what a slacker.
Random trivia that I find interesting:
--Barry Moser went to military academy, beginning in 7th grade.
--Sabuda and Reinhart are not a couple.
--Spirin is very religious.
--Jane Dyer has a twin named Jean.
--Chris Van Allsburg hadn't taken art before he decided to major in it in college.
July 3, 2009
What a wonderful, inspiring anthology! Odilon Redon is quoted as saying, “Art is a flower which opens freely, outside of all rules.” The 23 illustrators here are each unique and they each talk openly about their art: how they began, and continue to enjoy the creative process.
The lay-out is quite ingeniously done: with its fold-out style it invites the reader to literally “enter” the pages of each artist/illustrator beneath a full-page self-portrait. Adjacent to this is a letter addressed to children, and with one exception, a photograph or two of the artist as a child is featured in the top right-hand corner of the page – I viewed this as a personal postage stamp. All letters are signed – even their signatures are interesting! The two pages inside the fold-out vary, but most feature photographs of early work, sketches and finished art, and often, a picture of the artist’s studio.
Reading this as an adult, I was reminded of the many books I had read as a child and to other children as an adult. And in many cases I learned about and was intrigued by books I had never heard of, such as Mordecai Gerstein’s The Absolutely Awful Alphabet and Alice Provensen’s A Day in the Life of Murphy. The only author/illustrator not living to this day is Leo Lionni. He is one of my favourite authors, so I was pleased to see him featured, and a letter written on his behalf by his granddaughter. In the Biographies of the Artists in the final pages of the book, it says he passed away in 1999 at the age of eighty-nine. Matthew Reinhart certainly got it right in the opening statement of his letter: “When I was a kid, an uncle of mine, a well-known painter who made giant paintings of ladies in their underwear, told me that I couldn’t be an artist until I was dead. I was too young to argue, but I knew he was totally wrong.”
In fact, as Eric Carl says in the intro, that he was “struck by the fact that, for many of [the artists:], the dream or longing to make pictures and tell stories began in early childhood. Tomie dePaola – another of my favourites – says in his letter that he told everyone who would listen that he was going to be an artist when he grew up. He first said this when he was four years old.
Tomie dePaola ended his letter with this advice: As my twin cousins told me a long time ago, “You have to practice, practice, practice – and don’t copy.”
That was very good advice, so I am passing it on to you, Artist to Artist!
Here is a sampling of what a few of the others had to say:
Mitsumasa Anno: But in developing one’s own individual style, I believe that the culture that is part of your being from childhood is of great importance. If you look deeply into the culture you were brought up in… you will discover that the actual techniques you need for drawing good pictures are very easy to find. They are within you.
Ashley Bryan: In our earliest years there’s no how? to our plunge into art. The doing gives the answer. There is no one way. Your work in art is original and there is no end to the adventure…HURRAH!
Eric Carle: Ultimately, my aim is to entertain, and sometimes to enlighten, the child who still lives inside of me. This is where I begin.
And just as in my boyhood, making pictures is how I express my truest feelings, my truest self.
Alice Provensen: Young children make marvelous pictures. There is nothing they can’t draw. They paint and draw from their imaginations and the world around them. And they are not afraid to draw anything…
It isn’t until an adult criticizes the picture and makes derogatory comments – “Those cars only have three wheels” or “The printing on those stores is too big” or “That person’s legs are too long – that children lose their confidence and stop drawing. If young people spent as much time drawing as they do learning to form the complicated letters of the alphabet such as Q or F or G, they would all make good pictures and maybe never even need to draw a straight line.
Maurice Sendak: An illustration is an enlargement, an interpretation of the text, so that the reader will comprehend the words better. As an artist, you are always serving the words.
You must never illustrate exactly what is written. You must find a space in the text so that the pictures do the work. Then you must let the words take over where words do it best. It’s a funny kind of juggling act. A great example of this is found in Piggybook, by Anthony Browne: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14...
And finally, Rosemary Wells: Expect to be different from other kids, because if you are an artist, you are different. Sometimes it’s hard to be different…but stay the course. Believe in yourself.
Few people in this world can truly say they love their jobs, and the meaning of their work. I f you stay true to yourself and practice, practice, practice, you will have a life where you love what you do. And you can do it forever.
All profits from the sale of this book go to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, which opened in 2002. “The museum’s mission is to inspire, especially in children and their families, an appreciation for and an understanding of the art of the picture book.” That’s what this anthology does. Surely, despite severe cut-backs in education, schools can purchase one copy for the school library for all to share. Or, if you are a parent, relative or friend of a child who aspires to be an artist, this would make a wonderful gift.
To learn more about the museum, visit their website at: www.picturebookart.org
Take the virtual tour – I did!
The lay-out is quite ingeniously done: with its fold-out style it invites the reader to literally “enter” the pages of each artist/illustrator beneath a full-page self-portrait. Adjacent to this is a letter addressed to children, and with one exception, a photograph or two of the artist as a child is featured in the top right-hand corner of the page – I viewed this as a personal postage stamp. All letters are signed – even their signatures are interesting! The two pages inside the fold-out vary, but most feature photographs of early work, sketches and finished art, and often, a picture of the artist’s studio.
Reading this as an adult, I was reminded of the many books I had read as a child and to other children as an adult. And in many cases I learned about and was intrigued by books I had never heard of, such as Mordecai Gerstein’s The Absolutely Awful Alphabet and Alice Provensen’s A Day in the Life of Murphy. The only author/illustrator not living to this day is Leo Lionni. He is one of my favourite authors, so I was pleased to see him featured, and a letter written on his behalf by his granddaughter. In the Biographies of the Artists in the final pages of the book, it says he passed away in 1999 at the age of eighty-nine. Matthew Reinhart certainly got it right in the opening statement of his letter: “When I was a kid, an uncle of mine, a well-known painter who made giant paintings of ladies in their underwear, told me that I couldn’t be an artist until I was dead. I was too young to argue, but I knew he was totally wrong.”
In fact, as Eric Carl says in the intro, that he was “struck by the fact that, for many of [the artists:], the dream or longing to make pictures and tell stories began in early childhood. Tomie dePaola – another of my favourites – says in his letter that he told everyone who would listen that he was going to be an artist when he grew up. He first said this when he was four years old.
Tomie dePaola ended his letter with this advice: As my twin cousins told me a long time ago, “You have to practice, practice, practice – and don’t copy.”
That was very good advice, so I am passing it on to you, Artist to Artist!
Here is a sampling of what a few of the others had to say:
Mitsumasa Anno: But in developing one’s own individual style, I believe that the culture that is part of your being from childhood is of great importance. If you look deeply into the culture you were brought up in… you will discover that the actual techniques you need for drawing good pictures are very easy to find. They are within you.
Ashley Bryan: In our earliest years there’s no how? to our plunge into art. The doing gives the answer. There is no one way. Your work in art is original and there is no end to the adventure…HURRAH!
Eric Carle: Ultimately, my aim is to entertain, and sometimes to enlighten, the child who still lives inside of me. This is where I begin.
And just as in my boyhood, making pictures is how I express my truest feelings, my truest self.
Alice Provensen: Young children make marvelous pictures. There is nothing they can’t draw. They paint and draw from their imaginations and the world around them. And they are not afraid to draw anything…
It isn’t until an adult criticizes the picture and makes derogatory comments – “Those cars only have three wheels” or “The printing on those stores is too big” or “That person’s legs are too long – that children lose their confidence and stop drawing. If young people spent as much time drawing as they do learning to form the complicated letters of the alphabet such as Q or F or G, they would all make good pictures and maybe never even need to draw a straight line.
Maurice Sendak: An illustration is an enlargement, an interpretation of the text, so that the reader will comprehend the words better. As an artist, you are always serving the words.
You must never illustrate exactly what is written. You must find a space in the text so that the pictures do the work. Then you must let the words take over where words do it best. It’s a funny kind of juggling act. A great example of this is found in Piggybook, by Anthony Browne: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14...
And finally, Rosemary Wells: Expect to be different from other kids, because if you are an artist, you are different. Sometimes it’s hard to be different…but stay the course. Believe in yourself.
Few people in this world can truly say they love their jobs, and the meaning of their work. I f you stay true to yourself and practice, practice, practice, you will have a life where you love what you do. And you can do it forever.
All profits from the sale of this book go to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, which opened in 2002. “The museum’s mission is to inspire, especially in children and their families, an appreciation for and an understanding of the art of the picture book.” That’s what this anthology does. Surely, despite severe cut-backs in education, schools can purchase one copy for the school library for all to share. Or, if you are a parent, relative or friend of a child who aspires to be an artist, this would make a wonderful gift.
To learn more about the museum, visit their website at: www.picturebookart.org
Take the virtual tour – I did!
June 8, 2009
I love biographies and art books, children’s books, and I really love a good children’s art book. This is a really good one.
Twenty-three artists/illustrators, most known to me but some not known to me, have several pages each. They write a short biography that concentrates on being an artist when they were young. There are a variety of stories and I found almost all of them interesting. They each have a photo of themselves from some point in their childhood. Each has a few pages of examples of their art and they each do a self portrait, which (in my opinion) is some of the best art in the book as many are incredibly creative, but I enjoyed a great deal of all of the art; the artists featured create art in various styles/methods. At the end of the book there’s a one paragraph biography for each concentrating on their adult years as artists.
These 23 people remember what it is like to be young and they direct their comments to children, especially children who have some interest in creating art and being artists. I was impressed by the sensitivity of many of them. Many of them had difficulties with school subjects such as reading, and many were not supported for being artists when they were kids. Some give pep talks to encourage budding young artists. After Eric Carle’s introductory note (more on that in a minute) the book starts off with a page that says “Dear young artist,” One of the most moving things for me was contained in Carle’s note. He was a child in Nazi Germany and he writes of being 12 years old and having an art teacher who showed him works by Klee and others deemed degenerate by the Nazis, something his teacher did for him at great personal risk, according to Carle.
This is a beautiful book and I was fortunate to get a library copy in perfect condition. I’d have thought there would have been some damage as there are many fold out pages and even a pop up page.
This would make a perfect gift book for any child who has a passion to make art.
Twenty-three artists/illustrators, most known to me but some not known to me, have several pages each. They write a short biography that concentrates on being an artist when they were young. There are a variety of stories and I found almost all of them interesting. They each have a photo of themselves from some point in their childhood. Each has a few pages of examples of their art and they each do a self portrait, which (in my opinion) is some of the best art in the book as many are incredibly creative, but I enjoyed a great deal of all of the art; the artists featured create art in various styles/methods. At the end of the book there’s a one paragraph biography for each concentrating on their adult years as artists.
These 23 people remember what it is like to be young and they direct their comments to children, especially children who have some interest in creating art and being artists. I was impressed by the sensitivity of many of them. Many of them had difficulties with school subjects such as reading, and many were not supported for being artists when they were kids. Some give pep talks to encourage budding young artists. After Eric Carle’s introductory note (more on that in a minute) the book starts off with a page that says “Dear young artist,” One of the most moving things for me was contained in Carle’s note. He was a child in Nazi Germany and he writes of being 12 years old and having an art teacher who showed him works by Klee and others deemed degenerate by the Nazis, something his teacher did for him at great personal risk, according to Carle.
This is a beautiful book and I was fortunate to get a library copy in perfect condition. I’d have thought there would have been some damage as there are many fold out pages and even a pop up page.
This would make a perfect gift book for any child who has a passion to make art.
April 26, 2017
What I found that all the illustrators in this book had in common was that they loved to draw from the time they were little kids, and felt compelled to draw all the time, even when they were supposed to be doing other things. That sounds so much like my brother, who, alas, was never encouraged in school and steered toward an art degree. I think any child who shows signs of being a potential artist should have this book placed in their hands to read. The illustrators here are encouraging and inspiring. Each illustrator does a self-portrait as well--Maurice Sendak drew himself with some of the characters from his books. Made me wish I could draw. Recommended.
February 8, 2021
This was such a lovely and refreshing read. A beautiful collection of letters of encouragement for young artist (and adults too) with beautiful illustrations and pictures to match. I'd highly recommend sharing this with the young artist in your life.
September 3, 2020
Eric Carle convinced 23 picture book illustrators to write a short letter to readers about their background and artwork, and to encourage readers in their own efforts. Several of the artists advise readers to ignore naysayers who may tell them they can't make a living doing artwork, but that they should follow their dreams. Readers are also assured that it takes practice and hard work, just like in any other endeavor. Each artist has drawn or painted a self-portrait, which faces the letter. On opening the self portrait's fold-out page, the reader can see photos of the artist's studio, and samples of their artwork. The back matter includes a couple of bibliographies of the books in which the various illustrators' work appears, and brief biographies of each one. This book should be a great encouragement to youngsters who want to have a career in art.
February 28, 2018
A heavenly survey of illustrators, each of whom writes a letter to the reader explaining how and why they became artists. Gorgeous illustrations, wonderful text - this belongs in any art studio.
May 2, 2016
The illustrators/artists provide wonderful messages to children throughout this anthology. As Tomie DePaola shares, "You can be one too. But it is hard work. As my twin cousins told me a long time ago, 'You have to practice, practice, practice --- and don't copy.' This was very good advice, so I'm passing it on to you, Artist to Artist." Throughout the book, there are messages of perseverance, originality, doing what you love, and using your imagination! I also discovered a few new artists/illustrators whose work I had not previously seen. The book shares a variety of artistic styles, too. Pop-up books as a form of art, illustrators who favor nature, Eric Carle sharing his collage style.
Alice Provensen, one I was previously not familiar with, offers this: "It isn't until an adult criticizes the picture and makes derogatory comments --- 'Those cars only have three wheels' or 'That person's legs are too long' --- that children lose their confidence and stop drawing." Too many great comments to share, but I will end with one from Rosemary Wells, "The most important thing in the whole of life is to love what you do. Draw from your life. Draw all the time. Expect to be different from other kids, because if you are an artist, you are different." I love when we celebrate differences in individuals and society. Most of these talented artists began at an early age, and truly followed their dreams. We all benefit from their talent and passion in a variety of children's books we read!
Alice Provensen, one I was previously not familiar with, offers this: "It isn't until an adult criticizes the picture and makes derogatory comments --- 'Those cars only have three wheels' or 'That person's legs are too long' --- that children lose their confidence and stop drawing." Too many great comments to share, but I will end with one from Rosemary Wells, "The most important thing in the whole of life is to love what you do. Draw from your life. Draw all the time. Expect to be different from other kids, because if you are an artist, you are different." I love when we celebrate differences in individuals and society. Most of these talented artists began at an early age, and truly followed their dreams. We all benefit from their talent and passion in a variety of children's books we read!
September 11, 2008
I loved this book. I loved how it speaks directly to children and says that all children are artists, providing lots of encouragement to kids who might want to pursue art as a career or hobby. Each of 23 artists has written a small history of their own art as well as giving advice to kids about art. There is a self-portrait of each artist as well as samples of their work and (usually) a photo of their studio. It was fun to see that some artists are messy and some are neat and organized. Still, they all do incredible work. It also opened my eyes to some picture books that I have not seen and plan to check out for my small ones!
April 2, 2015
This provides a nice overview of popular children's books illustrators. I already knew some of them, of course, but I learned about a few more that I'm looking forward to checking out. Most importantly, though, I learned that there is an Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, MA, which I will definitely add to my to-do list for my wishful vacation to New England this year.
May 10, 2017
Excellent book by some of the best Illustrators. They all explain how they got into the profession. Some thought they couldn't even draw a stick person, something so many artists hear from others when they find out you are an artist, but really the key is sticking to it. I couldn't draw much at all when I went to college, but I knew I wanted to do it. I was way behind my peers, but I learned techniques and developed my work and now have a passion for all kinds of mediums and am illustrating a book right now. It takes a lot of work, but can be learned. It's not purely talent!
Others grew up knowing they wanted to do nothing else but be an artist or illustrator. Some had their parents' support, others didn't. But, when you have that passion, it can't be stopped. Some self-taught, some had training, some kind of just "stumbled" into it.
Beautiful book with artist commentaries sharing their backgrounds, early childhood drawings, to some of their published work. Some show pictures of their studios and working space.
Many styles, mediums, and techniques are presented, including a pop-up! Even though it's geared towards juveniles, it is a great book for anyone interested in the background and drawings of some of the greats including Eric Carle, Quentin Blake, Chris Van Allsburg, Jane Dyer, Steven Kellogg, and others.
Others grew up knowing they wanted to do nothing else but be an artist or illustrator. Some had their parents' support, others didn't. But, when you have that passion, it can't be stopped. Some self-taught, some had training, some kind of just "stumbled" into it.
Beautiful book with artist commentaries sharing their backgrounds, early childhood drawings, to some of their published work. Some show pictures of their studios and working space.
Many styles, mediums, and techniques are presented, including a pop-up! Even though it's geared towards juveniles, it is a great book for anyone interested in the background and drawings of some of the greats including Eric Carle, Quentin Blake, Chris Van Allsburg, Jane Dyer, Steven Kellogg, and others.
March 12, 2019
Profiles of illustrators and author/illustrators of books for young readers feature self-portraits by each author and first person narratives about their life in the field. A fold-out page on each profile shows examples of their art and process, including drawings from their childhood. A wonderful model for the young artist or illustrator. For each their vision of themselves began in childhood. Beautifully designed, published by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art.
July 12, 2022
Really loved this. Written for children who love drawing and art, it was so fun to read to letters from different illustrators. I loved hearing just a tiny bit about how they work and how they came to be illustrators. The self-portraits were great, and it was fun to see bits and pieces of their work. Beautiful book that I’d love to get for my class. Although it’s possible none of the kids would appreciate it as much as I do.
April 27, 2023
My son picked up a second hand copy of "Artist to Artist" (in mint condition! ) and gave it to me, knowing my passion for children's book illustration. I was thrilled when I received it and started reading it immediately. Yes, it's intended audience is children who are aspiring artists, but in my opinion it's also for adults, like myself, who have a deep abiding love for illustration. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and will treasure it always! ❤️
July 6, 2021
This is a good book to read to kids who have expressed interest in doing and loving art. I read it to myself in one sitting. Each artist spends just a few paragraphs talking about their art journey and shares a few pictures of their work plus a picture of their art studios. I love the picture of Eric Carle at work th most!
January 8, 2022
A wonderful little book of artists speaking their stories for children.
Each entry is a portrait of the artist in three dimensions: a very literal picture in their studios, through the portfolio of their work in children’s work across their life, and in their life trajectory in their own words (often organized around their inspirations).
There’s wisdom in this book and contented hours with your daughter in your lap.
Each entry is a portrait of the artist in three dimensions: a very literal picture in their studios, through the portfolio of their work in children’s work across their life, and in their life trajectory in their own words (often organized around their inspirations).
There’s wisdom in this book and contented hours with your daughter in your lap.
December 24, 2024
“Imagine! The thing that you like doing in school.. may be the answers to your future success… I hope you will work hard to develop your creative talent, and find your special place in art. The world is waiting for you.” -Wendell Minor
This book was so sweet, love to hear from an artists perspective
This book was so sweet, love to hear from an artists perspective
June 25, 2017
Simply fantastic. I loved reading about the process, the creativity, and what led these people to become illustrators. Some were new to me, some were favorites from my childhood. I would love to keep seeing new versions of this with new illustrators that kids (and adults) love.
March 11, 2019
This is a wonderful book that serves as a great intro to some of the best well known picture book illustrators. I would have liked to have seen more samples of the artist's artwork included but what I liked was the inclusion of their childhood photos and how their careers began.
December 9, 2020
Fantastic book for children and adults a like. 23 notable children book illustrators share their biography (brief), art career, and photographs of their working studio (the most interesting thing to me) and, of course, their work and philosophy behind it.
March 8, 2018
this was very exciting book , and i will recommend it to my friends.
June 25, 2019
I loved this book. I hope my Jack and James feel this way about their work someday!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 5, 2023
The art work is superb! The talks the artists give to children is very inspiring.
April 25, 2024
Artists talking to children about their art. This book is very nice. I like it
January 5, 2025
Will read again and again and again
May 4, 2025
The cutest most entertaining and encouraging book ever. It's kinda nostalgic if you recognize the art of the illustrators
August 25, 2025
The introductions to each illustrator are so brief that it is kind of unsatisfying, but there is a wide variety with different paths to becoming illustrators, so it could be interesting in that way.
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December 31, 2020A Beautiful Keepsake!
You can read the description for more details ... this coffee-table sized collection of 1-page or shorter autobiographies and full-colour art by 23 well- and lesser-known illustrators of children's books is the type of book you return to for pleasure and a moment of escape. I don't recall ever experiencing the arrangement with a foldout for each right-hand page: the outside features an artist self-portrait, with examples of that illustrator's art inside the fold. I already knew the work of about half the contributors; I recognized the style of another quarter but hadn't known their names; the rest were brand-new to me. A nice gift for yourself, or for anyone passionate about art or about kids!
You can read the description for more details ... this coffee-table sized collection of 1-page or shorter autobiographies and full-colour art by 23 well- and lesser-known illustrators of children's books is the type of book you return to for pleasure and a moment of escape. I don't recall ever experiencing the arrangement with a foldout for each right-hand page: the outside features an artist self-portrait, with examples of that illustrator's art inside the fold. I already knew the work of about half the contributors; I recognized the style of another quarter but hadn't known their names; the rest were brand-new to me. A nice gift for yourself, or for anyone passionate about art or about kids!
August 16, 2015
I am not sure why everyone thinks this is a great book. My first question is who is this book aimed at? They say children, but this is not a book for elementary school, at best it is YA and do teenagers really care about how to create art for children? As for the content, like any compendium, some artists give great advice and others are weak. I also have a major issue is with the editing of the book and its layout. Each two page spread has the artist's letter on the left and a fold out page of the artist's self portrait and artwork on the right, but neither are clearly labeled with the artist's name. Instead the artist signs his/her letter, but even as an adult I can not read many of the names. None of the information is consistent from artist to artist, and I was left wondering what books did this artist illustrate, what media did they work it? Much of this is answered in the back of the book, but it should have been put on the page with each artist. In summary, I think this book is of more interest to adults than children, and I do not recommend purchase of the book as it is not that strong.
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