Maria Dek

Sometimes you just need a grumpy tortoise and these couldn't be more perfect! Thank you Maria Dek.

Nastya Smirnova III

This sketch of hamsters is perfection for me, enjoy the work of Nastya Smirnova.

Nastya Smirnova II

The sketches of Nastya Smirnova, mostly these ones are executed in pastel, they have a warmth and humanity in the observation that makes you feel the love eminating from them.

Inkyung Noh II

I adore the quietness of these illustrations by Inkyung Noh, the simplicity that holds the horse's puzzlement and the prominence of only one or two main bold colours.  

Basak Agaoglu

Joyful illustrations by Turkish illustrator Basak Agaoglu, now based in New York.

Dominika Czerniak-Chojnacka

Books using stones always appeal to me, I have no idea why but there is something about them that always seems to grab my heart. This book; 'The gravestone' by Polish illustrator Dominika Czerniak-Chojnacka is powerful in its message and beguiling simplicity.
Grief arrives for the main character as a huge boulder, overpowering and ever-present, as he designs the headstone as he wants a special one and as he works through this process the healing starts and what was overwhelming becomes more manageable.

Until it is the size of a grain of sand.

A wave of Whales II

A wave of whales is a fantastic way to demonstrate against the resumption of whaling by Japan initiated by Nicola Davis
#waveofwhales Please send whale pictures+writing to Japanese Embassy's worldwide to show your opposition to the resumption of whaling!

A Wave of Whales I

A wave of whales is a fantastic way to demonstrate against the resumption of whaling by Japan initiated by Nicola Davis
#waveofwhales Please send whale pictures+writing to Japanese Embassy's worldwide, to show your opposition to the resumption of whaling!

Semen Bukharin

Semen Bukharin is a school janitor who decided to entertain the children by making snow paintings for them as he cleared the paths.

Miyagi Yukari II

Miyagi Yukari's new book;' Crocodile War' published in November, about how the humans changed the river so that there were no more fish. The illustrations are full of humor and wonderful diversity of line.

Andrea Boyer

I adore skilled observational drawing and Italian artist Andrea Boyer (1956- ) is a master.

Born in Milan, she originally specialized and trained in set design. In a long and very successful artistic career she has explored many different media and artistic expressions, including photography, painting, printmaking and drawing.

John Burningham I

On Friday 4th January the world of children's books lost a great storyteller and illustrator for John Burningham died aged 82 (1936-2019). I am amazed that in almost ten years I have not included his work on this blog, as his books have been ever-present in my children's libraries, Borka his first book, is a particular favorite of mine and Courtney (1994) is a gem.
John Burningham studied illustration and graphic design at the Central School of Art, graduating with distinction in 1959. He worked designing now-iconic posters for London Transport, before the publication of his first children's book; Borka: The Adventures of a Goose with No Feathers in 1963 for which won the Kate Greenaway Medal for illustration.

Today, I am going to share images of his book; 'Harquin, the Fox who went down to the Valley' published in 1967.
I share these images because they represent my favorite style of John Burningham's early work which is painterly and chunky, yet delicate with wonderful observation of detail, and because even though it is supposed to be illegal to hunt foxes in Britain, it still happens and none of the perpetrators of this evilness, never seem to get brought to justice.

Yusunari Nagashima

Above are some of the incredible fish portraits by Japanese artist Yusunari Nagashima for his exhibition, 'Days in a Tank'. Yusunari has loved fish since he was a little boy and this love has become an obsessive desire to capture their beauty.

Alice & Martin Provensen.

In the illustrations for 'A Visit To William Blake's Inn' by Nancy Willard and illustrated by Alice & Martin Provensen. Twinkle-eyed fantasy mixes with a pseudo-historical realism to create a magic that reveals the Provensen's love of William Blake and the London in which he lived.