Mo Li

 

It is rare for me to pounce on a graduates book, the last time I did it was Maisie Shearing's and Bridget Falmer's. 

This book by Mo Li called 'A Story From Nobody is fantastic, the words, the innovative illustration, the whole feel of it! I am proud to have it in my collection. I wish Mo Li all the best and, if and when I make my own publishers, this would be one of the first books I would publish. 

Below endpapers:

Endpapers 2010's

 

Above: 'The Great Race' retold by Frances Lincoln Children’s Books, illustrated by Christopher Corr, 2018

Above: 'The Day the Cow Sneezed' by Jim Flora, 2010.

Above: 'The Ups and Downs of the Castle Mice', written by By Michael Bond and illustrated by Emily Sutton, 2019.

Above: 'One Hundred Sausages' by Yuval Zommer, 2016.

Above: 'Jill and the Lion' by Lesley Barnes, 2016

Above: King of the Sky written by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Laura Carlin, 2017.

Above: 'There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe'. Jane Cabrera, 2016.

Above: 'Botanicum', written by Kathy Willis, illustrated by Katie Scott, 2016.

Above: 'Anna and Ottis' by Maisie Paradise Shearring 2018

Above: 'Snail Mail'  by Sharon King Chai 2016

Above: The Bluest of Blues: Anna Atkins and the First Book of Photographs by Fiona Robinson. 

Above: 'Looking After William' written and illustrated by Eve Coy 2018

Above: 'Walking in a Winter Wonderland' based on song written by Felix Bernard and Richard B Smith, illustrated by Tim Hopgood, 2016. 

Above: 'Nocturno', Illustration by Isol 2011

Above: The Hole Story' written by Paul Bright illustrated by Bruce Ingman 2016

Above: 'Der kleine Wassermann' written by Otfried Preußler, illustrated by Regine Stigloher, 2011.

Above: 'Bonshommes des bo'is by Elisabeth Ivanovsky 2016

Maisie Shearring VII

Moles in bed from the glorious imagination of Maisie Shearring, whose career and work goes from strength to strength.

Maisie Shearring VI

Maisie Paradise Shearring having won the International Illustrators Award at Bologna Children's Book Fair last year was featured at this years fair with her version of The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde published by Fundación SM. Maisie has been a favorite illustrator of mine since her graduation show from ECA so it was great to see her work given the attention it deserves. Above is a selection of Maisie's detailed tiny illustrations from this book.

Nick Sharratt

Mentoring Maisie Shearring for the Picture Hooks project was Nick Sharratt a very established illustrator who has over 260 published books from a thirty-year career, many of which we have in our shelves at home, and have been firm favourites of my children.

Nick was a lovely warm hearted man and it was great to learn about his passions, inspiration and working practices.

It was also good to see how the 'Picture Hooks' project had had a very positive effect on both these illustrators lives and work.

Maisie Shearring V

One last post about Maisie Shearring's work for just now. Above is a detail of an illustration from 'Susan's School Day's', a book which recreates some of Maisie's mum's tales of school. I just loved the detail of these girls doing handstands against the wall. Maisie's works often include, as I have said, hula hooping, skipping and handstands and her observations of these I absolutely love.

Maisie Shearring's Sketch Books

 A glimpse into the tiny magic world of Maisie Shearring's sketchbooks a world of hula hoops, music, and lots of upside downs.

Maisie Shearring IV

These workshops with illustrators organised by 'Picture Hooks' have been incredible.
It has been so interesting to put faces to illustrators and to learn the individual quirks and techniques. As well as peoples different life paths.
Maisie was extremely shy and lovely today but what stood out was the humour of her work and strangely, how tiny her drawings are, a tiny world inhabits her sketchbooks one that is lovely to peep into and escape.

Maisie Shearring III

Today I am going to a workshop by Maisie Shearring as part of 'Picture Hooks' at the National Galleries of Scotland and I am really looking forward to it as I have been following her closely since she graduated from ECA in 2013. I also still have to share my experiences from a workshop in December so the next few days will be a Picture Hooks bonanza.

Maisie Paradise Shearring II

Maisie Paradise Shearring's illustrations from 'Susan's School Days' (a comic book that Maisie is developing) were exhibited in the Bologna Children's Book Fair Illustrators Exhibition' this spring.
It is a lovely book of remembered childhood, bringing back memories of the textures and smells of school and the feeling of being small, mixed with the horrors of old fashioned teaching practices and corporal punishment. Maisie has just completed her MA in Illustration at the Anglia Ruskin University she has a wonderful loose sketchy style.
I featured her work when she graduated from Edinburgh College of Art and it is great to follow her career.
I am looking forward to meeting her early next year at the Scottish National Gallery.