'Courtney' and 'Borka' have long been on my favourite children's book list. So I thought I would explore more of John Burningham's archive. 'The Extraordinary Tug of War' written by Letta Schaltz, illustrated by John Burningham published in 1968 by Follett publishing Co. This book has fabulous colour and vegetation effects as well as John's early chunkier style which I delight in.
I was away in July and popped into Carlisle on my way home, where there is an incredible book shop. I emerged two hours later with many books. One on the top of the pile my daughter looked at and asked, 'Why did you buy that one?' looking puzzled.
I said, 'sometimes it is just the end papers!' These are the scarlet endpapers of 'The Migration of Birds', written by ornithologist James Fisher and illustrated by his son Crispin Fisher (1949-1989). Published by 'The Bodley Head 1966. Then below are some of the delicate internal illustrations of birds, but oh! those endpapers!
Sometimes I fall in love and I have fallen for this octopus! and the many fish in Charles Keepings illustrations for The Sky Eater and other South Sea Tales by James Holding published in 1965 by Abelard-Schuman. The images here are all taken from the main story 'The Sky Eater, I couldn't love the drawings more and the use of the single colour.
'The Beginning of the Armadillos' written by Rudyard Kipling and illustrated by Charles Keeping published by MacMillon Children's Books in 1982.
