Edward Ardizzone II

'Island Mackenzie', written by Ursula Moray Williams and illustrated by Edward Ardizzone (1900-1979). Published 1960 by Morrow. This is a mostly black and white pen illustrated chapter book, the cover and endpapers above and below are especially beautiful.

Don Madden II

'Oxygen Keeps You Alive' written by Franklyn M Branley (1915-2002); illustrated by Don Madden (1927-2024) published 1971 by Crowell. I love the happy dog and boy on this cover, and the wonderful animal illustrations throughout.

Charles Keeping II

 

Joseph's Yard written and illustrated by Charles Keeping, published 1969. This is a very autobiographical book by Charles Keeping the main protagonist 'Joseph' looks so like his creator.  Charles Keeping (1924– 1988) was an English illustrator, children's book author and lithographer.

Charles Keeping I

 I was very lucky and bought an immaculate copy of 'Charley, Charlotte and the Golden Canary', written and illustrated by Charles Keeping, published in 1967, for which he was awarded his first Kate Greenaway Medal. This book is sublimely illustrated with incredible colour and line work.  Charles left school at 14 and then worked at a printers, whilst doing a correspondence art class funded by his aunts, before war claimed him for munitions and then the navy. He was initially turned down for college and worked as a gas man taking art classes in the evening. He finally got his grant and studied full-time from 1949 aged 24, specialising in illustration and lithography. 

Charles Keeping sought in his stories and illustrations to recreate the vanished world of his childhood, which he spent in south London, in Lambeth, a hub of markets and docks.