Vendi Vernić III

I was unable to attend this years Bologna Children's Book Fair. It is an annual event that I hate to miss, as it is so good to see the worlds new children's books and discover new talent and new projects, in particular the exhibition and on the illustrators wall.  As well as see great friends and be in this fantastic city in Spring.

However I was extremely happy to hear that the winner of the 2018 International Award for Illustration Bologna Children's Books Fair is Vendi Vernić from Croatia. I have admired Vendi's work for many years and particularly love her submission, five illustrations for 'The Crocodile' a short story by F. M. Dostoyevsky published in 1865. It is the story of Ivan Matveich and his wife Elena Ivanovna who visit an Arcade to see a crocodile that has been put on display by a German entrepreneur. After teasing the crocodile Ivan is swallowed whole. Surprisingly, this new situation doesn’t affect Ivan as one would expect . . .