Alice and Martin Provensen,

'Birds, beasts, and the third thing' : poems by David Herbert Lawrence (1885-1930) illustrated by Alice and Martin Provensen, published in 1982

Beni Montresor II

An illustrated book, but not a children's book; 'The Last Savage' is an opera by Gian Carlo Menotti (1911-2007) that was illustrated by Beni Montresor and published in 1964. In this book the imagery is very akin to stage set illustrations.

Beni Montresor I

'Willy O'Dwyer jumped in the fire'; variations on a folk rhyme by Beatrice Schenk De Regniers, illustrated by illustrator and costume and set designer Beni Montresor (1926-2001) published in 1968 by Atheneum. 

This book has fully drenched high contrast psychedelic colour illustrations, interspersed with single colour red ones to take the rhyme forward.

Feodor Rojankovsky II

 

Feodor Rojankovsky produced many alphabet books and in  'Animals in the Zoo' Published in 1962  by Alfred A. Knopfone, Feodor's love of animals shows throughout.

Feodor Rojankovsky I

'How the leopard got his spots', by Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936) illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky (1891-1970) Published  1942 by Garden City, New York. What delightful richly illustrated endpapers this book has! 

Feodor Rojankovsky was a painter who attended Moscow Fine Arts Academy from 1912-1914. Feodor served in the first world war and was taken prisoner in Poland, on his release he went to Paris working as an art director for both a fashion magazine and a book publishing company. He emigrated to America in 1941 after German occupation of France and became known for both his children's book illustration and erotic art. He was awarded  the Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration from the American Library Association in 1956 for his illustrations of 'Frog Went A-Courtin' by John Langstaff.

“Two great events deter mined the course of my childhood. I was taken to the zoo and saw the most marvellous creatures on earth, and while my admiration was running high, I was given a set of crayons. My father was a school director, my two elder brothers had a talent for painting and my love for art was born in our family.” Feodor Rojankovsky

Blair Lent II

 

Blair Lent's 'Pistachio', published in 1964, was the first book he wrote and the second that he illustrated. It looks like it was just a joy to make, as the images laugh from the page. Pistachio's friend Waldo wants to join the circus, Pistachio loves Waldo and tries to help, but all the disguises they try do not fool the circus owner. It just takes Pistachio being herself to win him over. 

This is one of my absolute favourite children's books!