A Tribute to Dianne De Las Casas

It's Picture Book Month, time to celebrate the profound effect picture books have on the world and spread the love. Sadly, Dianne De Las Casas, one of the key creators of this event, was killed tragically and unexpectedly this year.  I can't think of a better way to spend Perfect Picture Book Friday than honoring Dianne by introducing you to her books. Champion them and all picture books. Follow Dianne's motto: Read * Share * Celebrate!

And please check out the very special anti-bullying series Dianne and her fiance, John Couret, created, Captain Deadeye.

The first in the Captain Deadeye series
The Bully Shark

Be a lifesaver. Share Captain Deadeye and the Bully Shark

Thank-you to all those who keep Picture Book Month active and help it transform lives.

In Memoriam, Marc Simont

Brilliant illustrator Marc Simont was a staple of my childhood and a hero of my adulthood. He passed away on July 13, 2013 at age 97. The NY Times ran an article on his passing. His elegant style never looked forced or out-of-fashion. The world seems a little dimmed without him.

Cricket The Magazine for Children, Vol. 11, No. 3, Nov. 1983

My first meeting with Marc Simont was via the pages of Cricket Magazine. This illustration for "The Apple Tree and the Magic Water", by Loty Petrovits-Andrutsopulu, translated by Nora Kazitori is from around that time. Thirty years later, his work still amazes me with its complex simplicity.



For more information:

an extensive book list from The Picture Book Cottage

Anita Silvey's 2010 birthday tribute

Simont Political Cartoons

Below are two of my favorite Simont books.

In the Year of the Boar
 and Jackie Robinson,
 by Bette Bao Lord and Marc Simont

My Brother, Ant, by Betsy Byars
and Marc Simont

Please feel free to comment with a book or memory in which Marc Simont's work touched your life.

In Memory of Jan Ormerod

I just read the sad news about the passing of Jan Ormerod yesterday.  Jan was an artistic hero of mine from the moment I saw her book, The Frog Prince.  I can think of no greater tribute than to showcase a bit of her work here.  I hope if you are unfamiliar with Jan's illustrations, you will take the time to savor her books. That you can find her listings at Simon& Schuster, Puffin, HarperCollins, Walker Books, and Random House to name a few, is a testimony to her appeal and endurance.  Her rich legacy of art and stories is such a blessing to all of us who love books for children.

Where Did Josie Go?
by Helen E. Buckley and Jan Ormerod

The Frog Prince
Jan Ormerod and David Lloyd

 "I find the challenge of communicating with both child and adult-working on two levels in one book--a demanding, intriguing and rewarding task." - Jan Ormerod 

Jan Ormerod
1946-2013

In Memory of Maurice Sendak

Illustration copyright 2012
by Charles Santoso

Author, illustrator, legend Maurice Sendak passed into eternity on Tuesday, May 8.  No matter your personal opinion or connection to his books, you cannot deny the extraordinary influence he had on a generation of readers and picture book makers.  Thanks to Australian illustrator Charles Santoso for his outstanding tribute pictured above.

Maurice Sendak
1928-2012

Making Mischief
A Maurice Sendak Appreciation
By Gregory Maguire

A Hole Is To Dig,
By Ruth Krauss

Here are some additional links to learn more about Sendak's life and work:
Rosenbach Museum tribute
The Worlds of Maurice Sendak
Philadelphia Daily News article regarding death and the Rosenbach
PBS interview
Bookish Ambition highlight
Wiki Bibliography

The Art of Maurice Sendak,
By Selma G. Lanes

The Art of Maurice Sendak
1980 to Present,
By Tony Kushner

Remembering Trina

Trina Schart Hyman was the guiding star of my youth.  Her art inspired my dreams and my reality.  I can think of no better tribute than to honor her career with the first post here at Bookish Ambition.