Meet the illustrator Pamela Zagarenski

 

I’m inspired by words, poetry literature and children. The moon and the sun and the stars and the rocks and moss and trees and the birds and the oceans and the whales and lions and and and alchemy and —- life and all of its awesome mystery.

Children's Book Review

Zola’s Elephant: When Zola moves into the neighbourhood, her new next-door neighbour is too shy to go over and introduce herself. Plus, Zola already has a friend to play with—an elephant! What we imagine is not always true, as the little girl discovers. Luckily, she also discovers that being brave can lead to new friendships—and even richer imaginary worlds.

The Whisper: When a little girl receives a curious book filled only with pictures, a whisper urges her to supply the words she cannot see. As the pages turn, her imagination takes flight and she discovers that the greatest storyteller of all might come from within. Pamela Zagarenski’s debut as an author reminds us that we each bring something different to the same book.

Sleep Like a Tiger: In this magical bedtime story, the lyrical narrative echoes a Runaway Bunny-like cadence: "Does everything in the world go to sleep?" the little girl asks. In sincere and imaginative dialogue between a not-at-all sleepy child and understanding parents, the little girl decides "in a cocoon of sheets, a nest of blankets," she is ready to sleep, warm and strong, just like a tiger.

Henry and Leo: Leo isn’t just a stuffed toy, he is Henry’s best friend and brother. He is as real as a tree, a cloud, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the wind. But when the two are accidentally separated, no one in Henry’s family believes Leo is real enough to find his way home.  

Pamela Zagarenski is an award-winning children's book author and illustrator who lives in Connecticut, USA.  Along with beautiful book she also designs scrumptious greeting cards. 

Take a look at this 2009 interview with Seven Impossible things Before Breakfast where you can see a huge number of examples of Pamela Zagarenski's art. On the Celebrate Picture Books blog you can find book reviews and activities to use with Pamela Zagarenski's books. 

Zagarenski’s mixed-media, edge-to-edge art is richly textured, jewel-toned, and dreamily evocative, with a delicious sense of mystery and enchantment. Geometric swaths of colour are layered and blended to suggest sunlight, moonlight, and shadow, walls and windows among the trees. Henry and Leo Kirkus Review

The artist’s Klee-esque colors and signature symbols—stars, crowns, houses, bees, and more—will provide fertile ground for young readers’ own imaginings. Zola's elephant Kirkus Review