Alice and Gert: An Ant and Grasshopper story by Helaine Becker illustrated by Dena Seiferling

The storyline is quiet, but it is sound and solid, and while the narrative speaks linearly, the whimsical illustrations round out the story with depth and nuance. The ant and the grasshopper are softly rendered and oh-so-subtly animated (most especially by the engaging luminosity in their big bug eyes), and insects never looked so cuddly. The soft, pale, earth-toned palette is as easy on the eyes as the gentle story is on the mind. Graceful, kind, and altogether soothing. Kirkus

Alice is the ant; Gert is the grasshopper. Alice is a worker. It is a hot summer, but she is preparing for the winter which is coming very soon. Gert is a dreamer and composer. She spends her days singing and relaxing and cannot understand why Alice is working so hard. Then of course winter arrives and this is where the story becomes a dilemma for the reader and for Alice. Gert has done nothing to prepare for the cold and lack of food over the coming months and so she might starve BUT Alice is kind and compassionate and is able to see Gert has actually helped in her own special way.

"Perhaps you should have planned better,' said Alice. 'Instead, you sang and danced through the long hard days of summer.' ... 'But ... your (songs) lightened my load, and now it's time for me to repay your kindness. I've collected enough food to last the winter - for both of us."

It is so important to share Aesop Fables with children in your library, classroom and home. AND there are so many fantastic versions to use with truly special illustrations. Dena Seiferling creates beautiful pages in this book:

Her illustrations are as classic as the fable, having used her pencil to create profound scenes that are steeped in atmosphere and characters evocative with feeling. From the dramatic Gert who never looks silly as she enjoys her creative pursuits to the tireless Alice who takes the time, amidst her work, to feel, Dena Seiferling makes us appreciate the depth of the story through her characters and the setting. Can Lit for Little Canadians

Here are a couple of other versions of The Ant and the Grasshopper:

Amy Lowry Poole

Jerry Pinkney

Ed Emberley

In the library where I volunteer each week the most recent book display showcased the Aesop Fables held in the collection. As I was reshelving these to make way for the new display (Yarn Yarns knitting in picture books) I stumbled upon Alice and Gert and on the cover I saw the name Dena Seiferling. Over the last eight years my field knowledge of international illustrators has grown exponentially thanks to this fantastic library where I am so privileged to work each week. I previously loved art by Dena Seiferling in these two books:

Night Lunch

King Mouse

Dena Seiferling is a Canadian illustrator and instructor at AuArts, Alberta. Her illustrations are characterised by a love for animals and nature, and she works with a variety of mediums including drawing with graphite and needle-felted sculpture. She has won the Best Illustrated Children’s Book of the Year Award from the New York Times and New York Public Library for Night Lunch, written by Eric Fan. She is the illustrator of King Mouse by Cary Fagan and illustrated for Joseph Coelho’s Ten-Word Tiny Tales.

Dean Seiferling's newest book is Things I learned from my Dog (due out this year). I am very keen to find this book from 2022: