The Princess and the Moon by Geraldine McCaughrean illustrated by Brian Wildsmith

When the Great Rabbit carries the ill-tempered Sophie off to the moon she comes to understand that to be treated like a princess 

she must look for the best in other people and herself.

I discovered this book, which is from 1991, in a school library. The Teacher-Librarian has decided this book no longer fits her collection or the reading interests of her very young students and I totally agree. BUT this book is illustrated by the wonderful Brian Wildsmith so I just had to bring it home to read.

So I am only talking about this book because I love the art - I don't think I would have ever shared this book with a young reading companion or any group in my school library. As Kirkus say:

An unabashedly didactic story by the Japanese author of The Cherry Tree (p. 466), with a heavy-handed message made remarkably palatable by English adaptor Geraldine McCaughrean's lyrical text and Wildsmith's gorgeous illustrations. ... Dutifully accepting the lesson, the child returns to earth ready to smile and be kind. The reformation may be too easy, but the point is still valid; and no one should forgo Wildsmith's delectable art with its delicately glowing colors and wonderfully imaginative juxtapositions of harmonious images.

Here is the blurb if you are curious:

Sophie, a bad-tempered and unhappy child, changes her view of the world when the Great Moon Rabbit carries her to the moon, where she learns to look for the good in people and thereby feel happier herself.

The Japanese author of The Princess and the Moon is Daisaku Ikeda. Daisaku Ikeda was a Buddhist philosopher, peacebuilder, educator, author and poet. He was the third president of the Soka Gakkai lay Buddhist organization and the founding president of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI), which is today one of the world's largest and most diverse lay Buddhist organizations, promoting a philosophy of character development and social engagement for peace. ... Ikeda was a prolific writer who has published more than 100 works, ranging from Buddhist philosophy to biographical essays, poetry, children's stories and photographic collections.

Now for the art (images source Brian Wildsmith)

Paws, Claws, Tails and Roars illustrated by Brian Wildsmith

Brian Wildsmith's breathtaking animal paintings are accompanied by new lyrical text, inviting readers to pause a while and linger over the glorious wild animals, birds, and fishes within. Whether already a fan of Brian Wildsmith, or discovering his work for the first time, readers will cherish this book for a lifetime.

I previously talked about the wonderful Brian Wildsmith exhibition in Barnsley, UK. The featured book at the exhibition was Paws, Claws, Tails and Roars but over 90 pages and in hardcover this book was way too heavy for my luggage. Now my copy has arrived.

The art in this book comes from works by Brian Wildsmith Wild Animals (1967); Birds (1967); and Fishes (1968).

If you are looking for a very special gift for a child perhaps when they are born or for a christening gift Paws, Claws, Tails and Roars [9780192784216] would be perfect. It is a large format book to treasure and revisit.

In his introduction Michael Rosen talks about his first experience of art by Brian Wildsmith in the Oxford Book of Children's Poetry: "Again and again, either the subject or the background flooded out from the book: the pictures didn't obey the margins. They weren't contained by convention. It was as if the luxuriousness of the colours was too rich to be confined by something as mundane as a page."

"The pictures tell us that the Earth and its creatures are precious. ... I'm as delighted as his jolly hedgehog ... I hope you enjoy (this book) and that you and the children in your life snuffle through these pages with the many feelings this vibrant art conjures up."

The other wonderful thing that your child will experience reading this book is the encounter with familiar and unfamiliar animals. I well remember my childhood alphabet book contained a Yak - a creature that fascinated me. In this book there are less well known animals (especially to children here in Australia) - raccoon; badger; hedgehog; pheasant; jay; heron; snipe; woodcock; minnow; stickleback and porcupine fish. My favourite illustrations are the tiger; the hedgehog; the robin and the kingfisher.

Children will also discover the intriguing names we use as collective nouns: a cete of badgers; a round of robins; a walk of snipe; a party of rainbow fish; and a corps of giraffes. 

You can see all books by Brian Wildsmith here. And if you are unfamiliar with his work take a look at this blog post. 

There is quiet knowledge in the design of each spread. The colours are vivid or subtle in accord with the animals’ own colours and the worlds they inhabit and the brush strokes splash, smear and wash the settings for each animal, evoking swirling waters bursting with flying fish, iridescent bubbles reflecting the many colours of the angelfish, the mottled camouflage of the woodcock. Paws, Claws, Tails and Roars: Brian Wildsmith’s Animal Kingdom is a book to be shared over and over again, joyfully, with readers of any age. Just Imagine

What I love about his work is that behind all the wondrous colour, pattern and texture there always lies the fundamental essence of whatever he’s depicting. Words and Pics

"This is a book I'd like to see in every classroom from the foundation stage upwards as well as on family bookshelves. And, what a wonderful present it would make." - Jill Bennett, Red Reading Hub

A Christmas Story by Brian Wildsmith

Today is Christmas day.  I recently gifted a copy of this book A Christmas Story to some grandparents. I picked up a copy at a charity book sale for just AUS$1. This morning the delighted grandmother and grandfather took the time to phone me and exclaim with delight telling me how much they loved this book and how perfect it will be for their precious granddaughter.

The traditional Christmas story of Mary and Joseph and their journey to Bethlehem and the "people" who also travel along - the wise men, the shepherds, the star and the angels - are all well-known but Brian Wildsmith lifts this story to another level in two ways. Firstly, he makes the story personal for the reader by adding the character of Rebecca who has been asked to care for a baby donkey. She follows Mary and Joseph who are riding the mother donkey and along the way Rebecca asks the various nativity characters for help to find the way. This is such a gentle and as I said, personal way, to retell the story for a young child. Secondly, this book is filled with the most glorious art. I explained to the grandparents that picture books can be a way to give a young child a very special art experience long before you take them to a more formal art gallery. Every child needs to see and experience books illustrated by Brian Wildsmith.

There are huge landscape scenes in this book echoing the enormity of this story and on some pages little Rebecca and her baby donkey are portraited as tiny characters in a corner of the scene and yet somehow, they remain the focus of the illustration. Brian Wildsmith also fills his pages with gold and there are pages that just seem to shimmer and shine.

"Once, a long time ago, in a town called Nazareth, a little donkey was born."

"So the little donkey and Rebecca went on. Suddenly glorious music filled the sky. And then they saw a great star shing down on the little town of Bethlehem."

Here is a video of the whole book.  This book has been published several times - here are some of the other covers. You could also click on the label Brian Wildsmith at the bottom of this post to read about the exhibition I visited in Barnsley.

Here are two review quotes:

The detail in the pictures means that each turn of the page brings something interesting to talk about. If you are looking for a book to bring more to the Christmas celebration than presents and Santa then A Christmas Story is for you. Enjoy it! - The Bookbag

The beautiful illustrations ... are evocative in a quite different way and they are equally skillful in bringing the story of the birth of Jesus to life. - Julia Eccleshare, The Guardian online

Brian Wildsmith Oxford reader series

See some pages inside this book here

Read more here

Beginning in the 1980s Brian Wildsmith created eighteen slim 16 page 'readers' for Oxford. The artwork is amazing. How lucky were the children who had these in their library or classroom. Each one ends with a surprise. The series began with The Cat on the Mat. I did have a copy of this one in my former school library but I had not seen other books from this series until I visited the Brian Wildsmith exhibition in Barnsey this year. And then luckily for me the library I visit each week had a few of the titles in their collection. Sadly these are all now out of print but I did find used copies for around AUS$20 each.

Image source: Brian Wildsmith books - click on the images on this webpage to see inside each book.

I took some photos from the books I borrowed this week and also one at the exhibition.

Here is the text from 'If I were you':

I went to the zoo, and I thought ...

If I were an eagle, I would fly to the moon.

If I were a walrus, I would swim to the bottom of the sea.

If I were a monkey, I would climb the highest tree.

If I were an elephant, I would lift a tractor high into the air.

If I were a cheetah, I would win every race.

But if you were me ... you would be free.

This shows you the structure of these stories with a predictable text pattern and then a final twist. Look at all the words a child encountered in this book and they also had a chance to try out the way commas work because each sentence was spread across two pages.

The Trunk is a wordless book and If Only, contains just two words - but there is so much to discover in the illustrations. 

Here is an interview with Brian Wildsmith's children 9Simon, Clare and Rebecca) about his art techniques. 

His work is more suggestive, visually strong, but honouring a child’s natural ability to understand the essence of quite complex paintings in a way that adults often fail to do. He once said, ’I paint what I see with my eyes and feel with my heart.’ From the tiniest of little insects feasting on flowers, to the mightiest of mammals, his art is filled with the joy of all that is best about our world – a world that is rapidly changing but with children that are fundamentally the same as they ever were.

Bear's Adventure by Brian Wildsmith

Bear climbs into an empty hot air balloon basket and so his adventures begin. He is mistaken for a man in a fancy costume, joins a parade and a running race, he's interviewed for a television show, transported by helicopter and fire engine and until he eventually returns home somewhat confused by all of his very strange experiences.

As I read Bear's Adventure I kept thinking of the way it links with Daisy (1984).

Bear's Adventure was first published in 1981 and later went through several reprints up until 1991. It was published again in 2018 with a different cover and I think a slightly different text.

When I visited the Brian Wildsmith exhibition in Barnsely (UK) a few weeks ago Bear's Adventure was one of several books you could pick up and read. One page caught my eye because it mentioned the word video and even more surprising watching a video while riding a bicycle.

The original text says:

"That's a very funny act,' he said to bear. 'I was watching you on my miniature television set."

The updated text says:

"That was a very funny act,' he said to bear. 'I was watching you here, on my phone."

Look closely at this page and you can see the words 'miniature television':

I didn't have the two versions on the text with me at the exhibition so I cannot be sure if other parts of the text have been changed but the words "on my phone" really jumped out at me because I am sure did not write about phones back in 1981 although perhaps Brian Wildsmith did the text update because he died in 2016 and so he may have indeed watched videos on his phone.  

Blurb from the Brian Wildsmith web page: After mistaking the basket of a hot-air balloon for a cozy den, a brown bear goes on an unexpected adventure in a big city. When the balloon lands at the start of a colourful parade, the crowd embraces bear - so very lifelike! - turning him into an instant celebrity. From talk-show hosts to helicopter pilots, everyone wants to meet the funny man in the bear costume. But no-one understands poor Bear! With each new sight and smell, friendly face, and excited crowd, Bear is drawn further from his home and into an adventure he will never forget. Combining elegant writing with gorgeous illustrations, this lively and endearing story will keep readers enthralled to the final pages.

The illustrations are stunning. Each page is like a painting or a one of a kind greeting card, sharing beautiful animals, prints, textures, and colors. ... This picture book has adventure, humor, and reminds us that even a moment spent among chaos, has perfection. Bear just goes along with every unraveling mishap, seeming to be led a step closer to where he is suppose to be- no matter what direction he takes to get there. Read Aloud Literacy

I will share many more parts of the Brian Wildsmith exhibition over the coming weeks.

If you have a group of older students, you could compare Bear's Adventure with this old (sadly long out of print) book:

Brian Wildsmith exhibition South Yorkshire

For the first time Brian’s personal collection of over 40 colourful original illustrations, early works, drawings and paintings will be on display in the beautiful setting of the Cooper Gallery. The walls will be filled with colour and vivid characters. It’s a perfect destination for art lovers of all ages and our younger visitors can enjoy our specially created forest activity area ‘Brian’s Wild Wood’, upstairs in the Sadler Room.

Read more about this exhibition here. And also here on the Brian Wildsmith web page. I hope to visit later this month. He illustrated well over 100 books and also did many book covers early early in his career. He illustrated the cover of our Australian book Tangara by Nan Chauncy in 1960. 

Liberty fabrics have made a range of material to celebrate his work and in the video you can hear Brian Wildsmith's voice. 

Brian Lawrence Wildsmith was born on 22 January 1930 in Penistone. In 1946 he enrolled at the Barnsley School of Art. In 1962 he was Awarded the Kate Greenaway medal for his work on the book, ‘ABC’. His vibrant use of colour and depictions of animals became his trademark. In the 1970s Brian and his family moved permanently to France. In 1994 a Brian Wildsmith Art Museum was opened in Izu-kogen, in the south of Tokyo in Japan, closing the year he died in 2016. (source Barnsley Museums Blog) Read more here. 

Here are some Kirkus review comments:

• As usual with Wildsmith's work, the animals and birds are superb ...
• ... no one should forgo Wildsmith's delectable art with its delicately glowing colors and wonderfully imaginative juxtapositions of harmonious images.
• Wildsmith has outdone himself in splendid paintings of a lush tropical isle aglow between a richly luminous sky and a gloriously beautiful sea.

This gorgeous budgie illustration comes from his book Circus:

This sweet little hedgehog is from his book Wild Animals

You can see cover images of all books by Brian Wildsmith here. My own favourites are:

Daisy

I used to own these glorious alphabet cards and animal cards (hope the person who has them now loves them as much as I did).

Animal Gallery the cover at the top of this post is a book about collective nouns - a pride of lions; a corps of giraffes; a wedge of swans; a party of rainbow fish; a stare of owls; and more.

Awards:

1963 Kate Greenaway Medal: The Lion and the Rat.

Kate Greenaway Medal: The Oxford Book of Poetry for Children.

1964 Horn Book Honor List. 

New York Times Book Review List of Outstanding Books.

1965 The Brooklyn Art Books for Children Citation: 1 2 3.

New York Times Book Review List of Outstanding Books.

1966 Hans Christian Andersen Award: runner-up.

New York Times Book Review List of Outstanding Books. 

1967 The Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medal: Birds.

New York Times: Best illustrated book of the year: Birds.

New York Times Book Review List of Outstanding Books.

1968 Hans Christian Andersen Award: runner up.

1971 Kate Greenaway Medal: The Owl and the Woodpecker.

1982 Kurt Maschler Award short-listed: Pelican.

1991 Ushio Publication Culture Award: In recognition of his distinguished achievements.

1994 Selected as one of The Children’s Books of the Year: The Easter Story.

1995 The CD Rom of: The Christmas Story, won the Grand Prix of European Multi-Media.

1998 National Jewish Book Awards, Finalist: Exodus/Moses.

2000 Parent Council Ltd, Selected as outstanding: The Easter Story.

Children’s Literature, Choice List: Moses.

2001 - 2002 Children’s Crown Award reading Programs, Nominee List: Moses.

2005 Book Sense, Easter/Passover, Top Ten Picks List: Moses.

The Twelve days of Christmas illustrated by Brian Wildsmith

 The Twelve Days of Christmas

Once again we have the traditional version of this famous poem. The delight (if you are reading several editions) comes from the wonderful illustrations.  I especially love the page with five gold rings. 

This version of the Twelve Days of Christmas illustrated by the brilliant Brian Wildsmith was first published in 1972 and because it is so special it continues to be reprinted with different covers. See more illustrations here.

This illustrated version of a Christmas classic from one of our most internationally acclaimed picture-book writers and artists deserves a spot under every Christmas tree. LoveReading4Kids

Brain Wildsmith published over seventy books.