Saturday, February 12, 2011

13th February Simms Taback (1932) Bruce Whatley (1954)






Simms Taback is a Jewish-American author illustrator of vividly coloured children's books. The colour in his books leaps off the page, often because the background is black, but even when it isn't the colour is what attracts you first. His website is a joy and you can watch videos of him and his book Joseph Had a Little Overcoat and the book There Was an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly. I know there are people who think the old lady song/book is inappropriate/ and or upsetting for young children, but having taught for over thirty years I am still waiting for that child to be in a group I am teaching. Most children seem to think it is very funny, and I am sure that is how it is intended.

Bruce Whatley is a highly regarded Australian author illustrator who is responsible for many of Australian children's favourite books. It is a shame that he doesn't have his own website where you can go and be surprised by the sheer number of books you will know. He is loved for his illustrations of dogs (see Magnetic Dog and The Ugliest Dog in the World) wombats (see Diary of a Wombat and Baby Wombat's Week) bilbies (see The Smallest Bilby and the Midnight Star and its sequel). There is an interview with him here. He has illustrated many of Jackie French's books, but he does other author's books and writes for himself or with his wife Rosie Smith. His newest book Zoobots he did with his son Ben,

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