The Twelve Dancing Princesses by Sheilah Beckett |
Especially adults.
As Chesterton said,
"I left fairy tales lying on the floor of the nursery, and I have not found any books so sensible since."
Me too, Gilbert. Me too.
I will have to devote an entire series to fairy stories, at some point, but that is another task for another day.
Not my personal book, but it could be! |
I went home and dug up this book, The Twelve Days of Christmas, illustrated by Sheilah Beckett. I have been unsuccessful in tracking an illustrated book of saints by her, but the search continues.
Meanwhile, allow me to share these tales with you. I encourage you to add them to your own library, whether or not you have children of your own.
Sheilah Beckett
Born in 1913 in Vancouver, Ms. Beckett never attended art school. She has illustrated many children's books, including the Little Golden Book I saw in the grocery store and begged my mother to buy me.
Her caricatured figures and whimsical animals preceded Walt Disney's major motion picture Snow White. The detail of period costumes is delightful, and my favorite? The flowing nouveau-esque hair!
The Gift of the Magi |
Lisbeth Zwerger
A couple I once stayed with in England collected children's books illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. The Legend of Rosepetal enchanted me immediately. She was born in Vienna in 1954 and is an award-winning illustrator.
The only book of hers I have been able to purchase in a bookstore is The Gift of the Magi. In this book in particular, I admire the sketchy, messy layers of lines that highlight flow and movement.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe |
Leo and Diane Dillon
This husband and wife team won two consecutive Caldecott Medals for their children's books. They are well known for their re-telling of African folk stories.
I encountered the pair in a small bookstore when I brought home a used copy of The Race of the Golden Apples. It is still one of my treasured books with its fusion of smooth color and flat textures. Their graceful depiction of the human face, in particular, has influenced my attempts at realistic drawing.
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For further reading on fairy tales and their place in the baptized imagination, see J.R.R. Tolkien's essay "On Fairy Stories."
I also love fairy tales and children's books in general, especially those that are beautifully illustrated. I think the Sheilah Beckett book is the Children's Book of Saints--I found it on www.abebooks.com, a great source for reasonably priced used and out of print books. I searched for "Sheilah Beckett" in the author search.
ReplyDeleteI also love the Chris Van Allsburg covers for a Scholastic edition of the full Chronicles of Narnia set. I saved up my allowance for weeks to buy it from the book fair...
Thanks Caitlin, I'll search for it there!
ReplyDeleteI saw the 12 days of Christmas book @ the library at a book sale - EXCELLENT condition, and thought of you and this post. I couldn't pass up $0.50 for it - so keep your eyes out for it in the mail :) <3 u.
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