Top of the Heap!

Artist Tools by Judith Anderson I dropped a hint about our theme this week with Monday's Riddle , opening up the topic of painters and illustrators. Brocket the Rocket told us all about one of his favorite summer reads, Nate Rocks the World by Karen Pokras Toz . And, Friday we have a special guest stopping by to chat with us. Now, Lizzy and I absolutely love stories, but what would they be without the illustrators who turn the words into pictures? Here's to all those fabulous artists out there. Keep up the good work!



This week's top of the heap: Favorite illustrators/ Painters

Fairday: I was introduced to the illustrator, Charles Vess through the book, Stardust, Being a Romance Within the realms of Faerie by Neil Gaiman. The story is one of my absolute favorites, and the illustrations were truly incredible. They really capture the magic of the timeless tale!  ~ F


About Charles Vess: 
Charles Vess was born in 1951 in Lynchburg, Virginia. He has been drawing ever since he could hold a crayon and crawl to the nearest wall. His award-winning work has graced the covers and interior pages of many comic book publishers including Marvel (Spider-Man, Raven Banner) and DC (Books of Magic, Swamp Thing, Sandman). His work now is found more in book illustration, such as “The Ladies of Grace Adieu” (Bloomsbury), “Coyote Road – Trickster Tales” (Viking), and “Peter Pan” (Starscape).  Read more...




Lizzy: Not only do I love to read books, but I can spend hours looking at the beautiful illustrations in them. There are a wide variety of styles and so many talented artists. If I had to pick my favorite illustrator it would be Chris Van Allsburg . Ever since I first picked up one of his books, I have been captivated by his work. Each one is different, but still the illustrations play a key role in telling the story. I sometimes pour over the pictures for hours, and they could almost tell the tale on their own! I always notice new details, which makes me enjoy rereading his books regularly. In Just a Dream he captures the importance of treating our planet with the greatest respect and the drawings just pop. The Z was Zapped showed me the alphabet in a whole new way. I may not be able to draw as well as I would like, but I sure do enjoy looking at pictures!  ~L 


Man in Tornado 

FEAR NOT THE UNEXPECTED