SOLVED. Children's Picture Book set in the jungle/ forest/ trees with vivid colourful imagery. Very bright, colourful patterns. Published 1980s/early 1990s? [s]

[Mary]

can you remember what the story was about at all?

[Cheryl]

Some of the art by Ellen Walsh and Leo Lionni is a bit similar, but usually not so bright. Hmm...

Do you remember if there were mice, or jungle animals, or farm animals, or people, or.... ?

[Cheryl]

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/13...

[Mir]

Could the author be Ezra Jack Keats?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Maybe something by Charley Harper?

Browse through some of his artwork here
https://www.charleyharperprints.com/

and here are some of the Charley Harper items Powells has for sale.
http://www.powells.com/s?author=Charl...

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Rachel--don't give up. Bump this up occassionally and sooner or later SOMEONE will find it for you. We've had things id-ed as fast as 5 minutes, and others it's taken years. I had one that was almost 3 years before it was ID-ed. And I still have a few that are older than that. Including one where the "root story" has been ID-ed, but not the particular telling that I read. (Story was based on Norse Eddas--which is what has been ID'ed for me.)

[Andria]

Lois Ehlert, maybe?

[Andria]

Or Jeannie Baker, who I think is Australian.

[Cheryl]

Rachel, if you do figure it out, please come back and let us know!

[Fresno Bob]

Ann aka Iftcan wrote: "Rachel--don't give up. Bump this up occassionally and sooner or later SOMEONE will find it for you. We've had things id-ed as fast as 5 minutes, and others it's taken years. I had one that was a..."

It's not David Drake's "Northworld Trilogy" that you are looking for around the Norse Eddas, is it?

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Fresno BOb--no, that's not it. What I'm looking for is no where near that long--or that new. But thanks for the suggestion

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Rachel, are you still looking for this book?

[Cruth]

For some of the top Australian illustrators, it's worth checking out (author) Mem Fox. She's both popular and prodigious, with a large range of illustrators. Someone might pop.

You could also try http://www.illustratorsaustralia.com/... , but it is by no means exhaustive.

Do you recall any of the narrative content?

[Tab]

This is a stretch, but Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: A Nandi Tale has that cross of painterly and graphic pattern style of illustration.

I remember it being really popular in the 80s (It was featured on Reading Rainbow)

[Andria]

Rachel, I just took another look at the link you provided in your first post, and the picture books of Gerald McDermott came to mind.

[Cruth]

Rachel wrote: "Hi Cruth,

Thanks for your suggestions! I'm quite familiar with Mem Fox and it isn't her stories. I looked through the website you suggested and nothing stood out as being the one I'm looking for I..."

I was thinking more one of her illustrators might pop.

Okay - you're an Aussie so you would know Mem Fox... Sorry, I didn't check your profile.

You could also try this site - Children's Bestsellers of the 20th Century http://www.best-childrens-books.com/b...

Or here for illustrators: http://www.booksillustrated.com.au/bi...

Anyway, good luck on your search! This is going to be tricky with so little to go on.

ETA there's the chance it was nominated for a CBCA: http://cbca.org.au/awardshistory.htm

[Michele]

Could it be Tikki Tikki Tembo or Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky?

[Fresno Bob]

I remember reading an australian folktsle called something like "how the birds got their colors" thst this reminds me of

[Linda]

Is it likely to be a Graeme Base book?

[Michele]

Rachel wrote: Sorry I'm such a pain, I know! I'll likely come across it when I'm not even looking..."

You are not a pain, you are a challenge -- big difference :)

[Cheryl]

bump - I want to know this, too. ;)

[Angharad]

Maybe something illustrated by Bronwyn Bancroft? Stradbroke Dreamtime looks to be one of her earliest works.

[Amanda]

Maybe something illustrated by Etienne Delessert?

[Lisa]

Not Australian but New Zealand, maybe something by Peter Gossage?

[[deleted user]]

The Earth and I are Friends, author Frank Asch?

[Rachel]

thought maybe the artwork could have been aboriginal so i googled images for aboriginal storybooks. hope it helps (O:

http://www.google.com/search?q=the+bu...

[Rachel]

you did remind me of a book called the bunyip that i loved when i was younger though. will have to get myself a copy!
good luck tracking it down (O:

[Cheryl]

Any luck yet?

Here's a free 'bump' for fall. Come back in a few months to bump again, ok? Otherwise, to be honest, we might conclude that this thread has been 'abandoned' and move it to the Abandoned folder.

[Hannah]

The Great Kapok Tree by Lynne Cherry? Although it's art is more realistic.

[Hannah]

Dog Heaven by Cynthia Rylant?

[Adele]

Note about The Earth and I by Frank Asch. The earliest edition of this book was 1989 and there was a hardcover edition in 1994, so this would have been right in the time frame you mentioned. Here is a link to the 1994 edition: The Earth and I

Another possibility is published in 1990 Rain Forest

Lois Ehlert has some books illustrated in that brightly colored style, many from around that same time period. You might look at Red Leaf, Yellow Leaf published 1991 or Chicka Chicka Boom Boom from 1989

[Ann aka Iftcan]

Rachel--it's only been 2 years since you posted. Just bump this back up to the top periodically. We've found books from MUCH longer ago than 2 years. Will keep my fingers and toes crossed that someone recognizes your book.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

If you can give a reason why the book isn't it--or what is similar to your book--it helps to narrow the search down each time. So, keep on telling us no, but tell us WHY too.

[Arielle]

bumping - any luck, Rachel?

You said forest/jungle and Australian author, so it's most likely not Olive, the Other Reindeer (author lives in San Francisco), but the artwork is somewhat similar in style... https://www.amazon.com/Olive-Other-Re...

[Mir]

Any chance it is Jan Ormerod? She is Australian and her book Lizzie Nonsense had a family living in a forest. The mother and daughter were waiting while the father was away working. That's probably not old enough, but she has older stuff (as far back the 1980s) that I haven't read.

[Justanotherbiblophile]

Rachel wrote: "you can just delete this question if you like as I feel like a real ongoing nui..."

It's only been 5 years, and barely bumped at all - we've found stuff older than this, and the group hasn't even been around a couple decades.

Just put this on your end-of-the-month cleaning list (to bump and catch up on suggestions) until it's found.

[Amanda]

Bit of a long shot and not Australian, but maybe The Children in the Jungle?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Rachel wrote: "No luck yet and unfortunately it isn't either of these two I'm sorry. Thank you for bumping and for all your help but you can just delete this question if you like as I feel like a real ongoing nui..."

Rachel, no unsolved thread is a nuisance (no matter how old). That's what the group is here for, don't give up yet.

[Adele]

This seems quite promising to me: Rainforest Children

You can see the cover and multiple interior pictures here: https://www.amazon.com/Rainforest-Chi... Note that the thumbnails frequently don't show the colorful picture you see when you click.

[Adele]

I'm glad Rainforest Children looks promising. It won some awards so it might have been something that would be read to you in school. The first edition had a green cover in case that looks more familiar: https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Book...

But if it's not it - don't worry! - I, like everyone else here - enjoy the challenge. :-)

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Still looking now?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

We don't usually close threads - they can stay open indefinitely, as long as you are still interested in finding the book.

We encourage people to bump their thread every few months to get new members reading it.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Actually though you should add plot details to your header. That helps to get your thread noticed.

[Florence]

long shot but Elmer the Elmer books, Where the Wild Things Are and Corky and the Tree Folk are all ones that come to mind thinking of forest/jungle illustrations.

[Sarah]

Hi,
Is there any chance it could be The Umbrella, by Jan Brett? That was a gorgeously drawn story about the rainforest. Or the Great Kapok Tree?

[Rainbowheart]

I know you said early '90s, could it have been pubbed as late as '94?

[Nancy]

How about RUMBLE IN THE JUNGLE? It's been a favorite with my family for a couple of generations.

[Adele]

Rachel, just to confirm have you definitively ruled out The Rainforest Children as a possibility?

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Moving out of Abandoned - not sure why it was there.

[Rainbowheart]

The Zabajaba Jungle?

A Nice Walk in the Jungle?

The Children in the Jungle?