SOLVED. Large format children's fantasy art book from the 80s with anthropomorphic animals and numerous battle scenes. [s]

[Matt]

I’ve been trying to find a book for about 30 years now. So it’s definitely time to ask the internet for help. Here’s what I know:

1. I checked it out of the library a few times in the mid to late 80s or very early 90s. (this specific libray doesn't keep records from that far back, so they weren't able to help me)
2. It was either a children’s book or some kind of art book (lots of pictures, oversized).
3. It had mostly fantasy type art (Lord of the Rings ish) possibly with anthropomorphic animals (bears maybe?) and several battle scenes.
a. One illustration I remember pretty well had this one character (panda?) all dressed in gold (like a samurai) with a morning star fighting this other character all dressed in black.
b. Another illustration I remember pretty well had this army marching across a battle field (made up of bears?) and they were all wearing the German World War I style helmet (with the big spike on top)
c. I vaguely remember an illustration of some characters (bears?) digging a series of tunnels (or trenches?) this may have been part of the scene I mentioned above… like trench warfare maybe.

That’s it. I’m about 85% sure this book actually exists. I don’t think I imagined it or dreamt it or anything… so if anyone has any thoughts, I’d appreciate your help. This has been bugging me for a very long time now.

[Kris]

The Bear and the Bird King / The Willow-Wren and the Bear by Jacob Grimm which has different illustrated versions?

[Matt]

Thanks, Kris. I did a lot of image searches over the weekend for these two in particular and for Grimm's stories in general, but I'm not seeing anything that jogs my memory.

I'll keep looking, but I don't think either of these are what I'm looking for.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Someone in the group was looking for something similar to this description a few months back. Of course now I can't find it. The illustrations were extremely detailed and beautiful. I don't know if this is your book. Anyone know what I'm talking about? The thread was solved.

[Ayshe]

This thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... maybe? Niel Hancock turned out to be the answer there.

[Matt]

Thanks Ayshe, but I don't think that's it.

This was definitely a large format (coffee table type) book with a bunch of illustrations. I honestly don't remember if there was even a story to it or any words at all. At the time at least, I was only interested in the illustrations.

[Emily]

My very first thought was Animalia by Graeme Base.
He has a number of similar books as well. I am not sure if it has all the details you are looking for as it is for younger kids, but that was something I remembered. It is an oversized book.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

Ayshe wrote: "This thread: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/... maybe? Niel Hancock turned out to be the answer there."

No, that wasn't the thread I was thinking of.

[Lobstergirl, au gratin]

I believe the thread I'm thinking of was also about a book that was mostly storyless, or wordless.

[Matt]

Thanks Emily! I'm pretty sure it's not Graeme Base. I've looked through a ton of his illustrations in the last several years to try to rule him out. So far I haven't seen any of his art that matches what I remember.

[Emily]

Okay! I'll keep my thinking cap on.

[Matt]

I'm still looking for this one. No luck yet.

[Matt]

Bumping for visibility.

[Erin]

Trouble for Trumpets

[Tathariell]

Just in case the animals were smaller than you remember, possibly Mouse Guard: Fall 1152?
I've only flipped through, so I don't know anything about the story, but the illustrations are lovely. And if there is no scale reference, you might remember mice as bears?

[Matt]

Erin wrote: "Trouble for Trumpets"

Erin! Thank you so much! That's it!
You have no idea what this means to me. It's like that one last piece of a half-remembered childhood finally clicking into place.