Laughing on the metro

I have been re-reading Cheaper by the Dozenon my commute, and I think everyone on the Metro thinks I am crazy. I sit there, every day, laughing to myself and out loud sometimes, usually grinning, because the book is just so funny and delightful.

If you haven't read it, or haven't read it in a long long time, pick up a copy and re-read it. It is brilliant.

Oops, by Arthur Geisert

Title: Oops
Illustrator: Arthur Geisert
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin for Children

I don’t know that I can give illustrator Arthur Geisert a fair review, so I am going to be brief. This is the only one of his books I’ve “read” and I don’t like it much. “Read” is in quotation marks because the book has only illustrations—no words. I never have been as much an image person as I am a word person. Even though (time and again) I am attracted to books because of their illustrations, I won’t really enjoy it unless there is correspondingly good narrative.

These illustrations tell the story of the disaster that befalls a pig family, sitting down to breakfast. The youngest pig spills his glass of milk, and as they rush to wipe it up, it trickles down through a crack in the floor, and causes (through a series of intricate illustrations) the whole house to fall down. (Don’t worry—the pigs are safe.) It’s a giant picture book game of Destruction. And I just don’t get it.

I don’t want to write all of Geisert’s works yet. But I was sorely tempted to after I read this one. Still, if you have a child who loves the details of illustrations (like the entire world created by Richard Scary) or a child who enjoys puzzles, this could be a rewarding book to explore.

Terrible Yellow Eyes

Where the Wild Things Are.What is there to say about this classic? Even if it's not your favorite, you must recognize it is masterful and delightful and chilling and brilliant, and has had a profound impact on the books that came after it, and children's literature as a whole.

In an effort to trace that influence, I present to you the beautiful adventerous blog: Terrible Yellow Eyes

Brianchild of Corey Godbey (Awesome last name; oh, and, you're a color theorist. Sweet.), every friday, Corey adds tons (once every 15 minutes) of individual paintings, prints, sketches, or digital art based on and inspired by Maurice Sendak. Cory started this project with the simple desire to celebrate the book and it's art. Sicne then, the project has exploded--with over 75 contributions, and a huge number of media and blog hits.

Here are ones I love (as if I can narrow them down):

--Pascal Campion
--Cory's "Shadows"
--"Oh Please Don't Go, by my dear friend Ben Hatke.
--Max and the Magic Flute left me utterly speechless. Amazing. (By Rilla Alexander)
--"They're Not So Terrible", by Peter deSeve
--Elia Minaya's adorable drawing of Maz.
--I love the graphic punch of Robert van Raffe's drawing.
--Jeremy Vanhoozer's shadow box is just stunning.
--The one pictured here is by Erin McGuire, and was by far my favorite. It is what Where the Wild Things Are is to me.

(Don't miss the trailer for the film, out October 16th)

Books and Cakes

Mom sent me this gorgeous and delightful The Very Hungry Caterpillarcupcake made by Coco Cupcakes, but I was holding off on posting it, because I thought I'd make it for my sister for her 21st Birthday (which is--scary--less than a month away!)

But then Mr. Newton pointed me towards this great round-up of Children's Book Cakes, on the shockingly hilarious cake decorating blog Cake Wrecks, and I just had to share. Here are some of the delightful cakes they found:

The Tale of Peter Rabbit

The Story of Babar

Goodnight Moon
(Also posted on Ten Thousand Places.)