Tag Archives: Maurice Sendak

The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau

Posted on by

If you are a Harry Potter fan, you may remember those portraits on the wall that came to life.  Before the “Fat Lady” was grudgingly opens the door to Gryffindor Tower, Jon Agee had created living portraits in his children’s book – The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau.  

When Felix, an unknown French painter, enters his painting of a duck in the “Grand Contest of Art,” others ridicule his simplicity – until the duck quacks – earning Clousseau the grand prize.  With illustrations that are reminiscent of Maurice Sendak’s style, Agee continues the incredible story with a boa constrictor that slithers out of the frame and a cannon that fires out of the picture – until the poor artist is sent to jail and all his pictures confiscated.

The one portrait of a dog still hanging in the royal palace wakes up one night to catch a thief trying to steal the crown.  Clousseau is exonerated and awarded the Medal of Honor.  The last page may be the best – with the old painter walking into the frame.

Children’s author Kristin Cashore listed The Incredible Painting of Felix Clousseau as a book with a “perfect ending.”  I agree; have you read it?

10 Reasons I Liked Maurice Sendak

Posted on by

10 Reasons I liked Maurice Sendak:

  1. He was gruff and tough and reminded me of my short grandfather.
  2. He wrote honestly and never talked down to children.
  3. He was a natural talent, never taking a class in how to write or how to draw.
  4. He grew up in Brooklyn and lived in Connecticut.
  5. He stayed with his partner for 50 years.
  6. He loved dogs.
  7. He laughed when the librarians drew a diaper on his drawing of a naked baby.
  8. He scowled when they tried to ban his books.
  9. He reinvented himself in old age, designing scenery for operas.
  10. He inspired children; he inspired me.

1928-2012

I was hoping to see him return to the Colbert Report, but his endorsement (The sad thing is, I like it) of Colbert’s “I Am A Pole” book on his first visit will always be one of my favorite shows.

Luckily, he left behind lots of books with his signature style.

Related Post: Review of Bumble-ardy

Good Night, Sleep Tight

Posted on by

Penelope Lively’s 1994 picture book – Good Night, Sleep Tight – is an echo of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are (published in 1963).  Not as scary as Sendak, Lively has stuffed animals leading their little girl owner to adventures in their native habitats – the stuffed lion in the jungle, the stuffed frog in the swamp, the cat into the dark night, and finally, her doll takes her to a party.  The dream sequence is easy to follow and colorfully illustrated by Adriano Gon.

Lively is a prolific author of both children and adult books; this one might make a good bedtime story.

Read Reviews of Lively’s Other Books:

Wish Upon A Star

Posted on by

Politicians’ wives are not the only ones who can write children’s books. Karen Jones in her article for USA Weekend, listed four new books by the “stars” – Julianne Moore, Molly Shannon, Dionne Warwick, and Fran Drescher.

      

A quick search for children’s books written by celebrities listed at least 40 books.  Jamie Lee Curtis, John Lithgow, and Whoopi Goldberg have all made it onto the New York Times bestseller list for their children’s books, but not one has been on the Caldecott or Newbery list yet.

The celebrity book I am looking forward to is Stephen Colbert’s I Am a Pole (And So Can You!). Maurice Sendak’s review says “It’s terribly ordinary…The sad thing is I like it.”

Related articles