Oops ?
Last weekend, in Rutland, the first statue in Britain of the late Elizabeth II was unveiled.
I've got another 'keen'... Ouch!
Well Labour’s “patriotism” didn’t last very long, did it? 🇬🇧
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SubscribeI'm hoping to start a small library for my grand-daughter. She has an elder brother, so they already have all the classics.
Do you have any suggestions for books with beautiful illustrations that I can add to our list?
It doesn't matter if they are out of print, so books from the past are fine.
What books delighted you and your children with their lovely pictures?
Oops ?
Oooh, Kay Neilsen is a man!
I suppose I should have known from the legend of the Ice Queen
Gorgeous illustrations.
Ashcombe I loved that Wonky Donkey video and have posted the link on the Lockdown thread to cheer people up. I'm sure it will; how can you not laugh along with that lovely grandma?
I have to be very careful what books I buy as my very protective dil won't have the likes of Grimm's Fairy Tales in the house. Don't blame her when I remember some of the things which caused my nightmares from them, Andersen and Struwelpeter.
Cherry I'll look for Kay Neilsen though - thank you
What about Hans Christian Anderson's Complete Fairy Tales illustrated by Kay Neilsen or other children's books she illustrated. Brilliant illustrator.
How lovely to be reminded of such classics!
I agree about Jackie Morris, and The Lost Words and the Lost Spells are wonderful.
Jan Pienkowski did some lovely illustrations for the classic Xmas & Easter stories - they look like illuminated manuscripts, and this atheist liked to have those 'founding stories' on the bookshelf.
Really for adults, but all of my GCs get The Man Who Planted Trees - a lovely tale for our times - and it resonates with a family legend. Fine for older children.
My dgs is well beyond his age in reading and has just read and enjoyed 'Hatchet'. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatchet_(novel)
He still enjoys Horrible Histories and Goosebumps though
His books don't need to be illustrated
As the whole idea is for me to leave the books as a legacy, so to speak, I'm happy for recommendation right up to and including young adult books.
I have the brilliant, 'Tomorrow' series by John Marsden, for instance, which I think he'll enjoy.
Blossoming I've just ordered 'When we went Wild', thankyou.
I've heard The Archers talking about re-wilding a marvellous idea and too long in coming.
Sorry, I hadn’t read the OP properly and note that these recommendations are for your grandchildren. The first two, then, but maybe not Matthew Cook!
I think it depends what you like in illustration. I love watercolour and so The Lost Spells, with Jackie Morris’s wonderful illustrations of animals, birds and insects, and attendant verses is one of my favourite “dip in and out” books, along with “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse”. A particular interest of mine is the work of war artists, past and present (not everyone’s cup of tea, I know) and I love “Sketches from Afghanistan” by Matthew Cook. His palette is sparing and his loose sketches of the day to day life of both the military and local folk have an intimacy, and are wonderfully lit.
And before I go - Mila has a brother almost 12, what do your grandsons like?
The Percy Jackson books but I'm not sure if they have lovely illustrations.
Sorry - couldn’t resist posting the link to this video and I’m sure it would be well illustrated.
It’s bound to raise a giggle:-
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yskf94MYM1I
Jim Kay has done some beautiful illustrations for the first three Harry Potter. More are on the way, though our Potter-obsessed DGS will be in his teens before the whole series is available.
Roald Dahl, blooming spellchecker...
Maybe start a new thread for books for your GS Kaimoana ?
People may not return to this one after posting their suggestions.
You may like to try “The Twits” or “James and the Giant Peach” by Ronald Dahl with illustrations by Quentin Blake. The recommended reading age is about right years but you would be a better judge knowing his reading level.
What a lovely lot of suggestions - many, many thanks.
Some of these I've already ordered - Mufaro's Beautiful Daughter is on its way Peaseblossom.
Yes, I love the old fashioned illustrations but there are some modern illustrators I love too.
My grand-daughter is 3 months old but already loving Mummy reading to her and she definitely looks at the illustrations.
Geekesse I too learned about botany from the Flower Fairy books and still have mine, which will be passed on to Mila when I kick the bucket
Little Grey Mouse has just gone into the basket from a seller in UK who offers free postage, even to NZ. Brilliant.
Meanwhile, I'm going to work through every one of your suggestions as some of these books are now only available in 2nd hand bookshops. That can be fairly pricey when you add postage from wherever they are, to New Zealand.
I can't thank you enough
And before I go - Mila has a brother almost 12, what do your grandsons like?
I've just ordered Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome, remember that? I think it will amuse him.
Forgot - Aaron Becker “The Journey” (trilogy) - wonderful
'Down in the Marvellous Deep' - sea poems compiled and illustrated by Sophie Windham with gorgeous themed borders on the pages.
Anything by Colin Thompson, but especially 'Looking for Atlantis.' It creates a magical world children and adults will want to explore many times.
Brian Wildsmith’s books are beautiful.
Do you prefer ‘old fashioned’ illustrations?
There are many lovely modern illustrators like Oliver Jeffers, Francesca Sanna, Emily Gravett, Helen Oxenbury, Jackie Morris (have a look at the list of Kate Greenaway Medal winners carnegiegreenaway.org.uk/archive/kate-greenaway-medal-winners/
Loved the Shirley Hughes books, illustrations so detailed.
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters.
They are just so beautiful
And Mark Haddon’s Sea of Tranquility
What age is your GD Kaimoana ?
My daughters loved Alfie & Annie Rose stories. Shirley Hughes’ depiction of children is cherubic. I still have the Christmas book and can’t let it go to the charity shop.
I love the illustrations in the Beatrix Potter books. Also books by Shirley Hughes, especially the Alfie and Annie Rose books.
Ooh this is lovely!
I love illustration.
I especially adore Molly Brett and Margaret Tempest (the latter illustrated the books of Alison Uttley).
Much more dark and 'adult', but no less beautiful - Walter Crane.
His artwork is sublime.
Casdon yes, the Ladybird illustrators were very clever. I particularly like how they depicted everyday, seemingly boring objects.
The Blue Fairy Book published by the Folio Society is beautifully illustrated.
"The Blue Fairy Book
Andrew Lang
Illustrated by Charles van Sandwyk
Introduced by Joan Aiken
A wonderful collection of fairy stories selected by Andrew Lang at the end of the 19th century and fully illustrated by Charles van Sandwyk for this Folio edition."
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